What happens when you’ve been trained for years to perform at a high level—but no one has taught you how to prepare for the day the game ends?

Former Division I volleyball player Dr. Tayler Onion experienced that gap herself.

After competing at the University of Illinois, Tayler went on to build a career in college athletics, student-athlete development, sport management, education, and now entrepreneurship as the founder of Hang Time.

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, we talk about what athletes are really learning through sports—and why they may not recognize the value of those lessons until years later.

Tayler shares what losing a national championship taught her about resilience, why the relationships and experiences along the way can matter more than the final outcome, and how her own transition out of college athletics led her toward a career in student-athlete development.

We also explore a bigger question:

Are we preparing athletes only to perform—or are we preparing them for the person they’ll need to become when their playing career ends?

Tayler shares her perspective on the role coaches and athletic departments can play in developing the whole athlete, why athletes need to learn to advocate for themselves, and why simply offering resources isn't enough.

Because eventually, every athlete reaches a point where the uniform comes off.

The question is whether she feels prepared for what comes next.

We also get into Tayler’s work with Hang Time, her passion for elevating women in sports, and why she believes long-standing assumptions about the audience for women’s sports deserve to be challenged.

Tayler closes with an important reminder for current student-athletes: lean on your teammates, advisors, professors, and support systems while they’re available—and think intentionally about how the experience you're living today is shaping your future.

• Identity beyond athletics
• Life after college sports
• Student-athlete development
• Athlete leadership
• Transferable skills from sports
• Self-advocacy
• Career preparation
• Coaching the whole athlete
• NIL and athlete development
• Women in sports
• Sports media and storytelling
• Building Hang Time

🎙️ Subscribe to Beyond Her Game for conversations with women who understand what it means to compete—and what it takes to build what comes next.

Hang Time:

https://www.hangtimep0d.com/

Social:

@hangtimep0d

LinkedIn:

Search Dr. Tayler Onion

For more than 30 years, Kathy Taylor coached female athletes at every level—from high school to NCAA Division I—and discovered something that changed the way she built championship teams.

It wasn't about recruiting the best players.

It wasn't about creating stars.

It was about creating a culture where every athlete mattered.

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, host Tori Barker sits down with Kathy to explore the leadership lessons, coaching philosophy, and athlete mindset that continue to shape women long after their playing careers end.

Together, they discuss why the most successful athletes are driven by intrinsic motivation instead of external rewards, how coaches influence confidence and identity, and why servant leadership creates stronger teams than individual talent alone. Kathy also reflects on the evolution of women's sports since Title IX and why today's athletes have opportunities that previous generations worked tirelessly to create.

One of the most powerful moments of the conversation comes when Kathy shares a simple truth:

Whether you're a current student-athlete, former athlete, coach, parent, educator, or leader, this episode will challenge the way you think about success, leadership, identity, and life beyond sports.

✓ What makes great athletes different from everyone else

✓ Why championship teams aren't built around star players

✓ How coaches shape confidence, leadership, and identity

✓ The difference between motivation and discipline

✓ Kathy's servant leadership philosophy

✓ Preparing athletes for life after sports

✓ Why the lessons learned through sports never leave us

00:00 – What happens when the game changes?

01:18 – How did Kathy Taylor become a coach?

03:27 – What has 30 years of coaching taught her about female athletes?

07:30 – What separates great athletes from everyone else?

10:37 – How much influence do coaches really have?

12:01 – Why didn't Kathy believe in star players?

15:34 – What does it mean to coach through a "family system"?

17:51 – How do athletes prepare for life after sports?

18:32 – Why does Kathy believe "the athlete in you lives forever"?

23:25 – What is the hardest coaching lesson she's ever learned?

Website: https://kathytaylorlacrosse.com/Kathy Taylor on

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-taylor-311b28318/

The opportunities female athletes enjoy today were built by generations of women who fought for the chance to play.

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, Tori Barker sits down with Karen Rudolph, former collegiate athlete, sports journalist, and author of Sideline No Longer, to explore the untold story behind women's college sports.

Karen shares her firsthand experience as one of the early generations impacted by Title IX and discusses the remarkable women who helped shape the future of women's athletics. Together, they explore the challenges, sacrifices, and pivotal moments that transformed women's sports from an overlooked opportunity into a growing national movement.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that today's athletes stand on the shoulders of women who were willing to challenge the status quo and create opportunities for future generations.

In this episode:

• Karen's journey as an early female student-athlete

• The impact of Title IX on women's sports

• The hidden history behind women's college athletics

• The women who helped build the foundation for today's opportunities

• Why preserving women's sports history matters

• Lessons sports teach that last a lifetime

Connect with Karen Rudolph and learn more about Sideline No Longer through her social page on Instagram.

If you enjoy Beyond Her Game, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with an athlete, coach, parent, or sports fan who would appreciate the stories behind the growth of women's sports.