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.

Women's sports are growing faster than ever, creating new opportunities for the next generation of female athletes.

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, Tori Barker sits down with Jose Sanchez, founder of HERisUS and Women's Flag Football Head Coach at UC Davis, to discuss why the future looks different for today's young athletes and what it will take to help them thrive.

Jose shares the personal story behind HERisUS, the role sports played in helping his daughter overcome adversity, and why community, mentorship, and athlete-first development are critical to creating opportunities for girls in sports.

Together, they explore the rapid growth of girls' flag football, the future of women's sports, the responsibility coaches have in shaping confidence and leadership, and how investing in young athletes creates a lasting impact far beyond the field.

If you're a female athlete, parent, coach, or supporter of girls' sports, this conversation offers valuable insight into the opportunities ahead and why the next generation of female athletes may have more support, visibility, and opportunity than ever before.

Connect with Jose:

Website: https://herisus.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachjhsanchez/

HERisUS Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/herisus_foundation/

Learn more about Athlete-First Weekend: https://herisus.org/hiu-athlete-first-weekend

Who are you when the sport that shaped your identity comes to an end?

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, Tori Barker sits down with former competitive swimmer, grief counselor, and founder of Whole Person Conversations, Melissa Douaire, for a powerful conversation about athlete identity, grief, and life after sports.

Melissa shares her own experience of losing the identity she built through years of competitive swimming and explains why athlete transition is often a form of grief that goes unnamed and unrecognized. Together, Tori and Melissa explore the emotional realities many athletes face after graduation, retirement, injury, or the end of their playing careers.

They discuss the loss of community, routine, purpose, and identity, while also highlighting the leadership, resilience, accountability, and life skills athletes carry with them into their next chapter.

This episode is for current athletes, former athletes, coaches, parents, and anyone navigating a major life transition.

Connect with Melissa:

Website: https://www.wholepersonconversations.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadouaire

Subscribe to Beyond Her Game for conversations that help female athletes build confidence, leadership, identity, and success beyond sports.

Coaches shape far more than athletic performance.

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, Tori Barker sits down with former Division I softball player, educator, and founder of The Positive Coach, Claire Rietmann-Grout, for a powerful conversation about the lasting impact coaches have on confidence, leadership, identity, and emotional safety for female athletes.

Together, they explore what great coaching really looks like, why connection comes before confidence, and how coaches help shape the next generation of female leaders both on and off the field.

Claire shares insight from her own experience as a former athlete, coach, and educator, while also discussing the importance of supporting coaches themselves — especially at the youth level where many volunteer coaches are shaping athletes during critical developmental years.

The conversation also dives into why positive sports environments matter more than ever, how coaches can create emotional safety for athletes, and why sports are about developing humans first — not just performance.

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, parent, or mentor, this episode is an important reminder that the right coach can change the trajectory of a young athlete’s life.

ABOUT CLAIRE RIETMANN-GROUT:

Claire Rietmann-Grout is a former Division I softball player, educator, coach, and founder of The Positive Coach. Through her work, she helps youth coaches create stronger team cultures through connection, communication, leadership, and confidence-building strategies that support athletes both on and off the field.

CONNECT WITH CLAIRE:

Website: https://clairerg.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairethepositivecoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-rietmann-grout-385b8525/

What happens when strength becomes the thing that helps you rediscover who you are?

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, Tori Barker sits down with Anne Marie Chaker — former Wall Street Journal reporter, professional bodybuilder, author of LIFT, and founder of LIFT Enterprises — for a powerful conversation around identity, reinvention, women’s strength, and rebuilding confidence after life transitions.

Anne Marie opens up about navigating postpartum depression, grief, divorce, and the moment that led her into bodybuilding and strength training later in life. Together, Tori and Anne Marie explore the athlete identity shift, how sports shape leadership and resilience, and why women are redefining what strength looks like today.

This conversation is about far more than fitness. It’s about reclaiming your power, embracing reinvention, and realizing that strength can transform every area of your life.

Connect with Anne Marie:

Website: https://annemariechaker.com

Order the book - Lift: How Women Can Reclaim Their Physical Power and Transform Their Lives

Instagram: @annemariechaker

LinkedIn: Anne Marie Chaker

🎙 About Beyond Her Game Beyond Her Game is a podcast for female athletes building what comes next. We talk about business, brand, money, mindset, and identity beyond sports — the things no one teaches you in the locker room.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations New episodes every week.

What happens when the athlete identity never fully leaves?

In this episode of Beyond Her Game, Tori Barker is joined by former college basketball player and national sports broadcaster Dominiqué Patrick for a real and honest conversation about identity beyond sports, athlete transition, visibility, and the pressure athletes face both on and off the court.

Dominiqué shares her journey from athlete to broadcaster and opens up about the emotional realities of transitioning out of sports, carrying the mindset of an athlete long after competition ends, and learning how to redefine yourself beyond performance.

Together, they discuss the evolving landscape athletes face today, from social media exposure and NIL opportunities to the humanity behind athletics and what truly makes athletes stand out both on and off the field.

This episode covers:

• Athlete identity and transition

• Sports broadcasting and career growth

• Visibility and social media pressure

• What makes athletes marketable

• Mental resilience and discipline

• Supporting athletes beyond performance

• Advice for current and former athletes

Whether you’re a current athlete, former athlete, coach, parent, or someone navigating reinvention in your own life, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about what it means to move beyond the game.

Connect with Dominiqué Patrick:

Instagram: @_dompatrick

TikTok: @_dompatrick

Subscribe to Beyond Her Game for conversations around athlete identity, transition, confidence, leadership, visibility, and building a meaningful life beyond sports.