The HIT Show

On this episode of the HIT (How I Transition) Show, Kevin Carr, CEO of Pro2CEO and Industry Professor at the University of Florida, hosts Dr. Chantelle Green, Director of Mind Health and Wellness for the Portland Trailblazers of the NBA.

Dr. Green is responsible for helping players deal psychologically with the demands of the sport and to improve their personal development and performance; she also provides mental health education awareness to players and staff. Dr. Green previously served as the staff psychologist at the University of Oklahoma, providing counseling, sports performance, and psychological testing services to individual athletes and teams.

Dr. Green and Carr talk about the psychological and mental health aspect of athletic training. Through the athletic training program at the University of Florida and in the wake of her own injuries, Dr. Green discusses her initial impression of the psychological feats and difficulties that people face.

As an athletic trainer, Dr. Green recounts her time with the UF football team and how she applied academic lessons directly on the field. Through these experiences, Dr. Green was able to see that sports are dramatically impacted by the mental challenges surrounding performance, thus sparking her career in psychology and the NBA.

Stay up to date with Dr. Chantelle Green on LinkedIn.

Ronnie Burrell, the head coach of the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League, will be the guest on today's episode of the HIT (How I Transition) Show. Burrell, a native of New Jersey, spent more than ten years playing basketball in Europe. After finishing his basketball career, he obtained an MBA from Florida Atlantic University before making a comeback as a G League assistant with the College Park Skyhawks and the Long Island Nets. Before joining the Long Island Nets once more in September, he first worked as a player development coordinator for the Chicago Bulls.

Burrell and Kevin Carr, presenter of the HIT Show and CEO of Pro2CEO, had a lengthy discussion on how they both became players and coaches as well as how we transitioned from playing to coaching. According to Burrell, his path to coaching began with his time spent competing as a college athlete. He then went on to play professionally and had the good fortune to work with some of the top instructors in the industry.

Burrell and Carr also discuss how crucial it is to get along well with the players and how to customize the treatment of individuals while maintaining team standards. In their final discussion, they touched on the value of developing positive relationships with the players individually and organizationally.

Kevin Carr, CEO of Pro2CEO and Industry Professor at the University of Florida, welcomes Tracy Ellis-Ward, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Pacer Sports and Entertainment, to the HIT Show on the Athlete+ Podcast Network. Tracy Ellis-Ward discusses her early basketball beginnings, playing overseas, networking leading to job opportunities, multi-generational workplace communication, sustainability, social justice, new voices in sports, moving with kids, uplifting women in the workplace, and active lifestyles.

Ellis-Ward analyzes the evolution of the workplace, including aging demographics and the shift to remote work. Further, Ellis-Ward and Carr discourse about the difference around health and fitness for young girls and young boys, including the treatment and access based upon gender and class. The episode also focuses upon the perception of women in sports, and how coaches of all backgrounds can engage in some brave conversations with their players and staff about those issues.

Connect with Tracy Ellis-Ward on LinkedIn.

In this episode of the HIT Show, we welcome Justin Forsett, former NFL running back and founder of Hustle Clean, and dive into his background and journey to business success after sports. Justin reflects on his NFL journey and highlights three important takeaways: the greatest gains in life and the NFL, the inevitability of adversity, and the power of hard work.

Justin emphasizes the role of consistency in achieving success and notes that success should be determined by purpose rather than solely by monetary gains, further analyzing Justin's transition from the NFL to entrepreneurship, including the battles of the mind he faced and how he came up with his first entrepreneurial endeavor, the Shower Pill. He shares his ideals of being his own boss and the path to entrepreneurship. As a black-owned business owner, Justin sheds light on the challenges faced by minority-owned businesses and the balancing act of being a father and entrepreneur.

Host Kevin Carr invites former WNBA player Rushia Brown to share her journey from being a seasoned athlete to an agent for change. Born in the Bronx and raised in South Carolina, Brown played basketball at Somerville High, eventually becoming a MVP in the Southern Conference and one of the top players in the WNBA. Brown also shares valuable insights into her post-basketball life where she's worked with numerous sports organizations and universities. Today, she uses her experience to mentor upcoming athletes and young women, advocating for their growth and progress in the sporting world.

Included in the discussion are topics such as the importance of education, the transition from sports to a professional career, developing oneself as a woman, and learning from personal mistakes. Additionally, Rusha delves into the programs she runs for young women and men, touching upon their objectives and how they promote understanding, financial literacy, and excellence. Towards the end of the episode, Rusha and Kevin delve into the landscape of women's basketball today, discussing challenges, growth, and steps needed to reach parity with the men's game. Learn more about Rushia Brown at her website.