In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Leah Edmond, a University of Kentucky volleyball alum. Leah is a pro volleyball player at Athletes Unlimited (AU). Today, Leah shares her story of going from a young dreamer to a pro athlete while facing racial stigma when it came to others describing her game and injuries. Despite it all, Leah continues to be a strong force in the world of pro volleyball.

Leah begins by sharing her dream as a young athlete. She talks about wanting to play at the University of Kentucky and going for it. She shares with us the expectations required from her as a freshman and a black athlete. She also discusses the stigma black volleyball players face and why volleyball should be made accessible to different communities. The episode comes to a close with Leah giving valuable advice on how to love what you do but, at the same time, not play through the pain.

• Leah's dream as a young athlete
• Starting the college hunt
• Questions to ask colleges that reach out to you during recruiting
• Leah's expectations as a freshman
• Embracing your achievements
• Dismantling the stigma around black volleyball players
• Leah's game as a volleyball player
• Making volleyball accessible to black communities
• Leah's gameday playlist
• The decision to go pro
• A tearful process following an injury
• Leah's advice to her younger self
• Why you should love what you do

Quotes:

1. "My first goal was to play in college. I grew up around college athletics with my dad being a coach. "
2. "Recruiting is a two-way street."
3. "I knew what I could bring to the table. I knew who I was as a player and a person. And if someone wasn't going to be 100% full for me from the beginning, then I didn't want to be there."
4. "My mentality was if I'm shooting to be one of the best in the conference, or be one of the best in the country, then I have to hold myself to a certain level of playing every time I step on the court, and if I'm holding myself to such a high level, that will help everyone around me."
5. "With black athletes, it's a very small adjective pool for us, for some reason, no matter what we do."
6. "I'm very team-oriented."
7. "I spent almost four or five months literally rebuilding how to swing again. "
8. "And I took pride in pain through my injuries. And I took pride in playing through pain because it showed how good of a leader I was. And then when this happened, I was like, Wait a second. Why? Why did I take pride in playing through pain? Like why did I take pride in playing through being injured? Why do we take pride in that? "
9. "Why do we glorify playing through your body being injured? Why do we glorify playing when you're sick?"
10. "Sometimes it's frowned upon to be selfish."
11. "No one's more disappointed in me than black people when I tell them I don't play basketball."
12. "Volleyball to me is not a career. It is something that I love that I happen to get paid to do as well."

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In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Jaimeson Lee, a professional volleyball player, playing in Portugal and represented by Athletes Abroad. Jaimeson shares today her inspiring story of how she found her love for volleyball.

Growing up with athletic parents, Jaimeson has always been surrounded by sports. She shares that her dream as a younger athlete was to play in D1 and how that dream has evolved over time. She discusses how she decided to attend George Washington University and the struggles she faced while trying to balance volleyball, school, and social life. She talks about going pro and how she has found friendship and not just team bonding with her teammates. The episode comes to a close as Jaimeson offers advice to younger athletes on how to stop comparing themselves to others and to never give up.

Key Points:

• Jaimeson’s dream when she was a younger athlete
• Growing up with athletic parents and how that influenced Jaimeson
• Transitioning into a setter
• Realizing her dream was possible
• Jaimeson’s goal as a player
• What makes a great setter?
• Building the friendship culture among teammates
• Navigating volleyball, school, and social life
• A defining moment; deciding to go pro
• Preparing for what’s to come

Quotes:

“My biggest thing is wanting to play. I didn't want to go to a big school and sit on the bench for two or three years behind another sitter.”

“If volleyball were to end for me, would I be happy here?”

“What commitment is that person willing to make to be the best setter and player that they can be in the future?”

“Stop comparing yourself to other people, and just work with what you've got because it's enough.”

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In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Lauren Page, a pro volleyball athlete playing in France and represented by Athlete Abroad Management. Before her professional career, Lauren played at the University of Oregon, helping her team finish 9th in the NCAA. Today, she shares her story with us, starting with a young girl who loved volleyball for the fun of it and transitioning into a pro athlete.

Lauren begins with how she fell in love with volleyball despite being an introvert. She explains that volleyball was easy to love because she was surrounded by love, her team and her family. Lauren explains the difference between playing in high school and college and how to quickly adapted to new rules and plays. Later, Lauren describes the moment she decided to go pro and how her pro career has proceeded thus far.

• Lauren’s goal when she was a young athlete
• Falling in love with volleyball
• How Lauren Page started playing volleyball
• Playing the sport as an introvert
• The power of community
• Lauren Page talks about choosing Oregon for the experience
• Transitioning from high school volleyball to college level
• Two games that left significant impact
• Going through a tough time in junior year
• The power of a team
• Starting a career overseas

“As we get older, our goals change.”

“The connections and the friendships that I've made through the sport made it so fun.”

“I always tell people all the time, this is the place that I was meant to be, I met my best friends there.”

“As I got older, I knew I had to grow up and step out of my comfort zone a little.”

“I left part of my heart there.”

“I needed to be a better teammate, needed to support my teammates more and not make it about me.”

“Being a team player and being there for your teammates makes you a better player at the end of the day.”

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In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Julie Lengweiler, a professional volleyball player playing in Spain. Volleyball has been in Julie’s life for as long as she can remember. This propelled Julie to go pro at the young age of 16 in Switzerland. Julie is duly represented by Athletes Abroad Management and today, she shared with us the challenges and wins she has faced as a pro athlete and advises young athletes to dream big so they can live their dream.

Julie begins with her dream as a younger athlete: to play in the big leagues. She shares with us how that dream became a reality and how she began playing volleyball professionally at 16. This also came with struggles, having been the youngest on the team. However, she was determined never to quit. Her resilience carried her further as she later played in Finland and now in Spain. Julie’s story inspires us that we can achieve much if only we dare to dream.

Key Points:

• Julie’s dream when she was a younger athlete
• Making the dream a reality
• Julie talks about being a role model
• Falling in love with volleyball
• Playing pro at 16
• Why Julie refused to quit
• Figuring who you are outside of the sport you play
• Navigating agents when trying to go pro
• Playing in Finland
• Advice to younger athletes
• What’s next for Julie?

Quotes:

“I want to inspire more kids to dream big, because I also felt that with my dreams, I was very lonely.”

“It's a very weird feeling. It was something I worked for. And it was something I wanted. But when it happened, I did feel like wow, this is maybe a little bit too much.”

“It's so much more than being ready for that level. It's being ready for loads of practice and pressure and games and expectations.”

“Who am I without the sport?”

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Pursuing Your Passion at All Costs

In this episode of The 9INE POINT Started With A Dream Podcast, Jacolby Gilliam welcomes Charlotte Harris. Charlotte is the first female American licensed FIVB agent and founder of Athletes Abroad. After playing in college and pro volleyball in Sweden, Charlotte realized her passion for coaching and worked with an agency before founding Athletes Abroad, a company that helps athletes enrich their lives and succeed in their chosen sports. Today, Charlotte shares with us her dreams as a younger athlete, her determination, and how she continues to pursue her passion despite being faced with many odds.

Charlotte starts with how she began playing the sport of volleyball. She shares that her dream as a young athlete was to play in Division One. She also discusses how she had to learn to be a team player and work hard for her dream. Having survived an ACL tear, Charlotte became unstoppable, starting her pro career in Sweden and later working with an agency. She talks about founding her company, Athletes Abroad, and what makes this company different from other agencies. Charlotte reminds young athletes to continuously pursue their dreams at all costs because it’ll be worth it in the end.

Key Points:

• Charlotte’s goal when she was a younger athlete
• Becoming a better player
• Following the dream beyond doubts
• How Charlotte’s goal became a reality
• Working hard for what you want
• A tough time in Charlotte’s career
• Surviving an ACL tear and overcoming her fear
• Charlotte discusses starting a coaching career
• Playing pro in Sweden
• How Charlotte started her business
• What makes Athletes Abroad different?
• Advice to young athletes looking to become agents

Quotes:

“Anytime I was playing volleyball, I wanted to be on the court.”

“My parents sacrificed a lot to even get me there.”

“It's easy to give up on something when you think all of a sudden that you know that you're being wronged and that it's not fair what's happening to you, instead of looking at it as ‘what can I do better?’ ‘How can I work harder?’ How can I contribute to my team in other ways?’”

“I love the sport, I also love interacting with people and giving back to athletes and I love helping people believe in themselves and get to that next goal of theirs.”

“It's about getting a little bit better each day and challenging yourself within your own frame and within where you're at.”

“Keep going after what you love and working hard and good things will happen.”

“I want to be there to support the players every step of the way, and have a player-first mentality and prioritizing them and their needs kind of above everything else.”

“I want them to have this community within athletes abroad and have these strong, powerful professional athletes that are supporting each other and helping each other because that's so important when you are thousands of miles away from family and friends.”

“If you are pursuing what you love, then it'll be worth it in the end.”

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The Power of Intention with Lauren Schad

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Jacolby Gilliam interviews Lauren Schad, a former professional volleyball player and ambassador of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society. Lauren is a Nike N7 ambassador and a graduate of the University of San Diego. Today, Lauren shares her inspiring story of starting as a young athlete whose goal was to get a letterman jacket to becoming a pro athlete. helping younger athletes achieve exposure and reach their goals.

Lauren starts by sharing her goal as a younger athlete and how being brought up in South Dakota encouraged her to be involved in multiple sports. She talks about exploring colleges and how her dreadful freshman year almost had her giving up on her dreams. She talks about the moment she decided to go pro, and ended up playing and settling in France. Lauren inspires the upcoming indigenous athletes through her community efforts and work with the Red Ribbon Skirt Society. Lauren is driven to encourage younger athletes to chase their dreams and enjoy their moments.

Key Points:

• Lauren’s goal when she was a younger athlete
• A dream about her high school letterman jacket
• How growing up in South Dakota influenced Lauren’s participation in sports
• Getting into college sports
• A shocking event that propelled the next phase in Lauren’s career
• Lauren discusses getting recruited into University of San Diego
• The challenges Lauren faced as a freshman
• Taking care of your mental health
• Lauren’s decision to go pro
• Giving back to the community through the Red Ribbon Skirt Society
• Helping younger indigenous athletes by bringing them exposure
• Lauren’s advice to younger athletes

Quotes:

“My freshman year is the only year out of my entire volleyball career that I've won a championship.”

“It's okay to put a little bit of pressure on the coaches, especially when as an athlete, you can't miss on those other opportunities.”

“As athletes, we just look at our next goal. We achieve it, we look at our next goal, we don't ever really take a time to reflect on the things that we've done, and to really appreciate the work that we have put in to get to this point.”

“This sport, as much as I loved it, had started becoming more of a job for me.”

“The impactful thing about athletes is that they're able to make a big impact on strangers from all over the world...You're bringing in a new group of people every game.”

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Taking The Chance Is Worth It with Pro Volleyball Player Maggie Speaks

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Jacolby Gilliam interviews Maggie Speaks, a Pro volleyball athlete, and North Carolina State University, graduate. Maggie is currently entering her fifth season as a pro volleyballer and is represented by Athletes Abroad Management. Today, Maggie shares her story from hating volleyball as a young athlete to falling in love with the sport and facing challenges along the way that almost made her give up.

Maggie begins by sharing her dream of becoming an Olympian when she was just in kindergarten. Growing up with a family that was involved in sports drove Maggie to develop an interest in sports. She talks about taking a liking to soccer and basketball but was less interested in volleyball at first because it proved to be difficult. She discusses what drew her to volleyball and finally how she navigated the struggles of finding a college to play for. Despite not being her dream college, she was able to grab the opportunity and play at North Carolina State University. She shares some of the mental struggles she faced as a student-athlete and advises younger athletes to always prioritize their mental health, have fun along the way and never give up.

Key Points:

• Maggie’s dream when she was younger
• Growing up around sports
• Maggie’s decision to play Volleyball amidst other sports
• What drew Maggie to volleyball
• Playing for North Carolina State University
• Being a freshman in a big university while navigating volleyball
• How being a collegiate athlete affects your mental health
• Steps to overcome your mental health struggles as a student-athlete
• Maggie discusses going pro
• Maggie’s advice to his younger self
• Cultural differences Maggie encountered overseas
• Maggie speaks on being a role model to her younger teammates

Quotes:

“I was that kid in practice that every time I made a mistake, I would cry.”

“Maybe it's not exactly what I had expected, or what I wanted, but in the end, it ended up being for the better. We beat USC every year for four years.”

“I didn't fully mature into that student-athlete role until my senior year. ”

“ I wish that I would have let go a little bit more, especially in those college years, and just really tried to enjoy where I was at a little bit more.”

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The Power of Never Giving Up with Brian Bell

In this episode of the Started With A Dream Podcast presented by 9INE POINT, Brian Bell joins our host Jacolby Gilliam as he recounts his story as a Paralympics gold medalist. Brian is a pro wheelchair basketball player and 2x Paralympic gold medalist. Brain shares with us today, his uplifting and inspiring story as a young athlete that lost a leg and his path to success despite all odds.

Brian starts off by discussing his dream as a young athlete that wanted to play football and how this dream changed when he was involved in an accident that changed his life. He talks about how he never gave up and how he continues to enjoy sports with a prosthetic leg. He describes how he found interest in basketball and decided to go all in despite not being big enough. His motto “back-to-back cuts to back-to-back goals” motivated Brian to not only work hard to make the national team but also win gold at the Paralympics. Brian believes you can achieve anything you set your heart to do and calls on athletes with disabilities to try everything and stay determined.

Key Points:

• Brian’s goal as a young athlete
• A ghastly accident that changed Brian’s life
• How Brian processed it all and chose a new path
• Enjoying sports with a prosthetic leg
• Brian describes his comeback first game; the challenges and the thrills that came with it
• You have to try everything as a young athlete with a disability
• Finding love in another sport
• Take advantage of the tools put in place to improve your skill
• Brian discusses deciding to go pro
• The power of teamwork and dedication
• Shining the light on adaptive sports
• Brian’s advice to his younger self
• Brian describes his experience after making the USA team
• Winning gold at the 2016 Paralympics

Quotes:

“Finding sports again, and that support network from friends and family helped tremendously.”

“If you're younger and you have a disability, I will say just try everything.”

“I try to maximize as much of my flaws as possible to be a more well-rounded basketball player.”

“Back-to-back cuts to back-to-back goals.”

“If you really want to accomplish it, put in the extra work, make sure that you put in all the hours, make sure that you maximize all of the different areas that you can use to increase skills.”

“Even though I was not the biggest guy out there, I was able to use my speed, my skills, and intelligence, to level out some of the more fiscally gifted athletes or older athletes at the time.”

“I am going to represent my country at the world stage and be able to compete against the best of the best in my sport. It was just a surreal, amazing feeling.”

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