WOMENZSPORTS presents Alice's Soapbox

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with netballer Erena Mikaere!! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Erena to chat about how netball paved the way as New Zealand's first professional sport for women, Erena's experience as a professional athlete and a mother, and her concerns about the future of netball. Erena also shares stories about her impressive tattoo pieces, and talks about being seen as the "Dennis Rodman" of Aotearoa.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with pole vaulter Olivia McTaggart!! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Olivia to chat about how she found her way from gymnastics to pole vault, her relationship with New Zealand's binge drinking culture, and how she has learned to value the process over outcomes. Olivia also shares about her experience with online harassment and societal pressures around body image, and talks about her journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with arm wrestler and powerlifter Ashleigh Hoeta-Williamson!! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Ashleigh to chat about the twists and turns that brought her to these sports, the promises she made to her late father, and the legacy she wants to leave for her kids. Ashleigh shares about finding early success in gymnastics (but having that success cut short due to injury), suffering a stroke in her early 20s, becoming a New Zealand champion arm wrestler (and newly-crowned Oceania champ!), and achieving a world record as the first woman in the world to EQ bench 700lbs (317.5kg)!Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with world champion boxer Mea Motu!! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Mea to chat about growing up in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland), her love of boxing, and reconnecting with her culture. Mea shares about starting boxing at 13 years old, leaving the sport to start a family, then finding boxing again in her 30s. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussion of intimate partner violence (between timestamps 22:45-34:40). There are no specific details of violence, but rather a meaningful conversation about resilience, breaking generational cycles of trauma, learning how to forgive, and the process of moving forward.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay***********How to get help: If you're in danger now: Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you.Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else.If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.Where to go for help or more information:Women's Refuge: Crisis line - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 (available 24/7)Shine: Helpline - 0508 744 633 (available 24/7)It's Not Ok: Family violence information line - 0800 456 450Shakti: Specialist services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and children.Crisis line - 0800 742 584 (available 24/7)Ministry of Justice: For information on family violenceTe Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga: National Network of Family Violence ServicesWhite Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with swimmer Erika Fairweather!! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Erika to chat about her love of the water (especially after growing up in Dunedin), winning the World Aquatics Championships in the 400m freestyle, and preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Erika shares about starting competitive swimming at 11 years old (which she says is considered late for many swimmers!), making her first senior swimming team around 14 years old, and competing in the Tokyo Olympics at 17 years old. Erika also talks about her pre-race routine, her bearded collie spoodle dog, and what it's like to train for elite sports in a public facility.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with roller derby athlete Layla Robinson (aka: "Primevil")!! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Layla to chat about her love of smashing into opponents on small wheels, preparing for the 2025 Roller Derby World Cup with Team New Zealand, and co-founding Rotorua's roller derby league (the Sulphur City Steam Rollers). Layla shares about how New Zealand's roller derby community provides an inclusive and safe space for people from all walks of life, and how people with no skating experience can still get amongst it. Layla also talks about the 101s of roller derby, and what to look out for at your next roller derby bout! Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with cricketer Xara Jetly! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Xara to chat about cricket, debuting for the Wellington Blaze at age 16, and Xara's celebratory flips on the oval. Xara shares about how she uses social media to entertain and inspire, especially as her following grows rapidly. Xara also talks about playing cricket part of the year in the UK, and what New Zealand can learn from India about building the women's cricket game.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with bronze medalist wrestler Tayla Ford! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Tayla to chat about her love of wrestling (which Tayla started at age 7!), her incredible flexibility and balance, and her drive to grasp another major medal (after winning medals at both the 2014 and 2022 Commonwealth Games). Tayla talks about focusing on wellbeing and peace to keep herself motivated as a high-performance athlete in a sport that has limited representation of women. Tayla also shares about learning self-confidence, and having to move abroad to train with partners who keep her competitive.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with speed climber Sarah Tetzlaff! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Sarah to chat about the highly precise sport of speed climbing, and having to consistently compete against herself. Sarah talks about being named as the first woman member of the Paris 2024 Olympic team, and how she feels about creating a legacy as the first woman speed climber to represent New Zealand at the Olympics! Sarah also shares about how she balances high-performance training with studying for a master's degree in environmental science, as well as coaching the next generation of climbers.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with ... ourselves! Yep, you read that right: this week, Dani & Mel (the co-founders of WOMENZSPORTS) sit down with podcast host Alice Soper (who also sees a bit of flip-the-script interviewing this episode!). We take a quick pause from our weekly athlete interviews to introduce ourselves and answer questions we've been getting: who we are, why we launched WOMENZSPORTS, what we are aiming to build, and why we think everyone should be investing in women.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by: Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay, Erloom "All You Gotta Do (vocal)" from Audiosocket via Canva Pro, Epidemic Sound "Record Scratch 7" via Canva Pro Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with track cyclist Ellesse Andrews! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Ellesse to chat about winning a silver medal in the keirin at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, what we should know about different track cycling races (including how the keirin was invented for gambling purposes!), and how self-confidence plays an important role in success. Ellesse also shares some behind-the-scenes about getting sick only a few weeks before the 2022 Commonwealth Games...where she then won 3 gold medals and a silver medal!Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with Napier's very own Emma Twigg! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with the single sculler to chat about the pathways into rowing in New Zealand, how a boat (not an athlete) qualifies for the Olympics, and the possibility of Emma defending her 2021 Olympic Gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Emma also shares about the legacy she wants to leave off the water, and her current involvement with The Athletes' Cooperative in a lawsuit advocating for athlete rights, representation, and protections.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with the multi-talented Honey Hireme-Smiler in this episode about women's rugby league in New Zealand! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with the Waikato-raised sports icon to chat about how sometimes you need to take the wrong paths in order to find your way to the right ones. Honey talks about how her upbringing led to finding a sense of belonging on the rugby field, and how she now dedicates her life to service. She also shares how grief and caretaking impacted her career, remembering back to winning the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s as the captain of the Kiwi Ferns, mere weeks after losing her mom to cancer.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with downhill mountain biker Kate Weatherly! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Kate to chat about how riding bikes to get lollies from the dairy led Kate to podium finishes as a champion New Zealand mountain biker in 2018 and 2019. Kate also shares about the unique camaraderie and community within women's sports, and how she found herself in the middle of a debate about her participation in her sport.Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with Claire Cooper! Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Claire to learn how a holiday program turned into a lifelong passion for épée fencing, the details on those white uniforms, and her experience competing in a niche sport at the bottom of the world. Claire also shares what it was like to compete at the World Championships in Italy in 2023 and how being selected for an international training camp for disadvantaged countries has ignited her hope to represent Aotearoa in this upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.Donate to Claire's GiveALittle: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/claires-2024-olympic-campaignFollow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with Jacqui Elmsly: an Aotearoa Flag Fern, player for Hamilton Hawks American Football Club, and black belt in karate. Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Jacqui Elmsly to discuss everything from finding her way into an American sport in Aotearoa New Zealand, to the future of flag football leading up to its first inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics. Jacqui also shares how her journey in karate led her to where she is today, and tells us why she makes a great defensive player!Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with Annalie "Flea" Longo: a Football Fern, Olympian & Captain of the Wellington Phoenix. Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Annalie Longo to discuss everything from starting a sports career at a young age to Annalie's part in naming the Football Ferns. They also explore the growth of football across New Zealand, and Annalie talks about being the first player in the world to compete at all U17, U20, Women’s World Cup & Olympic Games tournaments!Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with Shiray Kaka: a 10+ year player for the Black Ferns Sevens, Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist, and creator of "Rayzing the Awareness" (where Shiray shouts out NZ women's sports: @shiray_9 on IG, @shiray_k9 on TikTok). Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Shiray Kaka to discuss everything from overcoming adversity, knowing how much to share online, and Shiray's background in dog psychology! They also explore what the future looks like as the Black Ferns Sevens prepare for the 2024 Olympics, and Shiray talks about what it's like to have a partner who is also a high-performance athlete. (Disclaimer: there is a bit of #%!*& in this episode, all in good fun!)Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to the first episode of WOMENZSPORTS presents Alice’s Soapbox!WOMENZSPORTS is hyped to share our kōrero with Ruahei Demant: the co-captain of the World Cup Champion Black Ferns, 2022 World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year, and player for the Auckland Blues, Auckland Storm, and College Rifles. Sports journalist and rugby player Alice Soper sits down with Ruahei Demant to discuss everything from getting started in rugby to the challenges faced by players as the women's rugby game grows in Aotearoa New Zealand. They also explore the importance of honouring culture and heritage, and Ruahei reveals her tuākana (big sisters) and tēina (little sisters) within rugby!Follow us on social @womenzsportsWant to get in touch? https://www.womenzsports.com/aboutDon't forget to rate & review this podcast wherever you're listening!Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nau mai, haere mai and welcome to WOMENZSPORTS presents Alice’s Soapbox! WOMENZSPORTS presents Alice’s Soapbox is a brand new podcast showcasing women’s sports across Aotearoa New Zealand.The last couple of years have been epic for women in sport in Aotearoa. We’ve hosted three World Cups, sold out stadiums, launched new competitions, and found new champions.Good news is: we’re only just getting started! In 2024, we’re going all in on women’s sports. Join sports journalist Alice Soper each week as she takes a peek into the lives of some of our incredible athletes, and gives these awesome New Zealand wāhine the recognition and hype they deserve.(You might even discover a brand new sport to follow and support throughout the year!)Stay tuned for the first episode launching on 1st January 2024!WOMENZSPORTS is the ultimate hype champion for NZ womxn’s sports. It was founded in November 2023 by Dani and Mel Marshall, with the aim to create an Aotearoa New Zealand where it is easy to be a fan of women’s sports. Get involved in the conversation on social media and follow us @womenzsports.Music by Alex_MakeMusic “Calming In The Sun” from Pixabay  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.