American Gold Sports Alliance

Women in Sports

30 Under 30 2024: Meet The Athletes And Executives Leading Sports Into The Future

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These all-stars are expanding their industry into new sports, technologies and demographics.

Shannon Rhodes says she’s “one of one,” but that’s not a boast. A senior director with the NBA, leading a team that builds apps for the league, the 29-year-old Rhodes notes, sadly, that there just aren’t many other women at the intersection of sports and software engineering.

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JAMEL TOPPIN FOR FORBES

“My aim,” she says, “is to be one of many.”

Rhodes isn’t the only one redefining what success looks like in the sports world. Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma, 28, cofounder of the fast-growing sports drink brand Barcode, and Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler, 28, who has his own fantasy football show and frequently streams himself playing video games, are helping expand athletes’ opportunities off the field. Meanwhile, Kelly Sherman, 28, is aiding that effort from the agency side, working with WME Sports’ content division to launch media companies for athletes.

Diana Flores, 26, captain of Mexico’s women’s national flag football team, is bringing attention to a new sport—one that’s headed to the 2028 Summer Olympics. And Jason Spector, 29, is introducing fans to new technologies, merging artificial intelligence with gambling as CBS Sports’ lead data scientist.

ll six are members of Forbes’ 2024 30 Under 30 class in the Sports category, highlighting the all-star athletes, innovative founders and accomplished business professionals defining the future of the industry. Candidates—who had to be 29 or younger as of December 31, 2023, and could not have been previously named to a Forbes 30 Under 30 continental list—were reviewed by a panel of judges featuring some of the sports world’s biggest players: Devin Booker, the Phoenix Suns’ star shooting guard and an alum of the 2022 30 Under 30 list; Sal Galatioto, founder and president of investment bank Galatioto Sports Partners; Carolyn Kindle, CEO and co-owner of Major League Soccer’s St. Louis City SC; and Renee Montgomery, a two-time WNBA champion as a player who has transitioned to ownership with the Atlanta Dream.

Two of this year’s Under 30 listers—Lauren Esrig, 29, of the Voice in Sport Foundation and Alison Reed, 28, of Women in Sports Tech—work with nonprofits creating new opportunities for women in the industry. Natalie White, 25, founder of Moolah Kicks, is also thinking about inclusivity, but with an entrepreneurial twist: Her company makes performance basketball sneakers designed specifically for female feet. Also in the world of women’s basketball, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, 27, is serving as an advisor for a new league for high schoolers while aiming to launch a new professional league during the WNBA offseason.

Those efforts, and the momentum sweeping across women’s sports more broadly, helped land 18 women among the list’s 30 members.

Along with gender equality, racial diversity is also a growing concern in the industry, with KB Partners senior associate Matt Howard, 29, noting, for instance, that he is among a small group of Black investors in venture capital. But here, too, the 30 Under 30 honorees intend to make a difference. Tennis star Jessica Pegula, 29, for example, now sits on the board of the Asian American Pacific Islander Tennis Association. In all, 15 members of this year’s list identify as people of color.

“As a young Black man, I am passionate about working in a profession that allows me to work predominantly with Black men that are considered culture drivers and sometimes even leaders in our community,” WME Sports basketball agent Isiah Turner, 29, says, adding, “I also believe that in today’s society, one of the best ways to create change is through economics, and that is one of the things that drives me every day to be successful.”

Other sports luminaries from the 2024 list include Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, 26; Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards, 22; and Olivia Dunne, 21, who leads a dual life as an LSU gymnast and as one of the faces of the NCAA’s new NIL marketing era.

Victoria Arlen, 29, who recovered from two serious neurological conditions to win four Paralympic medals and join ESPN as an on-air host, shared her motto with Forbes, and it is surely one her fellow Under 30 listers can relate to, even under less life-threatening circumstances: “Face it, embrace it, defy it, conquer it.”

29 | Tennis Player

Jessica Pegula

Tennis loves a teenage prodigy, whether it’s Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams or Coco Gauff. Pegula, though, had to wait, and work, for her success, not cracking the top 100 in the world rankings until 2019, when she was 24. Next came a meteoric rise to No. 3 in singles in 2022 and No. 1 in doubles in 2023. “Looking back four years later about where my mindset was, I don’t know if I really, truly believed it,” she says. “It’s just been a very long journey.” That trek began in Buffalo, New York, where Pegula’s parents, Terry and Kim, are the billionaire owners of both the NFL’s Bills and the NHL’s Sabres. Pegula can more than stand on her own now, however, making an estimated $6 million from endorsements and appearances on top of $6 million in 2023 prize money. She also owns a skin care line, Ready 24, and sits on the board of the Asian American Pacific Islander Tennis Association. “Athletes are becoming more than one-dimensional, becoming many different things and showing their interests on and off the field,” she says. “And I think it’s great.”

27 | Forward

Napheesa Collier

Napheesa Collier, who took most of the 2022 WNBA season off after welcoming her first child, returned to the court in 2023 and got right back to dominating, finishing fourth in scoring and seventh in rebounding. Working with fellow WNBA star Breanna Stewart, she is also launching a new league called Unrivaled to play during the WNBA offseason, and she will serve as an advisor for Overtime Select, a new league for high schoolers.

25 | Outfielder

Ronald Acuña Jr.

In his six seasons in the majors, Ronald Acuna Jr. has helped the Braves win six division titles, displaying Ruthian power, lightning speed and seemingly limitless swagger. Among his accolades: the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year Award, four All-Star selections and, most recently, the 2023 NL MVP Award. He is the first player ever to post 40 home runs and 70 steals in a single season.

25 | Outfielder

Ronald Acuña Jr.

In his six seasons in the majors, Ronald Acuna Jr. has helped the Braves win six division titles, displaying Ruthian power, lightning speed and seemingly limitless swagger. Among his accolades: the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year Award, four All-Star selections and, most recently, the 2023 NL MVP Award. He is the first player ever to post 40 home runs and 70 steals in a single season.

29 | TV Host

Victoria Arlen

Two rare neurological conditions left Victoria Arlen in a vegetative state for nearly four years, and doctors believed her chances of survival were slim. But she recovered to win four medals in swimming at the 2012 Paralympics and joined ESPN as on-air talent in 2015 at age 20. She now hosts shows including “SportsCenter” across the network’s platforms and also appears on “American Ninja Warrior Junior” on NBC’s Peacock.

29 | Cofounder

Austin Barone

Austin Barone is CEO and handles sales and business development for Just Play Solutions, a workflow and automation platform he cofounded in late 2014 while playing football at the University of Kansas. Barone says Just Play has helped coaches and sports organizations adapt to a new digital age, offering features including automated scouting and advanced data analysis.

28 | Senior Manager of Brand and Content Strategy

Robyn Brown

After Brittney Griner was detained in Russia in February 2022, Robyn Brown devoted the Mercury’s social channels to raising awareness and telling Griner’s story, with the #WeAreBG campaign driving 103 million impressions, she says. For a follow-up in 2023, Brown led the social strategy for DT10K, a campaign around Diana Taurasi becoming the first WNBA player to reach 10,000 points.

22 | Swimmer

Kate Douglass

Kate Douglass had one of history’s most dominant collegiate careers in any sport, becoming the first Division I swimmer to win three individual national titles in three different strokes and piling up 15 NCAA titles during her time at the University of Virginia. At the international level, she won a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and piled up nine medals between the 2022 and 2023 world championships.

21 | Gymnast

Olivia Dunne

Olivia Dunne has been an all-American on uneven bars at LSU, but she is better known as one of the faces of college sports’ NIL era, with more than 12 million followers between TikTok and Instagram. She has long-term partnerships with brands including Vuori, American Eagle and Motorola, and Forbes estimates that she made $2.3 million over the 12 months ending in June.

22 | Shooting Guard

Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards appeared as the trash-talking antagonist in Adam Sandler’s 2022 basketball film “Hustle,” foreshadowing a breakout year in which he earned his first NBA All-Star selection with the Timberwolves and led Team USA in scoring at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Edwards, the NBA’s No. 1 overall pick in 2020, also recently released his first signature shoe, with Adidas.

29 | Director of Strategy and Development

Lauren Esrig

Working with the Voice in Sport Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to equity and access to sport for girls, Lauren Esrig has built a Title IX micro-grant program to address gaps at U.S. schools. Noting that only 3% of sports science research is conducted with female athletes, she has led investments in studies focused on women with Stanford and Harvard, and she helped secure Adidas as a research partner.

28 | Running Back

Austin Ekeler

Austin Ekeler has risen from an NCAA Division II star at Western Colorado and an undrafted NFL rookie to starring for the Chargers. Off the field, he has a fantasy football show with Yahoo Sports and has frequently streamed himself playing video games on Twitch, helping earn him a reputation as one of the most “interactive” athletes. He also recently launched fan-engagement platform Eksperience.

29 | Senior Associate

Matt Howard

At KB Partners, a $127 million sports-tech-dedicated investment fund, Matt Howard shoulders major responsibilities, leading and negotiating deal terms, observing on boards and supplying updates to limited partners. A former team captain for Penn basketball, he also continues to mentor young players and speaks on panels focused on preparing young athletes for college.

26 | Quarterback

Diana Flores

Diana Flores, who picked up flag football as an 8-year-old, went from playing in the NFL’s grassroots program in Mexico to participating in the league’s flag championships and, in 2022, leading her country to a 39-6 blowout of the U.S. to win gold at the World Games. She now serves as a global ambassador for the NFL and is the first Under Armour athlete in her sport

27 | Brand Consulting Executive

Stasia Foster

Stasia Foster is a sports marketer working in the sports consulting division at CAA, providing strategic advice to brand clients including Bose, New Balance and JPMorgan Chase on sports league and property sponsorships, talent partnerships and experiential marketing strategies. She was also one of the first CAA sports consulting representatives to participate in, and later graduate from, CAA Elevate, the firm’s agent training program.

26 | Quarterback

Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson, the NFL’s MVP for the 2019 season, signed a five-year, $260 million extension with the Ravens in May after representing himself in negotiations. His $72.5 million signing bonus, which set an NFL contract record, made him football’s highest-paid player for 2023. Off the field, he has a personal clothing brand, a restaurant and a production company and record label.

24 | Professional Skateboarder

Tyshawn Jones

Tyshawn Jones doesn’t skate in competitions but is known as New York’s king of street skating for his jaw-dropping videos, including a production for Supreme that earned him Thrasher Magazine’s 2018 Skater of the Year Award. (He claimed the honor again in 2022.) He started signing sponsorships at age 13 and is also active as an entrepreneur, with a board company, a parts provider, an underwear line and a restaurant.

28 | Forward

Kyle Kuzma

On the court, Kyle Kuzma is a versatile forward, now playing on a four-year, $102 million contract. Off it, he cofounded the fast-growing sports drink Barcode, which made a splash by signing fellow NBA player Victor Wembanyama as an ambassador. Kuzma also created a lifestyle brand, Childhood Dreams, and has collaborated with Puma on two apparel collections

28 | Global Consumer Direct Marketing Lead For Women’s Running

Darcy McFarlane

A former pro soccer player, Darcy McFarlane led key digital and physical product launches for Nike around the 2023 Women’s World Cup, including the Phantom Luna cleat and the company’s first athlete workouts for Netflix. In an earlier role, she was product marketing manager for the Nike Running and Training Club apps, helping develop the shoemaker’s first adaptive workouts

25 | Water Polo Player

Maddie Musselman

Maddie Musselman won Olympic gold in 2016, finishing as Team USA’s second-leading scorer at age 18, and she was named tournament MVP at the Tokyo Games in 2021 as the U.S. claimed another title. She has also racked up four world championship golds, cementing her as the best athlete in her family, no small feat considering her father was an MLB pitcher and her mother played college soccer.

28 | Director of Program Operations

Alison Reed

A former soccer player at the U.S. Air Force Academy and a military veteran, Alison Reed says she always found herself the only woman in the room and decided to become an advocate to help women land leadership roles themselves. She now runs the fellowship program for Women in Sports Tech, a nonprofit helping businesses diversify talent pipelines and create more inclusive cultures

29 | Basketball Data Science And Scheduling Lead

Patrick Harrel

Patrick Harrel leads the NBA’s game scheduling optimization, using data to route road trips more efficiently to reduce the travel burden on NBA players. He has also helped design and implement the NBA’s Covid restart in 2020 and its new play-in and in-season tournaments, and he serves as a league representative on the Competition Committee, which recommends rule changes each year

25 | Founder

Natalie White

Natalie White is CEO of Moolah Kicks, which produces sneakers specifically designed for female basketball players. Through a partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Moolah’s first production run debuted in more than 140 stores, helping create the retailer’s first women’s basketball wall, and the brand now appears in more than 500 stores and is expanding its direct-to-consumer channel.

21 | Forward

Angel Reese

Angel Reese led LSU to its first-ever women’s basketball national championship in 2023, earning the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award to go with first-team all-American honors. She has also become one of the most marketable stars of the NCAA’s new NIL era, appearing in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue and partnering with brands including Coach, Reebok and PepsiCo’s Starry.

29 | Connected Engineering Lead

Shannon Rhodes

Shannon Rhodes’ teams have launched nine global NBA apps on 12 connected device app stores and worked on the Los Angeles Clippers’ new streaming app, ClipperVision, powered by the NBA app. Previously, she worked on the software engineering team at ESPN, catching the company’s attention, she says, with her senior project at Villanova, which was to automate the first-and-ten line with a $10 camera for high schools

23 | Sprinter

Sha’Carri Richardson

Sha’Carri Richardson missed the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after a failed drug test drew her a one-month suspension; she was later lauded for speaking openly about how she used cannabis to cope with Olympic qualifying and the death of her biological mother. After a disappointing 2022 season, she took gold in the 100 meters at the 2023 world championships with the fifth-fastest time ever. She also won bronze in the 200.

28 | Agent

Kelly Sherman

After starting in the mailroom at WME, Kelly Sherman became the first agent in the company’s sports content division, building top athletes’ media businesses. She helped Peyton Manning build Omaha Productions, playing a role in the creation of the “Manningcast,” and she has been involved with the companies of notable athletes including LeBron James and Draymond Green, as well as the Kobe Bryant Estate.

23 | Forward

Sophia Smith

Although the U.S. failed to accomplish its goal at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Sophia Smith was the breakout star for a team in transition, posting two goals and an assist. She has been even more dominant at the club level: The NWSL’s No. 1 overall draft pick in 2020, she led the Portland Thorns to the NWSL title in 2022 and earned league and championship MVP honors

29 | Lead Data Scientist

Jason Spector

Jason Spector developed Sportsline AI, an artificial intelligence model that predicts scores and player stat lines for the NFL, the NBA, the NHL, MLB and most of the world’s biggest soccer leagues. Once he could demonstrate that it could outperform professional handicappers, he says, he joined CBS Sports’ “Early Edge” podcast to give out betting picks

29 | Agent

Isiah Turner

Isiah Turner signed his first NBA client, Josh Christopher, while in law school in 2021 and has represented picks in the last two NBA drafts as well, with Jabari Walker and Gradey Dick. Turner has also helped his agency place clients in European, Asian and Latin American leagues and played a key role in recruiting young talent as NIL clients.

29 | Chief Growth Officer

Tom Weingarten

Tom Weingarten, who started as an intern in 2015, now serves as chief growth officer at sports media company Overtime, where he leads its social media strategy across 80-plus accounts. (He actually joined the company before it was called Overtime and was among its first ten employees.) Weingarten also has a role as on-air talent, interviewing players and speaking on podcasts.

SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON NAMED 2023 USATF FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

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Danteé Ramos | Blavity

A significant award was given to LSU track star Sha’Carri Richardson at the 2023 USATF Night of Legends on Saturday in Orlando in conjunction with the USATF Annual Meeting. The night honored several athletes and their remarkable performances this year.

Richardson was named USATF Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year. For women, the top honor bestowed by USATF is the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Female Athlete of the Year award. Since its inception in 1981, the award has been given yearly to honor the most exceptional female athlete. Votes from the media and fans are combined to choose the winner.

“With the God that I serve, everything happens when it’s supposed to happen. So when I stand here today as the world champion, that’s because now was the time for that to happen. Now is the most impactful it would be, the most powerful it would be, and the most sincere it would be,” Richardson said in her acceptance speech.

“I understand the influence that I have, I understand the responsibility that I have to USATF and as a top female USA athlete, and to my country, and to my black family, to my beautiful women, to everybody that has been misunderstood for trying to be their best selves and not be put into a category because they do track and field and have been put in a bubble,” she added.

Throughout the 2023 season, the 23-year-old had 12 wind-legal sub-11 times in the 100 meters. Her best result came in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, when she won gold in 10.65 seconds, placing her fifth on the list of all-time performers worldwide, according to 710 Keel.

Richardson won the 100-meter championship at three different Diamond League events this season, and she also took home the 10.82 USATF Nike Women’s 100 title.

Richardson became the first American woman to win a medal in both the 100 and 200-meter sprints at the World Athletics Championships since Carmelita Jeter won gold and silver in 2011. Richardson also claimed bronze in the 200.

The 23-year-old is proof that everything will happen when it’s supposed to. She also serves as an example for other young people to keep going despite failures.

Jessica Campbell, the AHL’s first full-time female coach, is living two dreams

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Jolene Latimer | The Score

In Jessica Campbell’s rearview mirror, all roads lead back to her 10-year-old self. The first woman to coach full time in the AHL, and one of the first women to work a game behind an NHL bench, Campbell spent the first decade of her life living an idyllic, rural Canadian existence that included hockey, family, and more hockey.

“When she was small we lived miles from town – on a farm – and she would say, ‘Can we go skating tonight?’ and it’d be a blizzard,” Campbell’s mom Monique says. “You could not keep her off the ice. She had so much fun skating with people. She would beg for me to drive her in even though you could barely see the road. That’s how much she loved it, she just couldn’t miss a night.”

Loving hockey was a birthright for the Campbells. As a young adult, Monique played hockey at the University of Saskatchewan, while Jessica’s dad, Gary, grew up on outdoor rinks of Canadian lore.

“It’s something I grew up with, my dad liking hockey so much,” Monique says. “He passed it on in outdoor rinks and small rural teams we got to play on as girls. I got the opportunity (to play) from my dad and my husband got the opportunity from his family. So we just kept that going.”

The four Campbell children followed their parents into a lifelong love affair with the game. Josh, the oldest, had big-league ambitions. By the time he was 17, he was up to nearly a point a game for his AAA team. Next in line was Dion, who played university hockey in New Brunswick before professional stints in the Central Hockey League and in Germany. Jessica’s older sister, Gina, followed in her mother’s footsteps to play university hockey at the University of Regina.

From left to right: Josh, Jessica, Gina and Dion Campbell. Supplied

But back in the fall of 2002, when Jessica was 10, the family’s passion for hockey led them to relocate to Melville, Saskatchewan, from nearby Rocanville to be closer to Josh, who signed as a rookie with the Yorkton Terriers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

“I want to be a fan favorite here. I don’t just want to be an average hockey player, I want to be one of the best, the best I can be,” Josh said at a press event at the time.

By Canadian Thanksgiving in October, the younger kids were settling into their new schools. Josh, who turned 18 in September, would be heading home for the holiday.

But at 8 a.m. on the Friday of the long weekend, Monique received devastating news: Josh had been in a fatal collision. He wasn’t coming home.

“I remember that morning very clearly. It’s just a heartbreaking, devastating moment. You feel weak and lost,” Monique says.

Josh had been Jessica’s biggest role model. “She always connected with him because that’s who we watched play hockey the most,” Monique says. “She looked up to him a lot. He always helped her along the way, giving her tips on the ice, strategy. We went shinnying together and played a lot together. There was a really good bond there.”

Jessica Campbell and Josh Campbell as children. Supplied

The pain pierced through Jessica’s childhood. “Those were hard times on me as a young girl,” Campbell says. The family leaned into what it knew best: hockey. “It was just a challenging time, but I think it only made us stronger,” she says. “And, honestly, it made hockey a place for us where we could work through it. The game itself brought so much joy. I think the game of hockey is an amazing sport because there’s a community of people. When you’re from small towns, that rink, and the arena, it’s a place of gathering where people have each other’s backs and everyone knows each other.”

That community sustained the family through the darkest days following Josh’s death. “A lot of Josh’s friends at the time on the Terriers – his teammates – would come out and watch (Jessica) play. I know that meant a lot to her,” Monique says. “The hockey community – it is like a family, really. They seem to know what you’re going through and are really compassionate.”

As the family adjusted to its loss, hockey helped 10-year-old Jessica define her identity. “The avenue of sport and hockey for me was a place where we healed together as a family but we also could carry on my brother’s love for the game,” she says.

Even before Josh’s death, Campbell had announced herself on the ice.

“I remember I was coaching novice hockey,” family friend Leo Parker says. “We lose to this little novice team. House league teams. We lose, I don’t know, 10-2 or something like that. Jess scored all 10 goals.”

Parker paused to laugh. “My son Andre said to me, ‘Dad, we have to get her on our team.’ She was a perfect little hockey player.”

Jessica Campbell on the ice in the 2001-02 minor hockey season.

Following Josh’s death, Parker says Campbell always insisted on wearing his No. 8.

“You can always connect dots back in your life. Right?” Campbell says. “For me, that loss at such a young age and not really understanding why – you never understand why – that was always the driving force for me in my playing career.”

Her goals crystallized in those years: get to the highest level of hockey. As a young woman in the early 2000s, that meant making the Canadian national team. And she had a skill that gave her an edge: skating.

“Jess was always, by far, the best skater on our team,” says Bailey Bram, who represented Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics. “When it came to power skating drills, she was always the one who the coach was like, ‘OK, Jess, you demo because you can do it best.’ No one would ever race her to anything because it was just like, ‘Jess is automatically going to win.'”

Campbell earned a silver medal at the world under-18 championship and gold the following year as team captain before playing four years of hockey at Cornell. After being cut three times in the final round of tryouts for the senior national team, Campbell was eventually named to the team in 2014, on Oct. 11 – exactly 12 years to the day of Josh’s death.

“She called me the minute she found out. She was just sobbing,” Bram says. “She was just like, ‘This is supposed to happen this way. And it was supposed to happen this weekend.'”

That same year, Campbell signed with the Calgary Inferno in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, playing with them for three seasons. As her playing career began winding down, it was time for her to ask: what next?

The answer was obvious to the people who knew Campbell best.

From her mom’s perspective, it was natural Campbell would continue to leverage her high energy and love for people. “Jess was a high-spirited child who liked to do everything. She never missed anything. She wanted to be part of a lot of things,” Monique says. Campbell loved hockey’s team atmosphere; even when she was regularly the only girl on her minor hockey team, her mom noticed she formed instant, close bonds with all her teammates on road trips, at tournaments, and on the ice. Her mom couldn’t imagine her doing anything but being involved with a team.

To Bram, skating definitely had to be part of Campbell’s future. “We all thought she might end up doing something with hockey and skating because that’s what she was so good at.”

Campbell coaches on the ice during a Firebirds practice. Coachella Valley Firebirds

Putting those two together meant Campbell would be a natural fit to coach, so she took a position in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia coaching high school girls. Several years into her tenure, she called Bram from a Starbucks drive-through for an impromptu heart-to-heart.

“She said, ‘I’m not unhappy here. I just feel like I’m not fulfilled. I love the girls. They’re fun. But, I just feel I have more potential,'” Bram remembers.

“I wanted to continue to aspire to work with players of the highest level, regardless of gender,” Campbell says.

To aim for the highest levels of professional coaching meant she would have to do something that hadn’t yet been done by a woman: rise through the ranks of men’s professional hockey and into the NHL.

“There is no true blueprint for anybody’s pathway,” Campbell, 31, says. “If you would have looked at mine, you probably would never have said, ‘She’s going to coach in the NHL or be in this position.’ Because the reality was, nobody else was doing it. But looking back now, I feel if I connect my dots backwards, my upbringing and my story as a young girl with the boys has set me up for the right mentality,” she says.

Campbell headed directly from the drive-through to her employer to give notice she was leaving. She had a plan: to launch her own power skating business. And that business took off.

Campbell briefly relocated to Sweden to launch JC Powerskating before returning to the Okanagan shortly before the NHL’s 2020 playoff bubble was set to begin. At the time, many players were isolating in the Okanagan and looking for summer ice to brush off pandemic cobwebs, and before long, she was running 20-person skates with players like Luke Schenn – who won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning that year.

“I wasn’t focused on trying to get to work with NHL players,” Campbell says. “I was presented with an opportunity where one NHL player wanted ice time and asked if they could come skate with me. Next thing you know, there were 15 guys and I was running an entire NHL group. The realization for me was just to continue to bring that passion and not worry about any of the other barriers or perspectives that others may have about it.”

After noticing her skates gaining momentum with NHLers, Brent Seabrook hired Campbell privately to help him recover from hip and shoulder surgery.

Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

“I really hated her, to be honest,” Seabrook says laughing. He clarifies: “I hated watching her skate.

“I’ll never forget, we were working on pivots. And she’s like, ‘Hey, I want you to come up. And I want you to do like this.'”

Campbell demonstrated the skill and Seabrook shook his head.

“I’m like, ‘Jess, there’s no chance I’m going to be able to get that low and get my leg out that far. And then push and pump. It doesn’t matter how healthy I am or how young I ever was. There’s no way I can get down that low,'” he says. “She was very good with the technical parts of it.”

Her sheer skill earned her respect. “Everything she was asking us to do, she could do,” he says. “Everything. She did it, and she did it really well.

“I find the people that I’ve worked with (who) are really exceptional at what they do are the people that really stop you and correct you and make sure you’re doing it properly.”

But it wasn’t only Campbell’s skating that Seabrook liked; her demeanor was great, too. “She took the time to talk to us. It wasn’t barking. I could talk to her. She’d follow up with questions. She was learning from us as well. She didn’t take any crap from us. She was out there to do a job, and the mentality was, ‘Let’s do it properly.’

“Whatever level you’re at, you want to feel like (your coaches) care,” Seabrook says. “She would go the extra mile. She would text me after to see how I was feeling. Is it too much? What do you want to do tomorrow for the skate? Do you think we should go harder? Should we pull back a bit? There was a plan behind every skate. She cared.”

That’s Campbell’s personality – on and off the ice. “That’s a big piece of who I am as a coach,” she says. “I want to be a coach who is willing to ask the hard questions and who is willing to be sensitive. I know that is my feminine self that comes through in coaching. It is that communication piece. That level of care. Making sure the guys know my coaching style is to lead with love and lead with service for them. Making sure they know I’m in the trenches with them, and all I want to do is see them succeed.”

Opportunity knocked as her coaching reputation grew. In 2021, she headed to Germany to be an assistant coach of the Nuremberg Ice Tigers in the DEL under ​​Tom Rowe, the former Florida Panthers general manager and head coach. After the season, she and Rowe were assistants to Toni Soderholm with the German national team at the men’s world championship.

Campbell, far right, on the German bench at the 2022 world championship. Eurasia Sport Images / Getty Images

That’s where Campbell came to the attention of Dan Bylsma, the 2011 NHL coach of the year and winner of the 2009 Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Bylsma met Campbell, he was an assistant coach with Team USA, and was also scouting upcoming additions for his staff, as he was set to start as head coach of the Seattle Kraken’s AHL affiliate, the newly formed Coachella Valley Firebirds.

“I started my search with a couple of different names in mind. But I saw her coaching the German national team and I started an investigation into where Jessica was at and where her coaching path was at,” Bylsma says.

He was even more impressed when he learned about her skates in the Okanagan. “NHL players reached out to her and asked her to put them on the ice and through the paces to keep their game fresh and relevant,” he says. “That struck a big chord with me in terms of what kind of coach she is. She can put a player on a path to be relevant.”

When Bylsma hired her, she became the first woman to have a full-time coaching position in the AHL. Now in her second season on Bylsma’s staff and with an NHL preseason game under her belt, she’s close to the pinnacle she sought when she left her high school job.

“I think that my hardships and the challenging times in my life were actually the days that prepared me for the work in this job,” Campbell says. “There are a lot of hard days, there are a lot of sleepless nights. And, I am alone in this space. As much as I feel completely supported by my staff, by Bylsma, by the organization, by the Kraken – everybody has been so supportive of me – there isn’t another female coach specifically in my position that I can call at the end of the day and just communicate with on that same level.

“I think the strength comes from some of the challenging times in my life where I can lean in. I can dig in and access the place of strength.”

Bylsma, center, and Campbell, right, before a Firebirds game. Coachella Valley Firebirds

Campbell’s in charge of the Firebirds’ forwards and power-play unit. In her first season, Coachella Valley was the AHL’s third-highest scoring team, with 257 goals. The power play hummed at 20.3% efficiency. The club marched to the Calder Cup final, eventually losing to the Hershey Bears in seven games.

Along the way, Campbell did exactly what Bylsma thought she would: show players how to become relevant. She helped transform forward Tye Kartye’s play and jumpstart his NHL prospects. Kartye, an undrafted free agent, led AHL rookies with 57 points in 2022-23 and was named the league’s top freshman. He was called up to the Kraken for the 2023 NHL playoffs.

Kartye’s experience was similar to the one Seabrook had back in Campbell’s early Okanagan days. “She was really good at telling you how the game went and what you needed to improve on,” Kartye says. “Little conversations like that, when you talk one-on-one about how you’re doing and how you can improve and how the games have been going, conversations like that build a lot of trust.”

It’s an approach that proves itself in the details and the staggering amount of hours she devotes to developing players.

“Last year, I was a rookie. I came in and it was a bit of a slow start,” Kartye says. “Being able to work with her after practice – she was always out on the ice before or after practice – whenever I needed to do something, she was always there. She’d pass pucks, give advice, go over video. She helped me an incredible amount as I was trying to reach my goal to get to the NHL.”

Tye Kartye in action during a second-round playoff game last season. Christopher Mast / NHL / Getty Images

Campbell traces that dedication back to her brother. “That mindset of really not holding back and just going for it has always been inspired by my brother and the way he lived and in the athlete and person that he was,” she says.

That work ethic and people-centered approach keep providing her chances to see her brother’s dream come to fruition. “I think every day about how I get to live out my brother’s dream of working or playing at the highest level on the men’s side. I do feel a sense of pride and honor with my family that they get to also experience this with me, and there’s just so much joy around the game. The game has always been a place where we, as a family, have been able to connect and celebrate.”

If Campbell could say one thing to Josh, knowing what she now does about her career path, and her future dreams, she knows what those words would be: “I’m here because of you. And I definitely am grateful every day. I’m never going to take the opportunity for granted to get to do what I love on the ice.”

And if Josh could see Jessica now, Monique thinks he’d use her nickname, one he gave his little sister because she ran before she could walk. She thinks he’d say something like this:

“Boof, we always knew you were going to go far with hockey. Look what you’ve done. I’m extremely proud.”

Sophia Smith, Angel Reese make Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’ list

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By: Emma Hruby | Just Women’s Sports

A number of women’s sports stars have made this year’s Forbes “30 Under 30” list, including Sophia Smith and Angel Reese.

Forbes features 30 people who are changing the game in sports, including Smith, who helped lead the U.S. women’s national team in the 2023 World Cup. Despite a disappointing finish at the tournament, the 23-year-old forward represents the future of the national team, and she also won the NWSL Golden Boot with 11 goals for the Portland Thorns.

Reese led the LSU basketball team to its first national title in April 2023. The Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 Final Four, the 21-year-old’s national profile skyrocketed, and she has endorsement deals with Reebok, Coach and more. While Reese is off to a rocky start to the new season, including an unexplained four-game absence, she remains among the biggest stars in the college game.

Other honorees from the world of women’s sports include:

  • Napheesa Collier, 27, Minnesota Lynx forward
  • Jessica Pegula, 29, tennis player
  • Kate Douglass, 22, Team USA swimmer
  • Sha’Carri Richardson, Team USA sprinter
  • Olivia Dunne, 21, LSU gymnast
  • Diana Flores, 26, flag football quarterback
  • Maddie Musselman, 25, Team USA water polo player

Several more names included on the list come from the business side of women’s sports, including Robyn Brown, who is the senior manager of brand and content strategy for the Phoenix Mercury, and Natalie White, who founded women’s basketball shoe brand Moolah Kicks.

‘A breath of fresh air’: Can trailblazer Emma Hayes revitalise the USWNT?

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The Chelsea coach has been a trailblazer in English football and her next task will be to transform the fortunes of the US women’s national team.

By Manasi Pathak | Al Jazeera

After their early exit at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the United States national team is in dire need of renewal and Chelsea coach Emma Hayes has been tasked with the job.

The 47-year-old has been a trailblazer in England and observers say the “outsider” could be the breath of fresh air that the US women’s game needs.

For decades, the US team has been a leader in women’s football, having won the World Cup four times.

After successive triumphs in 2015 and 2019, there had been high hopes from them to complete a “three-peat” of titles at this year’s World Cup, but the Americans were knocked out in the last 16, losing to Sweden on penalties.

The shock exit raised questions over the performance of coach Vlatko Andonovski, who later resigned, with Twila Kilgore taking over as interim coach.

Earlier this month the US Soccer Federation announced that Hayes will take charge of the US team two months before the 2024 Paris Olympics after she leaves Chelsea at the end of this season.

The US job will be the first time Hayes has taken charge of a national team. But as one of the most influential coaches in the women’s game, she boasts a highly impressive CV.

Hayes has helped turn Chelsea into the dominant force in English women’s football, guiding them to six Women’s Super League titles – including the last four in a row – five Women’s FA Cups and two Women’s League Cups since she took charge in 2012.

She also led them to the Women’s Champions League final in 2021, the same year she was named FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year.

Before Chelsea, Hayes worked in US football with Long Island Lady Riders, Iona Gaels and the Chicago Red Stars.

Brandi Chastain, a two-time world champion with the US, said it’s an “intriguing” appointment that will challenge the USWNT, who have slipped from first to third in the FIFA world rankings since the World Cup.

“I’ve heard she’s a stickler for the details about the growth and development of the players, and a certain style of play,” she said.

“I think it will be a great challenge for the players. I don’t know if they’ve been challenged outside of their comfort zones in a long time.”

Hayes is known for her direct and attacking approach but adapts tactics and formations to the players at her disposal, and observers say she boasts excellent people management skills.

“Hayes’s style of football is very much like her, direct,” Canadian sports journalist Mariam Kourabi said. “There is a heavy emphasis on quick movement of the ball, making the most out of possession and being clinical everywhere.

“Fast and effective football is what made the USWNT terrifying for many years, which is exactly what they have lost, but is what Hayes enforces.”

Kourabi, also the founder of the SHE scores bangers podcast, praised Hayes’s willingness to make bold decisions – something she said ex-USWNT coach Andonovski failed to do, particularly with substitutions.

“Hayes is particularly known to turn things around when trailing behind, even if it means taking a player off only 30 minutes in.”

American sportswriter Jeff Kassouf said that Hayes is uniquely positioned as someone familiar with the US setup and player pool but something of an “outsider” at a time when the team needs new ideas.

“Hayes has proven herself to be one of the best managers in the world. She is unafraid of failure in the short term if it means finding the right long-term answers, as she has shown with her tactical flexibility at Chelsea,” Kassouf said.

“The USWNT needs that more than ever. The Americans have recently looked rigid and almost afraid of improvisation, which is needed in big games.”

Team in transition

The US team is currently in a transitional phase after veteran players Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz and Ali Krieger announced their retirements. The Americans boast a wealth of young talent in Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and others, but they are yet to reach their peak.

The onus now lies on Hayes to ensure the US can perform at the Paris Olympics, held in July and August next year.

“Hayes has developed plenty of youngsters into stars under her guidance such as Niamh Charles, Ji So-yun, Hannah Blundell and Lauren James now,” Kourabi said.

“She has also played a huge role in unleashing potential from already established players like Sam Kerr, Guro Reiten and Magdelena Eriksson.

“She is one of the most versed in coaching both the rookies and the veterans, which is exactly what the current USWNT in transition needs.”

While ex-USWNT player Chastain believes that Hayes will bring “a breath of fresh air” to the team, she said that the English coach will also face a huge challenge in implementing her methods in just two months before the Olympics.

“If the communication starting now towards that date is open, it’s clear, it helps the players who are either on the roster right now, or she believes should be on the roster, then they can get an idea of what she wants all the positions to look like,” Chastain said.

Kassouf, founder of The Equalizer, a website on women’s football in North America, said Hayes might not have enough time to prepare the team for the Games, but an Olympic medal should not be ruled out.

“The coach and player talent is there. Crazier things have happened,” Kassouf said. “[But] this hire is clearly about winning the 2027 World Cup, and that’s a fine concession to make.”

Trailblazer

While Hayes’ appointment will change things for the US team, it is also a landmark moment for the women’s game.

US Soccer has announced Hayes will become the highest-paid women’s football coach in the world, though the governing body did not reveal details about her salary.

The Athletic reported last week that Hayes will be paid 1.6 million pounds ($2m) – the same as the US men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter.

The move would be a major victory in a long struggle towards pay parity for women in football.

In February 2022, the US national women’s team won a $24m payout and a pledge from US Soccer to equalise pay for the men’s and women’s national teams in all competitions, in a landmark settlement that ended a six-year legal battle over equal pay.

Chastain said the move to ensure pay parity for male and female coaches was “a long time coming”.

“There have been stumbling blocks earlier … but now, we don’t have to justify it to anyone that a woman should be paid for equal work to her counterpart.”

Kourabi said Hayes has long been a trailblazer in raising the standards in women’s football by advocating for increased prize money for competitions, pushing for games in big stadiums for larger crowds, and breaking transfer records with signings such as Pernille Harder and Lauren James at Chelsea.

“The US Soccer Federation was the first, after many fights, to strike equal pay, equity, and increased pay for their international teams. This is two torchbearers coming together,” she added.

While the US is at the forefront of pay parity for coaches, other higher-ranked teams have a long way to go.

The German women’s coach reportedly makes 300,000 pounds ($377,000) annually, while the men’s coach is paid 5.6 million pounds ($7m). England’s women’s head coach is paid 400,000 pounds ($503,000), while the men’s coach earns 5 million pounds ($6.3m).

Chastain said US Soccer’s move to pay Hayes the same as her male counterpart will push other federations to do the same.

“I do believe that every country or governing body will have to take note and sit up and say, ‘Okay, this matters. We can’t pretend like women’s football isn’t viable, isn’t important, or doesn’t meet the standard of our men’s side.’”

300 Matches and Counting: Celebrating Drea Casillas’ Legendary Footy Journey

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By: Tara Miller | AGSA

Groundbreaker. History Maker. Legend.

October marked a monumental occasion for the New York Magpies as they celebrated Drea Casillas’ incredible achievement of playing her 300th Aussie Rules footy match. A true pioneer in the sport, Casillas etched her name into the annals of history as a trailblazer, an inspiring athlete, and an absolute legend on the field.

Meet Andrea “Drea” Casillas

Hailing from Albuquerque, NM, and having called Brooklyn, NY home, Drea Casillas stood tall at 5’07” and weighed 135 pounds. Her journey in Aussie Rules football commenced in 2005, marking the genesis of a remarkable career that transcended boundaries and redefined limits.

A Remarkable Journey

Casillas’ dedication to the sport had been unwavering since her inaugural year, blossoming as a player and becoming an integral part of the New York Lady Magpies. Her resilience and commitment saw her don the number 11 jersey, standing firm in the defense position, showcasing remarkable skills and an unwavering passion for the game.

Notably, Casillas had been an invaluable asset to the USA Freedom, representing her country at prestigious events such as the 2011 International Cup, 2010 49th Parallel Cup, and the 2009 Tour Down Under. Her contributions to the national team had been monumental, solidifying her reputation as an exceptional athlete and a symbol of sporting excellence.

Casillas’ love for footy was palpable, evident in her dedication to her team and the sport itself. Her infectious enthusiasm for the game transcended borders, evident in her anticipation for her upcoming journey to Australia, a place where her distinctive accent became a conversation starter.

In the words of Chris Adams, “Casillas loves her footy,” a sentiment echoed by all who had witnessed her grace the field with her remarkable skills and unyielding spirit.

A Legacy in the Making

As Casillas geared up for her 300th match, she stood as a testament to perseverance, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Her unwavering commitment to Aussie Rules footy had not only shaped her journey but had also inspired countless individuals within the sport and beyond.

Her milestone was not merely a numerical feat but a testament to her enduring love for the game and her enduring impact on the sport’s landscape. Casillas’ legacy as a groundbreaker, history maker, and true legend of Aussie Rules footy was etched in the hearts and minds of all who had had the privilege to witness her remarkable journey.

The New York Magpies, alongside the footy community, saluted Drea Casillas on this momentous occasion and extended heartfelt congratulations on her incredible achievement of 300 games. Here’s to the legacy of a true sporting icon and many more milestones to come!

Who is Marie-Louise Eta? Champions League winner blazing a trail in men’s game

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By Megan Feringa | Mirror

Union Berlin are familiar with making history, so while Urs Fischer’s departure as a head coach might mark the end to the club’s most successful chapter in its history, it simultaneously brings forth a new chapter of history to write.

The club’s former under-19s assistant coach Marie-Louise Eta is poised to become the first female coach in the Bundesliga after being appointed first team assistant coach with under-19s coach Marco Grote taking over as interim manager of the senior side.

Fischer was dismissed following a nine-game losing streak that leaves Union rooted to the bottom of Germany’s top-flight, a stark collapse in position for a side that qualified for the Champions League last season.

Eta, 32, will be tasked alongside Grote to lead Union out of those depths starting with Augsburg on November 25, before taking on the Champions League against Braga the following week.

Eta is more than familiar with the joys and woes of life in German football. A former defensive midfielder, Louise-Eta plied her trade in the Frauen Bundesliga with Turbine Potsdam with whom she claimed three successive league titles and the Women’s Champions League.

Her playing history, conducted mostly under her maiden name of Bagehorn, also includes spells with Hamburg, Cloppenburg and Werder Bremen and saw her become an under-20 world champion with Germany.

A self-confessed “football manic”, the former European champion developed her passion for football as a small child while growing up in Dresden. Her latent talent went undiscovered for only so long, and by the age of 13, Eta was fielding various entreaties from interested clubs, including Potsdam, with whom she eventually signed.

(L-R) Marie-Louise Eta, assistant coach and Germany women under-15s head coach Bettina Wiegmann

Eta didn’t need long to prove how prescient the signing was as she helped the club’s under-17s to successive league titles in 2005 and 2006, and eventually again in 2008. Her impressive performances were rewarded with a call-up to Germany’s under-15s side in 2006.

Two years later, Eta broke into Potsdam’s first team, with whom she promptly won the league on the season’s final matchday. Two more championship titles followed, as well as the Champions League title in 2010 as the German side defeated French giants Lyon in a dramatic penalty shootout that finished 7-6.

That same year, the under-20s World Cup was held in Germany and 20-year-old Eta relished the euphoria of a tournament on home soil. The hosts eventually won after a 2-0 victory over Nigeria in the final in front of a crowd just under 25,000, with goals arriving from Alexandra Popp and an own goal from Osinachi Ohale.

Marie-Louise Eta of Bremen is presented with the championship trophy for the Second Bundesliga Nord after the match between Werder Bremen and VfL Wolfsburg II

Marie-Louise Eta is presented with the Bundesliga 2 championship trophy during her time at Bremen ( 

Image: Photo by Lukas Schulze/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Eta eventually moved to Hamburg for two seasons before gaining promotion to the women’s Bundesiga with second-division club BV Cloppenburg. A move to Werder Bremen followed, where Eta, who eventually captained the side, experienced an extreme gamut of emotions, from promotions and relegations.

Aged just 26, however, Eta decided to end her playing career after the 2017/18 season in order to concentrate fully on her coaching career, beginning with Bremen’s under-15s boys team. While doing so, Eta worked with the age groups of the German women’s national team.

After completing her pro-coaching licence, Eta stepped up to Germany’s under-17s before being brought onboard at Union to work with Grote as assistant coach with the club’s under-19s side.

Erin Matson, 23, becomes the youngest college head coach to win a national championship

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By Ben Church, CNN

Erin Matson became the youngest college head coach to win a national championship, according to the NCAA.com, after the 23-year-old guided the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (UNC) to the field hockey title on Sunday.

In what one US newspaper touted as “arguably the greatest story in college athletics,” the Tar Heels needed a double-overtime penalty shootout to beat the Northwestern Wildcats 2-1 at the Karen Shelton Stadium, securing the program’s 11th national championship and its fifth in six years.

“I don’t know how to put it into words,” Matson said, having won the same competition as a UNC player last year.

“I don’t know what more you’d want in a national championship matchup than tied at the end of regulation, two overtimes, sudden death shootout, just a phenomenal atmosphere.

“Northwestern gave it their all. It was a great game, so props to them.”

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: Head Coach Erin Matson of the North Carolina Tar Heels can't look after defeating the Northwestern Wildcats for the national title during the Division I Women's Field Hockey Championship held at Karen Shelton Stadium on November 19, 2023 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

The Hollywood storyline started during Maston’s five years as a player, where she won four national championships at UNC, before taking up the head coach role this season shortly after graduating.

She replaced Karen Shelton who retired in December 2022 after a successful 42 years in charge of the program.

The 23-year-old’s coaching journey comes off the back of an impressive playing career, in which she was part of three undefeated seasons with the Tar Heels.

She had played for the US national team since she was 17 and was awarded the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey – given to the best female collegiate player – three times.

Matson has sporting success very much in her blood. Her mother played softball and hockey at Yale University, her father played baseball for Delaware and her younger brother plays baseball at Havard, according to UNC.

Tense night

According to the UNC, 3,200 people – the biggest crowd in the program’s history – were in attendance to watch the nail-biting encounter.

Freshman Charly Bruder opened the scoring for UNC in the third quarter, but the Wildcats hit back through Peyton Halsey’s penalty stroke.

The scores remained 1-1 through two periods of overtime as the match went to a penalty shootout.

The tension racheted up with the shootout heading into sudden death. UNC goalkeeper Maddie Kahn then made an important block to allow sophomore Ryleigh Heck to win UNC a consecutive national championship.

“Right then and there my mind just went blank,” Heck said.

“I don’t even remember spinning or scoring, I just remember being with my teammates just cheering. One of the greatest feelings ever.”

Like CNN, NCAA.com is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Greving Named USAFL International Program General Manager

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The USAFL is proud to announce that Cari Greving has agreed to become the new General Manager of the USAFL’s International Program. The Program includes the USA Freedom and the USA Revolution, the respective National Women’s and Men’s international teams.

Cari has been involved in the USAFL since 2018. She is a member of the current USAFL’s National Tournament team and the current Manager of the USA Freedom. Cari is looking forward to her expanded role to drive the reset of the USAFL International Program. “It has always been an honor to be part of the USAFL. I would do pretty much anything to support and grow this organization and it’s people. Being the General Manager of the International Programs is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am honored and I am ready,”

The role of one General Manager overseeing the international program has newly been established by the USAFL. This role is designed to provide management support for the international teams and to relieve the coaching staff of the administration layer that is required to have an international representative team. We are excited that Cari will be the first person to lead the program and to drive the systems and process that will support the international program over the next decade.

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