The life of a student-athlete can sometimes be tougher in the classroom than it is on the court. Being on the court comes with advantages, sure, but student-athletics live a life much different than the rest of their fellow students.
Dream Team: Ron Chase
Ron Chase is the Director of Marketing Projects for the Charlotte Hornets. Ron is also a two-time Mentor with The Winning Edge supporters since before day 1.
Dream Team: Ebony McCue
Ebony McCue is a practicing attorney who serves as CLO of OMBI Group, LLC. She oversees operations, including business and legal affairs, strategic development, risk management, day-to-day transactional matters, and personnel relations.
Dream Team: Kelly Brooks
Kelly Brooks is the former Director of Academic and Membership Affairs at the NCAA. He founded The Brooks Element in 2019 to provide support to at-risk and under-served students and student-athletes.
Dream Team: Alystia Moore
Alystia Moore is a Programming & Acquisitions Coordinator at ESPN. There, she plans and program college sporting events on linear and digital ESPN platforms. She graduated from UNC and Syracuse.
Dream Team: Ashton Henderson
Ashton Henderson is the Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Development at Florida State. Ashton is the 1st VP of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals.
Dream Team: Vince Pierson
Vince Pierson is an award winning change agent and DEI expert who has been featured in Forbes and Sports Business Journal. He was formerly the Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Minor League Baseball.
Dream Team: Lamarr Pottinger
Lamarr Pottinger is the current Associate Director of Leadership Development with the NCAA. Before that, he was an Assistant Athletic Director at Texas Tech University.
Dream Team: Dr. Leah Turner
Dr. Leah Turner is the program director for GeoSTEM Career Exploration and Workforce Development at the University of Texas. She is a former assistant volleyball coach before receiving her PhD.
Access to qualified talent can no longer be an excuse if we want change
WE Have a Super Bowl Champion!
The Winning Edge goes to the Super Bowl!
Not quite but one of our Game Changers was definitely in the building!
Candice Dominquez is a 23-year-old decorated track star from Ventura, CA. She’s a graduate of Sacramento University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Candice currently works in player engagement with the Kansas City Chiefs and has goals of becoming a sports agent.
Game Changer Catch Up: Justin Jackson
Gaining Experience with Chelsea Scott
Last weekend I was afforded the opportunity to work the Southeastern Conference (SEC) football championship at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA. I learned about this opportunity through the WinningEdgeX platform that connects Game Changers with opportunities to work in the sports industry.
Game Changer Catch Up: Brianna Gladney
Brianna Gladney is from San Antonio, Texas and a graduate of Xavier University. Gladney majored in sports administration and management while competing on the women’s basketball team. She was a member of the 2019 Game Changing Retreat cohort and currently works as the coordinator of executive operations for the Orange Bowl Committee. Growing up very active and participating in a handful of sports translated into her abilities to manage a handful of opportunities and experiences through The Winning Edge that have stuck with her.
Game Changer Catch Up: Carolyn Brown
Carolyn Brown is from Hampton, Virginia and a graduate student at the University of Miami studying sports administration where she hopes to receive a doctorate degree and enter the field of sports clinical psychology. She was an athlete on the women’s track and field team competing in the 100, 200 and 4x100 meter relay. Brown attended the first Game Changing Retreat in Miami, Florida.
Noor Ahmed and espnW Women + Sports Summit
When Maria texted me those words I honestly thought she was going to tell me she had an internship opportunity for me or she was going to connect me with someone. I should have known better. Nothing she or the Winning Edge ever does is small. As it turns out, Maria was inviting me to attend the espnW Women + Sports Summit. Like what?! “Why me? I’m not that special.” I did not realize how much attending the summit would change my perspective.
Alyssa Rice and WLCS National Convention
As a young girl growing up in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, I would constantly think of what I wanted to be when I got older. From a “hair doer”, to a second grade teacher, to a physical therapist, the idea of my future self was changed on a daily basis. I always knew I enjoyed playing sports and it was not until my appointment to the SEC Women’s Basketball Leadership Council that I discovered my passion for collegiate athletics, more specifically, enhancing the overall student athlete experience.
Game Changer Catchup: Alyssa Rice
Alyssa Rice joined the Winning Edge Leadership Academy family in May of 2018, when she was a part of the first Game Changing Retreat. Since then, she has begun her first year of graduate school at Ohio University where she is pursuing both an MBA and MSA degree. While completing both degrees, Alyssa is a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Diversity and Inclusion within the College of Business and is a Compliance Coordinator for the Ohio Athletic Department.
A GameDay in the Life: Victoria Powell
Calling it a full-blown identity crisis seems a bit extreme, but when you’ve only lived 21 years and 14 of them have been dominated by a single part of you, it can be hard to look forward to what’s coming next. In this instance, my identity has been rooted in my sport. I started running track when I was 7 years old, and most if not all of my memories somehow include a track event.
Winning Edge, InXAthlete Team Up to Connect Game Changers and Employers
“This partnership with InXAthlete will assist our Game Changers with an online profile and direct access to our partners looking to offer valuable work experience from internships to full-time opportunities.”
