July 24, 2025 • 41 mins
Work, cover girl!
Designer Kristin Juszczyk is that girl on the NFL sidelines, outfitting the league’s hottest WAGS, from Taylor Swift to Simone Biles — and today, she’s sitting down with The GIST’s Associate Managing Editor Lauren Tuiskula. With NFL training camps underway and Juszczyk’s new Off Season collection dropping now, it’s the perfect time to level up your game day style. Tune in to hear her ultimate fashion playbook, including what trends are on their way out as temperatures drop. Football is (almost) back, baby.
Show notes:
Verizon Small Business Training Camp
Subscribe to The GIST newsletter
Turning a football into a corset
More on The GIST:
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🎧 Subscribe: thegistsports.com/subscribepod
✉️ Email: pod@thegistsports.com
📷 Instagram: @thegistca @thegistusa
🐦 X: @thegistpod
Designer Kristin Juszczyk is that girl on the NFL sidelines, outfitting the league’s hottest WAGS, from Taylor Swift to Simone Biles — and today, she’s sitting down with The GIST’s Associate Managing Editor Lauren Tuiskula. With NFL training camps underway and Juszczyk’s new Off Season collection dropping now, it’s the perfect time to level up your game day style. Tune in to hear her ultimate fashion playbook, including what trends are on their way out as temperatures drop. Football is (almost) back, baby.
Show notes:
Verizon Small Business Training Camp
Subscribe to The GIST newsletter
Turning a football into a corset
More on The GIST:
☎️ Leave us a voicemail! Call us at 1-437-564-5579 or hold down on this link
🎧 Subscribe: thegistsports.com/subscribepod
✉️ Email: pod@thegistsports.com
📷 Instagram: @thegistca @thegistusa
🐦 X: @thegistpod
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hello, Hello jesters, welcome or welcome back to another episode
of The Gist of It. Today's Thursday, July twenty fourth,
and we are your co hosts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
My name is Steph Rots.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And my name is Ellen Hisslap. And you might hear
that I don't have a microphone again today, and I'm
so sorry.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
I know that we.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Said that I would have a mic, and I put
a lot of faith in my good friends Joe because
he said that he had a podcast microphone, and then
he came by my house at the end of the
day today and he brought God bless him, a mini mic.
And I was like, oh, Joe, I met a podcast microphone,
(00:45):
a proper microphone, and he was like, what's a podcast microphone?
And so that I showed him what we actually had,
and so.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Sweet boy Joe just didn't know the difference, and there
was it was too late in the day for me
to go get something else. So thank you Joe so
much for hooking me up with a mini mic. We
tried to make it work. It just didn't.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I am supposed to be receiving my new microphone on Friday,
So what we say by Monday, we should be good
as long as the delivery is by Monday, will be great.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
We really did try to run with the bit and
have Ellen hold the tiny mic the whole podcast, but
it wasn't It wasn't worth it sound wise, otherwise you
would have seen that clip, dear listeners.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
I know, and we actually tried it earlier today and
we thought that it sounded good. But then now on
second thought, there was boys checking the sound. There wasn't
girls checking the sound. And I think that's the biggest
learning that we have and why we have an all
female content team here.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
At the gist, I'm snapping. Can you oh.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Wow, this is an ASMR podcast now anyway, Steph, what
are we talking about today?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
We're about halfway through the summer. Can you believe that
time really does fly? But that does mean one thing.
Ellen's really excited because NFL training camps are officially underway
and she loves the NFL. If there's one thing about Ellen,
it's the NFL. There are six weeks until regular season kickoff.
But as fashion girlies know, you gotta you need time.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
To plan all of the outfits.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Football is only once a week.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Really, give her take a couple situations, so you gotta
get ready to deliver, and we called in reinforcements for
this particular podcast. On today's episode, the Just associate Managing
editor Lauren Tuscilla, who you often hear on the podcast
as a co host when either Ellen or myself can't
jump on, so you you know Lauren, She sat down
(02:37):
with designer Kristin Yuschek aka the woman responsible for custom
NFL signline looks for the hottest wags in the game,
like Taylor Swift as well as Simone Biles. You trust me,
you know when you see it one of her creations.
She is legendary.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
And when Steph says someone is legendary, let me remind
you that Steph is a fashion girl with a Fashoni
Communications under No. Steph, You're a fashion girly. You always
look amazing and you have a fashion communications undergrad and
I think that we can all listen to you with
respect to this. And it's been really cool seeing Kristian Huscheck,
I think, really grow and be bigger than her husband
(03:14):
Kyle because of her success in this fashion world, and
the conversation that she had with Lauren was amazing. She
actually has a new collection with off Season, which is
her highly coveted brand, which I'm so thrilled about. So
we are going full Project Runway for this podcast, and
Lauren does have an operating mic for that interview, which
(03:35):
is awesome. Before we get into that, we have two
things that we want to talk about. We have two
audibles that we want to call and I would say
it's a little bit more in a one up and
one down fashion because there's just two things that were
on our minds and one weighing quite heavy on our minds. Steph,
you have a preference of what you want to talk
(03:57):
about first.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
I want to get it off my check. Can we
talk about the down one first?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Yeah, go for it. Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So we are recording this on July twenty third, and
that is the day that the US Olympic and Paralympic
Committee effectively barred transgender women from competing in women's sports,
telling the federations overseeing those various sports like swimming, athletics,
et cetera, that they have an obligation to comply with
(04:25):
the executive order issued by Donald Trump. And it is
a dark day in the world of sports. And cannot
understate how much this is going to affect all sports,
all people involved in sports and how damaging this news is.
It is very, as Ellen said, very heavy today.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And they actually announced this on Monday, but they did
it really quiet and so it wasn't really picked up
were necessarily noticed right away, and then people really notice
today on Wednesday, July twenty third, and said what the
heck is going on? And so the change is noted
obliquely and this is from YEAHO News. The change is
(05:05):
noted obliquely as a detail under USOPC Athlete Safety Policy
and references the executive Order that actually I don't even
want to say the name of the executive order because
I think that it's really horrible. But I think the
biggest thing here, stuff that I really wanted to talk
about too, is that the executive order threatens to rescind
all funds from organizations that allow trans athletes to participate
(05:30):
in women's sports. And I think everyone on this who's
listening knows where we stand on this and knows our
thoughts and feelings on this. I think in comparison to
professional leagues that have generally a lot of or starting
to gain a lot of support from sponsors, from fans,
(05:52):
what have you, Olympic sports do not have that luxury.
Olympic sports really do receive so much of their funding, yes,
from sponsors on one side, but a lot of it
is through the government, and so when threats like this
are being made, they do have to take it seriously
because that is where they're getting their funding from. And so, unfortunately,
(06:16):
it does feel like they're getting bullied into this situation,
whether or not they actually believe it, want to stand
for it, want to add it. My heart thinks that
they don't, considering they've never had necessarily something exactly like
this beforehand. And so it puts organizations that are already
threatened financially in so many different ways in a really
(06:39):
really hard place when someone like a bully like President
Trump does this to these organizations and they don't have
enough sponsors to back them up, and not enough sponsors
are stepping up to back them up, or not enough
sponsors are stepping up even to Donald Trump in so
many ways for them to be able to not comply.
(07:03):
It's really complicated, and it's really horrible, and we're sitting
so heavy at this and there is that just that
context that I wanted to provide on the national side
of things with all of these sports organizations that are
funded just in really different ways than professional sports.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
When I was reading the article, the first thing that
came to my mind is where are the rich people?
Where are they? Like they brands and well off athletes
and rich people have an opportunity here to band together
and do the right thing and pull through for these
athletes and for these organizations, and no one is doing it.
(07:42):
And it's not that brave of a thing that I
think that they have to do. Is such an obvious
thing that we have already seen the repercussions of what
this kind of rhetoric can do to the sports world
and to everybody. And I, yeah, where are these people?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
You know, I was thinking the same thing, Steph. We
need some rich people to back what's happening here. Again,
we don't know these accents and outs though, of what
actually is allowed on this side. There is some quotes
kind of going back and forth. So USOPC CEO Sarah
Hirschland said, quote, as a federally chartered organization, we have
an obligation to comply with federal expectations. End quote. But
(08:23):
then from the National Women's Law Center they put out
a communication or their Organization President CEO put out a
statement saying, quote, by giving into the political demands, the
USOPC is sacrifice, saying the needs and safety of its
own athletes end quote.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
And I think the hard part here is Steph. Both
of those are true.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, civil disobedience is always an option. Resistance is always
an option, even when they make you think that it's not.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
That's my perspective.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So that's the down and that's what's really weighing very
heavy on our hearts. When I saw that come through,
I went, oh, my gosh, we need to talk about this.
This is horrible. And we hope that something changes, especially
before LA twenty eight. We really hope that something changes.
Let's not go to something that is bringing joy and
sparking joy with us today.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
And that is that. Forty five year olds Venus Williams
returned to pro tennis at the DC Open on Monday,
logging as singles and doubles win on back to back days.
She's forty five years old. She beat a twenty three
year olds in straight sets on Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
She has been playing Steph in the WTA so Pro
since she was fourteen years old. She is one of
the trailblazers in the sport she was there. A lot
of people are like, oh, yes, Serena would have ended
up being the better player.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
And yes she did.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
But Venus was that girl first, Like, Venus has won
seven singles Grand Slam titles. That's just off the top
of my head, so please fact check me on that.
But like, Venus is that girl. And I think Tom
Brady is shaking right now. What do you mean She's
playing at forty five years old. This is amazing. And
so she got in with a wildcard for this, and
(10:07):
then now she's actually got admitted. I think the next
tournament's in Cincinnati, if I'm remembering correctly, and she got
a wildcard entry into that because of how well she's
played in this and how people are responding on social
media watching the tournament and everything like that, and it
looks like she's playing stuff with just so much joy,
especially after her surgery for you to ruin fibroids that
(10:27):
took her out for the last sixteen months.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
She did say that she's not there for anyone except
for her, and she has nothing to prove, and then
also went on to say that there are no limits
on excellence and I think I'm doing my little tiny
clap because I don't want to interfere with the audio.
I just think that that's amazing.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
You know.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Already is promised. Our one big story today is Lauren's
interview with designer Christin yas Check. You's check got her
start by wearing her own designs to her husband San
Francisco forty nine ers fullback Kyle used Chuck's Games. Now
her custom made looks are worn by some of the
most famous wags in the league, from Taylor Swift to
Simone Biles. So without further ado, let's listen to Kristen
(11:14):
and Laurence conversation.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Kristin Uschek, Welcome to the gist of it. We are
so excited to have you on today.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Hi.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Thanks Lauren, Thanks, thanks so much.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
We have a lot we want to get into today.
I know you have this new small business program with
the Verizon. You have your off season clothing line that's
coming up with some cool drops soon, so we're going
to get into all of that on the podcast today.
I wanted to start off if this works for you
with kind of a little bit more of a selfish
question because I'm like aspiring to be fashionable. I would say,
(11:45):
we work from home at the GIST, so like mostly
I'm in a teacher and kind of that's my uniform. Okay.
So I wanted to go through some trends with you,
just really quick with five trends and you can yeay
or nay the trend and I say, rapid fire. But
if you have more color, like, I'm all happy to
hear it. I need all the help I can get.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Basically, Okay, let's do it.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Cool. First trend is butter yellow.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
Is butter yellow a trend? Right now?
Speaker 2 (12:09):
That's what this. So I follow like random fashion influencers
and this is what I'm seeing is butter yellow.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
You love it?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Okay, Okay, yeah, yeah, you ate a butter yellow cool.
Next one is Mary Jane Flats.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
Oh here's the thing. It's a nave for me. But
that's just like a very particular thing with myself. But
I mean other people can pull it off, but it's
a knave for me.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Okay, I feel the same way I see other people.
I'm like, that looks really cute on you. I don't
know if it's for me.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
It takes a particular person, yes, Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Next one also footwear Crocs.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Oh, so sorry, Crocs.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
That's okay, we have some. It's that one's split on
our team. I don't own a pair. I've never own
a pair, So I'm with you on the negative front
on that one.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
I mean, I'm sure yay on the comfort side of things,
but Ney on the fast.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Okay, fair enough. This one's also very polarizing.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Low rise jeans, Oh, I mean, it's a YA for me.
Speaker 5 (13:05):
I do love them, but I love high rise jenes too.
I think Denham never goes out of style. I think, like,
never throw your dunom out. It's so cyclical that, like
the stuff we were in middle school is coming back
into style.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
So it's a YA for me. But all dunhim is
a YA for me, Like I never get rid of
my dnim.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Okay, that's helpful, Like it is so cyclical, like that's
what we used to wear, exactly, the low rise, the
bell bottom in middle school.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Now it's the we'll come back. Just give it time.
Don't throw out your skinny jeans.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Okay, this is good advice. I'll hold on to them.
They're going like back of the closet for now.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Last one, this one is very polarizing on our Just
team in particular, this is La Boo boos.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
I I'm like really feel like I'm not on the
mark of the Laboo boos, Like I need to be
like researching them more.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I'm confused, same you're that is, we have like two
people on staff that are obsessed with them, and the
rest of us they out information. So I'm also in
that conduce camp.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Felt like an old person who like doesn't understand the trends,
and I feel that when it comes to La Boo boos,
I'm not on the trend of it.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Okay, I feel the same way. We'll put a link
in show notes for people to dig into the litle
boo boos. But yeah, so like ye take into yeah
question mark maybe.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Hi question mark?
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Huh Okay, yeah, okay, amazing.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
I don't know. I like bags on its own.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
I think there's like a time and place for an
accessory on a bag, but like something like that to
me personally, like just I don't think it belongs on
a purse.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Okay, this is great, thank you so much. Yeah, no,
this is good. We want your takes, so I really
appreciate it. I feel prepared, good insight. Thank you. Let's
get into your story now. Actually, you got your start
designing your own clothes for your husband's football games. Of course,
San Francisco forty nine Ers full back Kyle used check
(14:56):
And I just want to go back to that moment,
like how did you have the idea even just to
start to jump in and be like I want to
create my own stuff to wear to the games.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Yeah, it really all was like a very natural progression.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
I had made a costume for us for Halloween one year,
and that was like the first time that I really
like made something with a sewing machine.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
But it was a lot of layering.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
I kind of like had like a silhouette of the
dress that I wanted to do, so I was like
sewing stuff on top of it, and it just got
me like so excited. After I wore it, I was
like so proud of myself. When I walked into there,
I was like, yeah, I made this, like I felt
so I just like loved it. And then I kind
of like challenged myself. I was like, let's see if
I can actually make something without layering and make something
(15:37):
from scratch. So then I just kind of like went
on YouTube and was just like exploring the idea one
day and then from there I ended up making a
pair of sweatpants and I just kind of got like
so addicted to the feeling of.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Learning something new.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
I think with when we're kids, you know, our parents
hopefully are like throwing us into maybe different sports or
learning new things. You're like learning new subjects in school,
instruments and whatnot, and then when you get older, you
just like ten to stop doing that. And I think
once I just like entered this world of sewing and
it was a completely new trait.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
I just like fell in love with the idea of.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
A challenge and learning something like completely new, as if
it was like a new language. So it really was
just that feeling of a being so proud that I
had like worked so long on something with my hands
and I was able to wear it. I was like
a very fulfilling feeling for me and b I was
just like so happy to be able to do something
in the creative field.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
That's so cool. Lifelong learner. We love that at the
chest everyone is always staying curious, so that is super cool.
That's forward a little bit, and your first design it
pops off, what was the first one that like really
hit the stratosphere. Maybe not like the biggest one, but
the first one we're like, oh, this is making some noise.
And what was that feeling like to see that design
kind of go out beyond you just wearing it.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
To the game, you know what.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
I feel like the one that really was the first
to cretin noise is when I made a corset out
of a football.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I'm actually TikTok of that one. That was so cool.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Yeah, that was definitely not something that is like could
be commercialized when chance, but it was like something fun.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I remember just sitting at home one day.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
We have footballs all of our house, and I was
just like playing with a football with my husband and
realizing I'm like, oh, you know, this is pigskin, this
is leather.
Speaker 4 (17:11):
The texture of it like this could be.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
A purse, this could be a top, And so I
was like, what's inside of a football? So I actually
just took like a razor blade and started cutting it
open and it realized that I'm like, I separated each
panel and then I just started playing around. I was like,
I feel like I could make a top out of this.
So once I did that, I just like had so
much fun doing that, and I feel like that was
(17:33):
the first video that I made that probably that got
like the most attention or like a spike of attention
compared to like my other videos that I'd put out there.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
How long did that take? What was like you got
to build them?
Speaker 5 (17:45):
It was, oh no, I did that the night before
the game. I was like, yeah, I remember, I Kyle,
you know the boys. Majority of the time, we'll like
sleep at a hotel, And so I was by myself
sitting at home and I was just like having an
arts and crafts I was like.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Had a glass of wine, cutting a football open.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I was going to Michael's because I needed I was like, oh,
I need a whole puncher because I couldn't punch through
the leather. Like I was trying to like put a
knife through it and it wasn't working. So I like
got went to Michaels, got that, and I was just
like having a knight to myself, which is like having fun,
and then it just so happened to like get together.
I feel like I wish I had a better answer
(18:23):
for this, but I feel sometimes when I get in
the zone, it's like I'm on autopilot, like I'm like,
I don't eat, and then like the piece will be
done and I'm looking at it and I'm.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Like, how did I make that?
Speaker 5 (18:32):
That's kind of crazy, But yeah, that was probably the
first piece that got a spike of attention.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Wow, that's amazing. Everyone will put that show notes too,
because to know that it happened in a night like
that is so I feel get that feeling of like
being in a groove. But that's that's so terrible that
that came together so quickly. Super cool.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And then we fast forward again to the real viral
moments with when celebrities are wearing your clothes. So we've
got Taylor Swift of Spritny my Homes, Taylor Lautner, someone Biles,
so many big names. That's just the name of you.
Of course, can you take us through that process, like
you know you're designing it for this person, it's going
to be seen by so many people. What's that process
like creating it knowing it's really going to be out there.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Yeah, I mean, it definitely happened.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
I had never really like went into it wanting like
I would say that was never like really a goal
of mine, mainly because I'm like self taught and truly,
like in the beginning, I'm like, I don't know, like
if someone gives me their measurements. I was making stuff
for myself, so I was like I would design and
then I would pin it on me and I'd be
able to adjust it.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
But like if you were to text me and give
me your measurements at that time, I'd be like, I
don't know what that means. Like that would be really
challenging for me.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
So the first person I worked with, I believe, and
this could be it was either Deebo Samuel or it
was Simone Files and I'm getting my timeline mixed up,
so i can't remember which one it was, but there
was very similar products. It was like the puffer vest
and that I wanted to go into it make stuff
for people that wasn't form fitting, mainly because of that
exact reason.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
And I wasn't doing fittings for people, so.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
I wanted to be able to like, hey, if it's
too big, then it's the oversized look, and if it's small,
then it's cropped like that kind of how I went
into it. So basically, like how I go into it
when I'm working with somebody now, and at that time,
I was really just trying to like figure it out
as I go, but I wanted to make sure I
like brought people's style into it. So I would I
(20:27):
definitely do like an overview of their instagram of what
they love to wear, how they accessorize things, what's like
patterns that they're drawn to.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Do they like something more subtle? Do they like to
stand out?
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Like for Debot, he dresses a lot more flashy, So
I wanted to make something a bit more loud. And
then I know, like for someone she wanted something that
it cropped that she could wear with maybe like a
snowsuit underneath or like a jumpsuit underneath. So I really
like try to blend both worlds, whether that's my aesthetic
and then the client that I'm working with. But truly,
(21:00):
like everyone that I've worked with so far has been
so collaborative in the sense of them not even collaborative.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
I would say, they're more like, we just would love
to have something by you.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
So they're not really like even picky and saying that
they want this that design. They're just like excited to
wear something. So I've been really fortunate to work with
like a really amazing people.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
That's so amazing. It's cool to hear that you're looking
for that inspo from their own personal style and then
but it becomes a custom piece made by you of course,
so like it's so neat to hear that kind of
behind the scenes with it.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Yeah, And you talked about being self taught, self taught
stream Chorice shout out to YouTube once again and.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
Now YouTube University.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
It really helps a lot. There's so much you can
learn on there.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yeah. But now you're a small business owner. You guys
just launched the off season earlier this year. What's that
been like these first few months of being a small
business owner? What's the challenges and that kind of what's
been successful over the last few months here?
Speaker 5 (21:52):
Yeah, I would say, I mean it's been so surreal.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
It's been a dream come true.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
It's all I've ever wanted truly, so like I've never
been happier, never felt more fulfilled in my life. There's
been so many challenges, but for me, I love a
challenge and it's like been really like what it is
is just like learning curve. I think, you know, all
I've ever used to do was design for myself. So
now like we're designing for the masses, and that's like
(22:17):
a very different type of design element. And like for me,
I love to add all the bells and whistles, and
I want to add all the embroidery, and now I
have to deal with like cost and those type of
things that like when I'm doing you know, one offs,
just like designing for myself, I'm not necessarily thinking of
so I would say just like the elements of like
actually running a business and has been like the most
(22:37):
the biggest challenge for me, but I'm loving every second
of it, and like learning how to manufacture and that's
been so exciting and so fun.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
But yeah, it's been amazing.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
And then being able to work with like Verizon, who
has been so supportive on small businesses. We're launching like
a small business trading camp together. They have like so
many amazing resources online, but it's so cool that they're
doing this in person training camp. It's a three day
training camp and twenty lucky people get to go and
all expenses are paid for and it's like three days
(23:08):
full of classes and mentorship and community and it's just
they've been so supportive, they have so many resources towards
small business. So it's just been so amazing to be
able to work with brands like them as well.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
That is so it looks so you guys launch it
today as we're talking, So we'll put the link in
the show notes so people can check it out. It's
with Drew Breeze. So there's that NFL compa So so neat,
Like that's just going to be so cool. What a
cool opportunity for people to learn firsthand from you about
how to go through those challenges of starting a small business.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
Yeah, and I really do feel like what's so amazing
is not only like the mentorship and the classes and
all the information that they'll learn, but the community aspect
of it. Like I have learned so much just doing
community events and learning from people's successes, learning from people's
failures more importantly, honestly, and I think that's so exciting
for the people who get to go to meet local
small business owners too.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
And just like compare.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Notes, definitely, maybe you guys will cover this in the training.
So maybe this is like a little teaser, but something
we find as women in sports as the gist when
we the co founders, launched the gist as you're told
no so many times, and I know that was something
you encountered to How did you stay resilient through all
of those notes to get to the point that you
are at now.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
Yeah, there's been like many things that have like inspired
me and kept me motivated. I would say number one,
like it really just stems from it fulfilled me so
much and made me so happy. And I think that,
like I believed in it so much, and I knew that.
And I know that fashion is subjective and it's not
like everyone's going to look at something and agree that
(24:39):
it's beautiful or agree that they like that, because that's
just not how we work.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
We're individuals and that's what's so beautiful about it.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
But I think as long as you believe in it,
I always saw the vision, so I knew that it
was just a matter of time before I can get
people to catch up to me and also see the vision.
I had a friend I've like said this line a
million times. I feel like, you know the quote of
Lady Gaga where she's like, it only takes one person
to believe in you. She says that quote like a
million times, and there's like clips of this.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
I feel like I'm becoming that new quote. But it's
just so good.
Speaker 5 (25:12):
My friend said to me once when I was like
really bummed there was an opportunity that just kind of
fell short for me and I was really feeling like discouraged.
She said to me, you know, if someone told you
it took one hundred notes to get to your first yes,
wouldn't you be so excited every time you heard it
no because it's one step closer to your yes? And
(25:33):
I was just like mind blown by that, and it
really just like stuck with me.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
So that quote, I feel like I would.
Speaker 5 (25:41):
Continue to say it in my head every time I
heard rejection, every time I heard you know, oh, we
don't think we have we don't think there's a you know,
space for this, or this isn't probably big enough for
our company. I think if you're a visionary, it's really
hard sometimes to have people catch up to where you're
head up. But you have to just be patient and
know that it's all about timing. Because I'm so grateful
(26:02):
for every single one of those nos now, because if
I maybe had one of those yeses, I would have
never been to where I am right now, and I
would have never been able to run my own company,
or I would have probably never been able to do
like certain one offs, because maybe I'd be under like
contractual obligations. So I think, like anyone who's listening, who
is hearing a lot of nos. I know it's like
cliche to say, but you really do have the trust
(26:24):
the timing of it and know that like those no's
are leading you to your really big yes, and you're
going to be so happy and like thankful that those
people said no to you.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
That's so amazing. I love that reframing. It's just that
mindset of like you, that's what's going to take to
get to where you need to be. So that is
I love. I'll be That'll be my new Lady Gaga too.
We'll make it like a take care.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Yeah, do you know what I'm talking about that? I know, Yes,
I know that video from the stars.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Yes, I was like, I will.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Be that nowhere near Lady Gaga. But like I just
keep saying that life.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
But that's like that's a mantra, that's what gets you
through the thing, so that it makes total sense. Yeah,
I have one more question for you. This has been amazing.
Thank you so much. It's so cool to hear your
insight into behind the scenes. One last kind of maybe
teaser question. We're heading into the NFL season, I know,
off seasons dropping some new things coming up. What can
we expect for the upcoming drops? So officially, again, I'm
(27:13):
a Patriots fan, so I'm like maybe a Patriots job,
But is there anything you can kind of tease for
what's to come?
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Yeah? Yeah, I mean we're dropping tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (27:20):
We have our first like NFL ready to recollection, which
we're so excited about dropping tomorrow. We have so much
coming up with off season. We've been working so hard this.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Off season, no pun intended, but we will have a
lot of exciting things. Maybe some teams expansion we shall see,
but we're really excited.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
I mean, like we have a lot of launch, a
lot of different drops that we've been working on, a
lot of really cool styles coming out, really unique things.
I mean, we were continuing to push the boundary on
what teamer peril looks like outside of just you know,
graphic teas. So we're just like really excited to see
what people are liking and what the space, you know,
actually looks like. I think, like I said, I think
(28:03):
I have a vision for what this space would be,
but it's a matter of our people actually on board
and do people feel the same.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
So this year is a really exciting year for us.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
It's a very like exploratory year and to see what
sticks and what doesn't amazing.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Well, we'll be watching all of it. I know people
are already email lists, ready, they're on the wait list,
and they're looking forward to what's to come. It's been
so cool watching your rise too, and just all the
momentum over the last few years. So thank you again
so much for joining us on the gist of it.
Speaker 6 (28:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
Thanks, I'm so excited to be here. Thank you guys.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Thanks again to Kristin for joining the pod today. Such
a delight, such a pleasure. If you're interested in joining
Kristen at the Verizon Small Business Training Camp, check out
the link in our show notes for that information. The
winners will be chosen now through August tenth. It's time
(28:58):
for our personal training SASH. This is where we answer
your heart hitting questions about anything, and we mean anything
in the sports world. So this day today we have
a voicemail, but if you'd like to be featured on
a future episode. You can call us like we did today,
but you can also email us at pod at the
Just sports dot com or message Ellen or myself on Instagram.
Ellen is at Ellen at the Gist. I am at
(29:18):
Stephanie Rott's. But if you do want to leave us
a voicemail, the number is one four three seven five
six four five five seven nine. That number is also
in the show notes, so you can hover over that
and leave us a voicemail right after this if you want.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
And we love it when everyone follows up with us
after their voicemail is also featured on and so it's
so much fun. We got to got to chatting with Leah,
which was really nice. He was featured on our Personal
Training sash a little bit ago with Aaron with Megan.
It's really fun, so please message us. We want to
talk all the time anyway. In today's Personal Training SESSH,
(29:52):
we're taking a question from Julia, who lives in the
Greater Toronto area. Toronto and Chicago are really showing out
right now. We need to start a competition between all
of the different cities. But Julia in particular as asking
about the Northern Super League, which is the new professional
women's soccer league in Canada and how that's kind of
going and impacting things. So, without further ado, here is Julia.
Speaker 6 (30:20):
Hey, it's Julia from the greater Toronto area. You know,
as a result, I am a massive Toronto women's sports fan,
so you know, specifically the Toronto Scepters as the love
of my life. Of course, I'm so excited for the
Toronto Tempo and I'm also a massive AFC Toronto fan.
So going off that, I would love to hear your
thoughts on how the Northern Super League has already made
(30:42):
an impact on the Canadian women's national team. You know,
I'm specifically thinking of players like AFC Toronto captain Emma
Reagan and then Vancouver Rises Holly Ward, you know, with
both of them already scoring in some of their starts.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
That's all.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
Thank you both so much.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Should we start with a little bit of background for
listeners about the NFL, Ellen.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Yeah, let's do it. And also thank you Julia so
much for the question and for your avid fandom. I
think that that is so great. So for a little
bit of context, the Northern Super League or the NFL,
made its debut in April It includes six teams across Canada,
including AFC Toronto which Julia mentioned, the Vancouver Rise, Calgary Wilds,
(31:24):
and then three others. The NFL was founded by Diana Mathieson,
a Canadian women's national team legend but also an NWSL legend.
She is a pro footballer, but she never had the
opportunity to play in Canada and she really dreamed of
a world where Canadians could stay in Canada to play.
But also another big reason why this is formed is
(31:46):
that when you look across the entire men's and women's
soccer ecosystem, the best international teams have domestic leagues, and
the teams that were rising in the ranks also have
domestic leagues. So I think that we know of the NWSL,
the Women's Super League, the Liliga equivalent, the freud and
(32:07):
Bundesliga France League one. I'm not going to fem like
whatever you would be able to say it in French stuff,
but basically those are the major ones I would say
across the world. But also Ireland has a league. All
of these little like smaller countries have leagues. The US
(32:27):
has two different leagues. There's also the Gameberus Super League,
in addition to the NWSL, and so basically they looked
at the landscape and they were like, if we want
to keep on competing at an international level with the
best in the world, we have to give an opportunity
for domestic talent to get to grow to also keep
them at home. But it is I think long term
(32:50):
thinking about like the growth of women's soccer altogether, but
Canada maintaining their place as a top ten, top twenty
country again right now, hot take, I think that they're
rated too high, but I think I know I've got
my hate rate on right now.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
I think I'm too hard on them.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
But I think that it still is. I'd say in
the grand scheme of things, it would almost be like
the gamebrid Super League to an NWSL, where it's so
really professional, really awesome, high level soccer. But there isn't
the level at which a like a Naomi Germa would
be playing in the NSL just yet. But I think
(33:29):
the goal would be that one day some of the
world's best talent is playing in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
And of course, because of that feeder system and that development,
the NFL and the Canadian women's national team are just
going to end up being intrinsically tied and supporting one another,
and there's going to be more spots professionally for women
to be playing soccer slash football as a job. So
it is a net positive experience in Canada's national head
(33:55):
coach for the women, Casey Stony, is actively considering NSL
play when she selects the rosters for the Canadian women's
national team. And like Julia mentioned, we have AFC Toronto's
Emma Reagan, Ottawa Rapid FC's Desire Scott and Vancouver Rises Hollywood.
We're all named to the spring roster for friendlies against Haiti.
But I do want to mention of course we have
(34:16):
the Canadian talent developing in this league, but there's also
international folks in this league that are also representing other teams.
So just recently they have someone representing the Philippines and
Asian Cup qualifiers. We have Ukraine in friendlies, Poland in
the euro South Korea and friendlies Portugal, Nigeria and Jamaica
(34:36):
in addition to Canada. So though, there are a bunch
of different women in representing their international teams back home
as well, whether that's in friendlies or qualifiers or in
the Euros.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
It's interesting, I think. I think so with Desire Scott.
She comes from the NWSL, wasn't playing in the NWSL anymore,
came over. I'm surprised not to see Quinn listed on
the Canadian team. Maybe that's something that we have also
potentially missed, or maybe they are not playing in the
(35:08):
spring friendlies.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
We need to check in on that.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
It's possible that these friendlies are being used as for
development purposes as well.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Yeah, yeah, okay, that's great because I think that's it again,
Like I do, it is developing the Canadian ecosystem. It
is developing the women's sports ecosystem. Women's soccer is continuing
to grow like gangbusters, and we need more opportunities and
spaces in places for women to be able to make
a living playing soccer and for North American and for
(35:39):
Canadians to be able to stay at home. There is
also an opportunity, I think here stuff where we might
start to see Canadian university athletes and new sport athletes
actually end up getting to play for the NSL as
opposed to going into the NC DOUBLEA and having to
play in the NC DOUBLEA in order to make it
somewhere and getting a full ride scholarship in order to
(35:59):
make it in the NWSL. There's a lot of opportunities
there right now. It's not like there's anyone though. When
you look at the top teams, you're not seeing anyone
from Spain, Norway, France, England, Germany play in the NFL.
And that's I just want to say. I'm saying this
because that's not their expectation either. That's not the expectation
(36:20):
in the first year of the league. What I actually expect, Steff,
is that like one day when those players are maybe
on this sun setting their career in some way or another,
like they're like, yeah, like a messy like a Desire Scott,
like a Quinn, like a Christine Sinclair, where they're starting
to kind of wind down their play, but they still
(36:41):
want to be contributing to that next generation. They still
want to be on the pitch that the NFL could
be a great place for them and then they can
mentor those people who are coming up. I do think
that because Canada is starting to love soccer so much
it's one of the host countries for the Men's World
Cup next year, that the NFL is going to be
very quickly surpass the like Scotland Pro League or the
(37:04):
Ireland Pro League, which is really exciting. I think it's
probably going to take like five to ten years until
we start to see some consistent big names playing in
the NSL.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
You mentioned the Men's World Cup, and we also have
the twenty twenty seven I FIFIL Women's World Cup that
everyone is looking forward to, and of course there is
some time before the qualifying for that will happen, but
there's been so many friendlies happening with development and it's
really really exciting to see which NSL players are getting
(37:35):
called up to which team and to see the diversity
really with national teams represented in this league.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
It's awesome. Last thing the Euros are going on, England
is playing Spain and I cannot believe that that is
the finals that we have chopped up the fact that
it's say Women's World Cup, Is it the Women's World
Cup or a euro rematch?
Speaker 1 (37:55):
Well saying we're in the Women's World Cup, didn't they?
Speaker 3 (37:57):
Yeah, so I think that must be the World Cup. Remange.
I think Spain's going to kick England's ass. Like i've
England just keeps on winning at the very end of
the game, they're just finding ways to win, which again,
soccer is the game of moment. It's been really fun
to watch and I've had a hard time doing it
throughout the workday, but I've always been catching up on
the highlights. It has been a fantastic tournament. And I
(38:21):
think the reason why I want to break up international
soccer stuff is that international soccer also makes me so
excited for the NSO and how that is contributing to
the international ecosystem one day is very cool.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
And for Canada to have a domestic league is so major,
so that all of these players now have different places
that they can land and that you can stay home
if you're Canadian, you don't have to leave. And also
with Switzerland hosting the Euros too, there's also been some
really great storylines about the game growing in that country.
So even just because you're in Europe too, doesn't mean
it's a huge soccer country.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Either, no, exactly.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
So it is just so awesome to see the development internationally,
like getting to witness it is so fun.
Speaker 4 (39:02):
It's such a great time to be alive.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
And we hope that you thought that was such a
great episode. Thank you. All so much for tuning in.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
We'll be back in your feed with the new podcast
on Tuesday. In the meantime, if you enjoy today's episode,
we would love for you to rate, review, subscribe, and
call in or write us in if you want to
be featured on the pod.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
This episode was edited by Savannah Howld and produced by
Lisa min Natillo and Alexandra Puccio. Again, I'm Mellin Hislop
Speaker 1 (39:26):
And I'm Steph Roant, and we will chat with you
again on Tuesday.
Hello, Hello jesters, welcome or welcome back to another episode
of The Gist of It. Today's Thursday, July twenty fourth,
and we are your co hosts.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
My name is Steph Rots.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And my name is Ellen Hisslap. And you might hear
that I don't have a microphone again today, and I'm
so sorry.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
I know that we.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Said that I would have a mic, and I put
a lot of faith in my good friends Joe because
he said that he had a podcast microphone, and then
he came by my house at the end of the
day today and he brought God bless him, a mini mic.
And I was like, oh, Joe, I met a podcast microphone,
(00:45):
a proper microphone, and he was like, what's a podcast microphone?
And so that I showed him what we actually had,
and so.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Sweet boy Joe just didn't know the difference, and there
was it was too late in the day for me
to go get something else. So thank you Joe so
much for hooking me up with a mini mic. We
tried to make it work. It just didn't.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I am supposed to be receiving my new microphone on Friday,
So what we say by Monday, we should be good
as long as the delivery is by Monday, will be great.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
We really did try to run with the bit and
have Ellen hold the tiny mic the whole podcast, but
it wasn't It wasn't worth it sound wise, otherwise you
would have seen that clip, dear listeners.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
I know, and we actually tried it earlier today and
we thought that it sounded good. But then now on
second thought, there was boys checking the sound. There wasn't
girls checking the sound. And I think that's the biggest
learning that we have and why we have an all
female content team here.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
At the gist, I'm snapping. Can you oh.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Wow, this is an ASMR podcast now anyway, Steph, what
are we talking about today?
Speaker 1 (01:51):
We're about halfway through the summer. Can you believe that
time really does fly? But that does mean one thing.
Ellen's really excited because NFL training camps are officially underway
and she loves the NFL. If there's one thing about Ellen,
it's the NFL. There are six weeks until regular season kickoff.
But as fashion girlies know, you gotta you need time.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
To plan all of the outfits.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Football is only once a week.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Really, give her take a couple situations, so you gotta
get ready to deliver, and we called in reinforcements for
this particular podcast. On today's episode, the Just associate Managing
editor Lauren Tuscilla, who you often hear on the podcast
as a co host when either Ellen or myself can't
jump on, so you you know Lauren, She sat down
(02:37):
with designer Kristin Yuschek aka the woman responsible for custom
NFL signline looks for the hottest wags in the game,
like Taylor Swift as well as Simone Biles. You trust me,
you know when you see it one of her creations.
She is legendary.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
And when Steph says someone is legendary, let me remind
you that Steph is a fashion girl with a Fashoni
Communications under No. Steph, You're a fashion girly. You always
look amazing and you have a fashion communications undergrad and
I think that we can all listen to you with
respect to this. And it's been really cool seeing Kristian Huscheck,
I think, really grow and be bigger than her husband
(03:14):
Kyle because of her success in this fashion world, and
the conversation that she had with Lauren was amazing. She
actually has a new collection with off Season, which is
her highly coveted brand, which I'm so thrilled about. So
we are going full Project Runway for this podcast, and
Lauren does have an operating mic for that interview, which
(03:35):
is awesome. Before we get into that, we have two
things that we want to talk about. We have two
audibles that we want to call and I would say
it's a little bit more in a one up and
one down fashion because there's just two things that were
on our minds and one weighing quite heavy on our minds. Steph,
you have a preference of what you want to talk
(03:57):
about first.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
I want to get it off my check. Can we
talk about the down one first?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Yeah, go for it. Okay.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So we are recording this on July twenty third, and
that is the day that the US Olympic and Paralympic
Committee effectively barred transgender women from competing in women's sports,
telling the federations overseeing those various sports like swimming, athletics,
et cetera, that they have an obligation to comply with
(04:25):
the executive order issued by Donald Trump. And it is
a dark day in the world of sports. And cannot
understate how much this is going to affect all sports,
all people involved in sports and how damaging this news is.
It is very, as Ellen said, very heavy today.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And they actually announced this on Monday, but they did
it really quiet and so it wasn't really picked up
were necessarily noticed right away, and then people really notice
today on Wednesday, July twenty third, and said what the
heck is going on? And so the change is noted
obliquely and this is from YEAHO News. The change is
(05:05):
noted obliquely as a detail under USOPC Athlete Safety Policy
and references the executive Order that actually I don't even
want to say the name of the executive order because
I think that it's really horrible. But I think the
biggest thing here, stuff that I really wanted to talk
about too, is that the executive order threatens to rescind
all funds from organizations that allow trans athletes to participate
(05:30):
in women's sports. And I think everyone on this who's
listening knows where we stand on this and knows our
thoughts and feelings on this. I think in comparison to
professional leagues that have generally a lot of or starting
to gain a lot of support from sponsors, from fans,
(05:52):
what have you, Olympic sports do not have that luxury.
Olympic sports really do receive so much of their funding, yes,
from sponsors on one side, but a lot of it
is through the government, and so when threats like this
are being made, they do have to take it seriously
because that is where they're getting their funding from. And so, unfortunately,
(06:16):
it does feel like they're getting bullied into this situation,
whether or not they actually believe it, want to stand
for it, want to add it. My heart thinks that
they don't, considering they've never had necessarily something exactly like
this beforehand. And so it puts organizations that are already
threatened financially in so many different ways in a really
(06:39):
really hard place when someone like a bully like President
Trump does this to these organizations and they don't have
enough sponsors to back them up, and not enough sponsors
are stepping up to back them up, or not enough
sponsors are stepping up even to Donald Trump in so
many ways for them to be able to not comply.
(07:03):
It's really complicated, and it's really horrible, and we're sitting
so heavy at this and there is that just that
context that I wanted to provide on the national side
of things with all of these sports organizations that are
funded just in really different ways than professional sports.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
When I was reading the article, the first thing that
came to my mind is where are the rich people?
Where are they? Like they brands and well off athletes
and rich people have an opportunity here to band together
and do the right thing and pull through for these
athletes and for these organizations, and no one is doing it.
(07:42):
And it's not that brave of a thing that I
think that they have to do. Is such an obvious
thing that we have already seen the repercussions of what
this kind of rhetoric can do to the sports world
and to everybody. And I, yeah, where are these people?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
You know, I was thinking the same thing, Steph. We
need some rich people to back what's happening here. Again,
we don't know these accents and outs though, of what
actually is allowed on this side. There is some quotes
kind of going back and forth. So USOPC CEO Sarah
Hirschland said, quote, as a federally chartered organization, we have
an obligation to comply with federal expectations. End quote. But
(08:23):
then from the National Women's Law Center they put out
a communication or their Organization President CEO put out a
statement saying, quote, by giving into the political demands, the
USOPC is sacrifice, saying the needs and safety of its
own athletes end quote.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
And I think the hard part here is Steph. Both
of those are true.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Yeah, civil disobedience is always an option. Resistance is always
an option, even when they make you think that it's not.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
That's my perspective.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So that's the down and that's what's really weighing very
heavy on our hearts. When I saw that come through,
I went, oh, my gosh, we need to talk about this.
This is horrible. And we hope that something changes, especially
before LA twenty eight. We really hope that something changes.
Let's not go to something that is bringing joy and
sparking joy with us today.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
And that is that. Forty five year olds Venus Williams
returned to pro tennis at the DC Open on Monday,
logging as singles and doubles win on back to back days.
She's forty five years old. She beat a twenty three
year olds in straight sets on Tuesday.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
She has been playing Steph in the WTA so Pro
since she was fourteen years old. She is one of
the trailblazers in the sport she was there. A lot
of people are like, oh, yes, Serena would have ended
up being the better player.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
And yes she did.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
But Venus was that girl first, Like, Venus has won
seven singles Grand Slam titles. That's just off the top
of my head, so please fact check me on that.
But like, Venus is that girl. And I think Tom
Brady is shaking right now. What do you mean She's
playing at forty five years old. This is amazing. And
so she got in with a wildcard for this, and
(10:07):
then now she's actually got admitted. I think the next
tournament's in Cincinnati, if I'm remembering correctly, and she got
a wildcard entry into that because of how well she's
played in this and how people are responding on social
media watching the tournament and everything like that, and it
looks like she's playing stuff with just so much joy,
especially after her surgery for you to ruin fibroids that
(10:27):
took her out for the last sixteen months.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
She did say that she's not there for anyone except
for her, and she has nothing to prove, and then
also went on to say that there are no limits
on excellence and I think I'm doing my little tiny
clap because I don't want to interfere with the audio.
I just think that that's amazing.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
You know.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Already is promised. Our one big story today is Lauren's
interview with designer Christin yas Check. You's check got her
start by wearing her own designs to her husband San
Francisco forty nine ers fullback Kyle used Chuck's Games. Now
her custom made looks are worn by some of the
most famous wags in the league, from Taylor Swift to
Simone Biles. So without further ado, let's listen to Kristen
(11:14):
and Laurence conversation.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Kristin Uschek, Welcome to the gist of it. We are
so excited to have you on today.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Hi.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
Thanks Lauren, Thanks, thanks so much.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
We have a lot we want to get into today.
I know you have this new small business program with
the Verizon. You have your off season clothing line that's
coming up with some cool drops soon, so we're going
to get into all of that on the podcast today.
I wanted to start off if this works for you
with kind of a little bit more of a selfish
question because I'm like aspiring to be fashionable. I would say,
(11:45):
we work from home at the GIST, so like mostly
I'm in a teacher and kind of that's my uniform. Okay.
So I wanted to go through some trends with you,
just really quick with five trends and you can yeay
or nay the trend and I say, rapid fire. But
if you have more color, like, I'm all happy to
hear it. I need all the help I can get.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Basically, Okay, let's do it.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Cool. First trend is butter yellow.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
Is butter yellow a trend? Right now?
Speaker 2 (12:09):
That's what this. So I follow like random fashion influencers
and this is what I'm seeing is butter yellow.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
You love it?
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Okay, Okay, yeah, yeah, you ate a butter yellow cool.
Next one is Mary Jane Flats.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
Oh here's the thing. It's a nave for me. But
that's just like a very particular thing with myself. But
I mean other people can pull it off, but it's
a knave for me.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Okay, I feel the same way I see other people.
I'm like, that looks really cute on you. I don't
know if it's for me.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
It takes a particular person, yes, Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Next one also footwear Crocs.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Oh, so sorry, Crocs.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
That's okay, we have some. It's that one's split on
our team. I don't own a pair. I've never own
a pair, So I'm with you on the negative front
on that one.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
I mean, I'm sure yay on the comfort side of things,
but Ney on the fast.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Okay, fair enough. This one's also very polarizing.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
Low rise jeans, Oh, I mean, it's a YA for me.
Speaker 5 (13:05):
I do love them, but I love high rise jenes too.
I think Denham never goes out of style. I think, like,
never throw your dunom out. It's so cyclical that, like
the stuff we were in middle school is coming back
into style.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
So it's a YA for me. But all dunhim is
a YA for me, Like I never get rid of
my dnim.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Okay, that's helpful, Like it is so cyclical, like that's
what we used to wear, exactly, the low rise, the
bell bottom in middle school.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Now it's the we'll come back. Just give it time.
Don't throw out your skinny jeans.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Okay, this is good advice. I'll hold on to them.
They're going like back of the closet for now.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Last one, this one is very polarizing on our Just
team in particular, this is La Boo boos.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 5 (13:47):
I I'm like really feel like I'm not on the
mark of the Laboo boos, Like I need to be
like researching them more.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I'm confused, same you're that is, we have like two
people on staff that are obsessed with them, and the
rest of us they out information. So I'm also in
that conduce camp.
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Felt like an old person who like doesn't understand the trends,
and I feel that when it comes to La Boo boos,
I'm not on the trend of it.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Okay, I feel the same way. We'll put a link
in show notes for people to dig into the litle
boo boos. But yeah, so like ye take into yeah
question mark maybe.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Hi question mark?
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Huh Okay, yeah, okay, amazing.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
I don't know. I like bags on its own.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
I think there's like a time and place for an
accessory on a bag, but like something like that to
me personally, like just I don't think it belongs on
a purse.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Okay, this is great, thank you so much. Yeah, no,
this is good. We want your takes, so I really
appreciate it. I feel prepared, good insight. Thank you. Let's
get into your story now. Actually, you got your start
designing your own clothes for your husband's football games. Of course,
San Francisco forty nine Ers full back Kyle used check
(14:56):
And I just want to go back to that moment,
like how did you have the idea even just to
start to jump in and be like I want to
create my own stuff to wear to the games.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Yeah, it really all was like a very natural progression.
Speaker 5 (15:08):
I had made a costume for us for Halloween one year,
and that was like the first time that I really
like made something with a sewing machine.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
But it was a lot of layering.
Speaker 5 (15:17):
I kind of like had like a silhouette of the
dress that I wanted to do, so I was like
sewing stuff on top of it, and it just got
me like so excited. After I wore it, I was
like so proud of myself. When I walked into there,
I was like, yeah, I made this, like I felt
so I just like loved it. And then I kind
of like challenged myself. I was like, let's see if
I can actually make something without layering and make something
(15:37):
from scratch. So then I just kind of like went
on YouTube and was just like exploring the idea one
day and then from there I ended up making a
pair of sweatpants and I just kind of got like
so addicted to the feeling of.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Learning something new.
Speaker 5 (15:49):
I think with when we're kids, you know, our parents
hopefully are like throwing us into maybe different sports or
learning new things. You're like learning new subjects in school,
instruments and whatnot, and then when you get older, you
just like ten to stop doing that. And I think
once I just like entered this world of sewing and
it was a completely new trait.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
I just like fell in love with the idea of.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
A challenge and learning something like completely new, as if
it was like a new language. So it really was
just that feeling of a being so proud that I
had like worked so long on something with my hands
and I was able to wear it. I was like
a very fulfilling feeling for me and b I was
just like so happy to be able to do something
in the creative field.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
That's so cool. Lifelong learner. We love that at the
chest everyone is always staying curious, so that is super cool.
That's forward a little bit, and your first design it
pops off, what was the first one that like really
hit the stratosphere. Maybe not like the biggest one, but
the first one we're like, oh, this is making some noise.
And what was that feeling like to see that design
kind of go out beyond you just wearing it.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
To the game, you know what.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
I feel like the one that really was the first
to cretin noise is when I made a corset out
of a football.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
I'm actually TikTok of that one. That was so cool.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
Yeah, that was definitely not something that is like could
be commercialized when chance, but it was like something fun.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
I remember just sitting at home one day.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
We have footballs all of our house, and I was
just like playing with a football with my husband and
realizing I'm like, oh, you know, this is pigskin, this
is leather.
Speaker 4 (17:11):
The texture of it like this could be.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
A purse, this could be a top, And so I
was like, what's inside of a football? So I actually
just took like a razor blade and started cutting it
open and it realized that I'm like, I separated each
panel and then I just started playing around. I was like,
I feel like I could make a top out of this.
So once I did that, I just like had so
much fun doing that, and I feel like that was
(17:33):
the first video that I made that probably that got
like the most attention or like a spike of attention
compared to like my other videos that I'd put out there.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
How long did that take? What was like you got
to build them?
Speaker 5 (17:45):
It was, oh no, I did that the night before
the game. I was like, yeah, I remember, I Kyle,
you know the boys. Majority of the time, we'll like
sleep at a hotel, And so I was by myself
sitting at home and I was just like having an
arts and crafts I was like.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Had a glass of wine, cutting a football open.
Speaker 5 (18:03):
I was going to Michael's because I needed I was like, oh,
I need a whole puncher because I couldn't punch through
the leather. Like I was trying to like put a
knife through it and it wasn't working. So I like
got went to Michaels, got that, and I was just
like having a knight to myself, which is like having fun,
and then it just so happened to like get together.
I feel like I wish I had a better answer
(18:23):
for this, but I feel sometimes when I get in
the zone, it's like I'm on autopilot, like I'm like,
I don't eat, and then like the piece will be
done and I'm looking at it and I'm.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
Like, how did I make that?
Speaker 5 (18:32):
That's kind of crazy, But yeah, that was probably the
first piece that got a spike of attention.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Wow, that's amazing. Everyone will put that show notes too,
because to know that it happened in a night like
that is so I feel get that feeling of like
being in a groove. But that's that's so terrible that
that came together so quickly. Super cool.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And then we fast forward again to the real viral
moments with when celebrities are wearing your clothes. So we've
got Taylor Swift of Spritny my Homes, Taylor Lautner, someone Biles,
so many big names. That's just the name of you.
Of course, can you take us through that process, like
you know you're designing it for this person, it's going
to be seen by so many people. What's that process
like creating it knowing it's really going to be out there.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Yeah, I mean, it definitely happened.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
I had never really like went into it wanting like
I would say that was never like really a goal
of mine, mainly because I'm like self taught and truly,
like in the beginning, I'm like, I don't know, like
if someone gives me their measurements. I was making stuff
for myself, so I was like I would design and
then I would pin it on me and I'd be
able to adjust it.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
But like if you were to text me and give
me your measurements at that time, I'd be like, I
don't know what that means. Like that would be really
challenging for me.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
So the first person I worked with, I believe, and
this could be it was either Deebo Samuel or it
was Simone Files and I'm getting my timeline mixed up,
so i can't remember which one it was, but there
was very similar products. It was like the puffer vest
and that I wanted to go into it make stuff
for people that wasn't form fitting, mainly because of that
exact reason.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
And I wasn't doing fittings for people, so.
Speaker 5 (20:06):
I wanted to be able to like, hey, if it's
too big, then it's the oversized look, and if it's small,
then it's cropped like that kind of how I went
into it. So basically, like how I go into it
when I'm working with somebody now, and at that time,
I was really just trying to like figure it out
as I go, but I wanted to make sure I
like brought people's style into it. So I would I
(20:27):
definitely do like an overview of their instagram of what
they love to wear, how they accessorize things, what's like
patterns that they're drawn to.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Do they like something more subtle? Do they like to
stand out?
Speaker 5 (20:38):
Like for Debot, he dresses a lot more flashy, So
I wanted to make something a bit more loud. And
then I know, like for someone she wanted something that
it cropped that she could wear with maybe like a
snowsuit underneath or like a jumpsuit underneath. So I really
like try to blend both worlds, whether that's my aesthetic
and then the client that I'm working with. But truly,
(21:00):
like everyone that I've worked with so far has been
so collaborative in the sense of them not even collaborative.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
I would say, they're more like, we just would love
to have something by you.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
So they're not really like even picky and saying that
they want this that design. They're just like excited to
wear something. So I've been really fortunate to work with
like a really amazing people.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
That's so amazing. It's cool to hear that you're looking
for that inspo from their own personal style and then
but it becomes a custom piece made by you of course,
so like it's so neat to hear that kind of
behind the scenes with it.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Yeah, And you talked about being self taught, self taught
stream Chorice shout out to YouTube once again and.
Speaker 4 (21:35):
Now YouTube University.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
It really helps a lot. There's so much you can
learn on there.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yeah. But now you're a small business owner. You guys
just launched the off season earlier this year. What's that
been like these first few months of being a small
business owner? What's the challenges and that kind of what's
been successful over the last few months here?
Speaker 5 (21:52):
Yeah, I would say, I mean it's been so surreal.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
It's been a dream come true.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
It's all I've ever wanted truly, so like I've never
been happier, never felt more fulfilled in my life. There's
been so many challenges, but for me, I love a
challenge and it's like been really like what it is
is just like learning curve. I think, you know, all
I've ever used to do was design for myself. So
now like we're designing for the masses, and that's like
(22:17):
a very different type of design element. And like for me,
I love to add all the bells and whistles, and
I want to add all the embroidery, and now I
have to deal with like cost and those type of
things that like when I'm doing you know, one offs,
just like designing for myself, I'm not necessarily thinking of
so I would say just like the elements of like
actually running a business and has been like the most
(22:37):
the biggest challenge for me, but I'm loving every second
of it, and like learning how to manufacture and that's
been so exciting and so fun.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
But yeah, it's been amazing.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
And then being able to work with like Verizon, who
has been so supportive on small businesses. We're launching like
a small business trading camp together. They have like so
many amazing resources online, but it's so cool that they're
doing this in person training camp. It's a three day
training camp and twenty lucky people get to go and
all expenses are paid for and it's like three days
(23:08):
full of classes and mentorship and community and it's just
they've been so supportive, they have so many resources towards
small business. So it's just been so amazing to be
able to work with brands like them as well.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
That is so it looks so you guys launch it
today as we're talking, So we'll put the link in
the show notes so people can check it out. It's
with Drew Breeze. So there's that NFL compa So so neat,
Like that's just going to be so cool. What a
cool opportunity for people to learn firsthand from you about
how to go through those challenges of starting a small business.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
Yeah, and I really do feel like what's so amazing
is not only like the mentorship and the classes and
all the information that they'll learn, but the community aspect
of it. Like I have learned so much just doing
community events and learning from people's successes, learning from people's
failures more importantly, honestly, and I think that's so exciting
for the people who get to go to meet local
small business owners too.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
And just like compare.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Notes, definitely, maybe you guys will cover this in the training.
So maybe this is like a little teaser, but something
we find as women in sports as the gist when
we the co founders, launched the gist as you're told
no so many times, and I know that was something
you encountered to How did you stay resilient through all
of those notes to get to the point that you
are at now.
Speaker 5 (24:17):
Yeah, there's been like many things that have like inspired
me and kept me motivated. I would say number one,
like it really just stems from it fulfilled me so
much and made me so happy. And I think that,
like I believed in it so much, and I knew that.
And I know that fashion is subjective and it's not
like everyone's going to look at something and agree that
(24:39):
it's beautiful or agree that they like that, because that's
just not how we work.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
We're individuals and that's what's so beautiful about it.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
But I think as long as you believe in it,
I always saw the vision, so I knew that it
was just a matter of time before I can get
people to catch up to me and also see the vision.
I had a friend I've like said this line a
million times. I feel like, you know the quote of
Lady Gaga where she's like, it only takes one person
to believe in you. She says that quote like a
million times, and there's like clips of this.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
I feel like I'm becoming that new quote. But it's
just so good.
Speaker 5 (25:12):
My friend said to me once when I was like
really bummed there was an opportunity that just kind of
fell short for me and I was really feeling like discouraged.
She said to me, you know, if someone told you
it took one hundred notes to get to your first yes,
wouldn't you be so excited every time you heard it
no because it's one step closer to your yes? And
(25:33):
I was just like mind blown by that, and it
really just like stuck with me.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
So that quote, I feel like I would.
Speaker 5 (25:41):
Continue to say it in my head every time I
heard rejection, every time I heard you know, oh, we
don't think we have we don't think there's a you know,
space for this, or this isn't probably big enough for
our company. I think if you're a visionary, it's really
hard sometimes to have people catch up to where you're
head up. But you have to just be patient and
know that it's all about timing. Because I'm so grateful
(26:02):
for every single one of those nos now, because if
I maybe had one of those yeses, I would have
never been to where I am right now, and I
would have never been able to run my own company,
or I would have probably never been able to do
like certain one offs, because maybe I'd be under like
contractual obligations. So I think, like anyone who's listening, who
is hearing a lot of nos. I know it's like
cliche to say, but you really do have the trust
(26:24):
the timing of it and know that like those no's
are leading you to your really big yes, and you're
going to be so happy and like thankful that those
people said no to you.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
That's so amazing. I love that reframing. It's just that
mindset of like you, that's what's going to take to
get to where you need to be. So that is
I love. I'll be That'll be my new Lady Gaga too.
We'll make it like a take care.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Yeah, do you know what I'm talking about that? I know, Yes,
I know that video from the stars.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Yes, I was like, I will.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
Be that nowhere near Lady Gaga. But like I just
keep saying that life.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
But that's like that's a mantra, that's what gets you
through the thing, so that it makes total sense. Yeah,
I have one more question for you. This has been amazing.
Thank you so much. It's so cool to hear your
insight into behind the scenes. One last kind of maybe
teaser question. We're heading into the NFL season, I know,
off seasons dropping some new things coming up. What can
we expect for the upcoming drops? So officially, again, I'm
(27:13):
a Patriots fan, so I'm like maybe a Patriots job,
But is there anything you can kind of tease for
what's to come?
Speaker 4 (27:18):
Yeah? Yeah, I mean we're dropping tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (27:20):
We have our first like NFL ready to recollection, which
we're so excited about dropping tomorrow. We have so much
coming up with off season. We've been working so hard this.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Off season, no pun intended, but we will have a
lot of exciting things. Maybe some teams expansion we shall see,
but we're really excited.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
I mean, like we have a lot of launch, a
lot of different drops that we've been working on, a
lot of really cool styles coming out, really unique things.
I mean, we were continuing to push the boundary on
what teamer peril looks like outside of just you know,
graphic teas. So we're just like really excited to see
what people are liking and what the space, you know,
actually looks like. I think, like I said, I think
(28:03):
I have a vision for what this space would be,
but it's a matter of our people actually on board
and do people feel the same.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
So this year is a really exciting year for us.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
It's a very like exploratory year and to see what
sticks and what doesn't amazing.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Well, we'll be watching all of it. I know people
are already email lists, ready, they're on the wait list,
and they're looking forward to what's to come. It's been
so cool watching your rise too, and just all the
momentum over the last few years. So thank you again
so much for joining us on the gist of it.
Speaker 6 (28:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
Thanks, I'm so excited to be here. Thank you guys.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Thanks again to Kristin for joining the pod today. Such
a delight, such a pleasure. If you're interested in joining
Kristen at the Verizon Small Business Training Camp, check out
the link in our show notes for that information. The
winners will be chosen now through August tenth. It's time
(28:58):
for our personal training SASH. This is where we answer
your heart hitting questions about anything, and we mean anything
in the sports world. So this day today we have
a voicemail, but if you'd like to be featured on
a future episode. You can call us like we did today,
but you can also email us at pod at the
Just sports dot com or message Ellen or myself on Instagram.
Ellen is at Ellen at the Gist. I am at
(29:18):
Stephanie Rott's. But if you do want to leave us
a voicemail, the number is one four three seven five
six four five five seven nine. That number is also
in the show notes, so you can hover over that
and leave us a voicemail right after this if you want.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
And we love it when everyone follows up with us
after their voicemail is also featured on and so it's
so much fun. We got to got to chatting with Leah,
which was really nice. He was featured on our Personal
Training sash a little bit ago with Aaron with Megan.
It's really fun, so please message us. We want to
talk all the time anyway. In today's Personal Training SESSH,
(29:52):
we're taking a question from Julia, who lives in the
Greater Toronto area. Toronto and Chicago are really showing out
right now. We need to start a competition between all
of the different cities. But Julia in particular as asking
about the Northern Super League, which is the new professional
women's soccer league in Canada and how that's kind of
going and impacting things. So, without further ado, here is Julia.
Speaker 6 (30:20):
Hey, it's Julia from the greater Toronto area. You know,
as a result, I am a massive Toronto women's sports fan,
so you know, specifically the Toronto Scepters as the love
of my life. Of course, I'm so excited for the
Toronto Tempo and I'm also a massive AFC Toronto fan.
So going off that, I would love to hear your
thoughts on how the Northern Super League has already made
(30:42):
an impact on the Canadian women's national team. You know,
I'm specifically thinking of players like AFC Toronto captain Emma
Reagan and then Vancouver Rises Holly Ward, you know, with
both of them already scoring in some of their starts.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
That's all.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
Thank you both so much.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
Should we start with a little bit of background for
listeners about the NFL, Ellen.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Yeah, let's do it. And also thank you Julia so
much for the question and for your avid fandom. I
think that that is so great. So for a little
bit of context, the Northern Super League or the NFL,
made its debut in April It includes six teams across Canada,
including AFC Toronto which Julia mentioned, the Vancouver Rise, Calgary Wilds,
(31:24):
and then three others. The NFL was founded by Diana Mathieson,
a Canadian women's national team legend but also an NWSL legend.
She is a pro footballer, but she never had the
opportunity to play in Canada and she really dreamed of
a world where Canadians could stay in Canada to play.
But also another big reason why this is formed is
(31:46):
that when you look across the entire men's and women's
soccer ecosystem, the best international teams have domestic leagues, and
the teams that were rising in the ranks also have
domestic leagues. So I think that we know of the NWSL,
the Women's Super League, the Liliga equivalent, the freud and
(32:07):
Bundesliga France League one. I'm not going to fem like
whatever you would be able to say it in French stuff,
but basically those are the major ones I would say
across the world. But also Ireland has a league. All
of these little like smaller countries have leagues. The US
(32:27):
has two different leagues. There's also the Gameberus Super League,
in addition to the NWSL, and so basically they looked
at the landscape and they were like, if we want
to keep on competing at an international level with the
best in the world, we have to give an opportunity
for domestic talent to get to grow to also keep
them at home. But it is I think long term
(32:50):
thinking about like the growth of women's soccer altogether, but
Canada maintaining their place as a top ten, top twenty
country again right now, hot take, I think that they're
rated too high, but I think I know I've got
my hate rate on right now.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
I think I'm too hard on them.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
But I think that it still is. I'd say in
the grand scheme of things, it would almost be like
the gamebrid Super League to an NWSL, where it's so
really professional, really awesome, high level soccer. But there isn't
the level at which a like a Naomi Germa would
be playing in the NSL just yet. But I think
(33:29):
the goal would be that one day some of the
world's best talent is playing in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
And of course, because of that feeder system and that development,
the NFL and the Canadian women's national team are just
going to end up being intrinsically tied and supporting one another,
and there's going to be more spots professionally for women
to be playing soccer slash football as a job. So
it is a net positive experience in Canada's national head
(33:55):
coach for the women, Casey Stony, is actively considering NSL
play when she selects the rosters for the Canadian women's
national team. And like Julia mentioned, we have AFC Toronto's
Emma Reagan, Ottawa Rapid FC's Desire Scott and Vancouver Rises Hollywood.
We're all named to the spring roster for friendlies against Haiti.
But I do want to mention of course we have
(34:16):
the Canadian talent developing in this league, but there's also
international folks in this league that are also representing other teams.
So just recently they have someone representing the Philippines and
Asian Cup qualifiers. We have Ukraine in friendlies, Poland in
the euro South Korea and friendlies Portugal, Nigeria and Jamaica
(34:36):
in addition to Canada. So though, there are a bunch
of different women in representing their international teams back home
as well, whether that's in friendlies or qualifiers or in
the Euros.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
It's interesting, I think. I think so with Desire Scott.
She comes from the NWSL, wasn't playing in the NWSL anymore,
came over. I'm surprised not to see Quinn listed on
the Canadian team. Maybe that's something that we have also
potentially missed, or maybe they are not playing in the
(35:08):
spring friendlies.
Speaker 4 (35:09):
We need to check in on that.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
It's possible that these friendlies are being used as for
development purposes as well.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Yeah, yeah, okay, that's great because I think that's it again,
Like I do, it is developing the Canadian ecosystem. It
is developing the women's sports ecosystem. Women's soccer is continuing
to grow like gangbusters, and we need more opportunities and
spaces in places for women to be able to make
a living playing soccer and for North American and for
(35:39):
Canadians to be able to stay at home. There is
also an opportunity, I think here stuff where we might
start to see Canadian university athletes and new sport athletes
actually end up getting to play for the NSL as
opposed to going into the NC DOUBLEA and having to
play in the NC DOUBLEA in order to make it
somewhere and getting a full ride scholarship in order to
(35:59):
make it in the NWSL. There's a lot of opportunities
there right now. It's not like there's anyone though. When
you look at the top teams, you're not seeing anyone
from Spain, Norway, France, England, Germany play in the NFL.
And that's I just want to say. I'm saying this
because that's not their expectation either. That's not the expectation
(36:20):
in the first year of the league. What I actually expect, Steff,
is that like one day when those players are maybe
on this sun setting their career in some way or another,
like they're like, yeah, like a messy like a Desire Scott,
like a Quinn, like a Christine Sinclair, where they're starting
to kind of wind down their play, but they still
(36:41):
want to be contributing to that next generation. They still
want to be on the pitch that the NFL could
be a great place for them and then they can
mentor those people who are coming up. I do think
that because Canada is starting to love soccer so much
it's one of the host countries for the Men's World
Cup next year, that the NFL is going to be
very quickly surpass the like Scotland Pro League or the
(37:04):
Ireland Pro League, which is really exciting. I think it's
probably going to take like five to ten years until
we start to see some consistent big names playing in
the NSL.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
You mentioned the Men's World Cup, and we also have
the twenty twenty seven I FIFIL Women's World Cup that
everyone is looking forward to, and of course there is
some time before the qualifying for that will happen, but
there's been so many friendlies happening with development and it's
really really exciting to see which NSL players are getting
(37:35):
called up to which team and to see the diversity
really with national teams represented in this league.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
It's awesome. Last thing the Euros are going on, England
is playing Spain and I cannot believe that that is
the finals that we have chopped up the fact that
it's say Women's World Cup, Is it the Women's World
Cup or a euro rematch?
Speaker 1 (37:55):
Well saying we're in the Women's World Cup, didn't they?
Speaker 3 (37:57):
Yeah, so I think that must be the World Cup. Remange.
I think Spain's going to kick England's ass. Like i've
England just keeps on winning at the very end of
the game, they're just finding ways to win, which again,
soccer is the game of moment. It's been really fun
to watch and I've had a hard time doing it
throughout the workday, but I've always been catching up on
the highlights. It has been a fantastic tournament. And I
(38:21):
think the reason why I want to break up international
soccer stuff is that international soccer also makes me so
excited for the NSO and how that is contributing to
the international ecosystem one day is very cool.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
And for Canada to have a domestic league is so major,
so that all of these players now have different places
that they can land and that you can stay home
if you're Canadian, you don't have to leave. And also
with Switzerland hosting the Euros too, there's also been some
really great storylines about the game growing in that country.
So even just because you're in Europe too, doesn't mean
it's a huge soccer country.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Either, no, exactly.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
So it is just so awesome to see the development internationally,
like getting to witness it is so fun.
Speaker 4 (39:02):
It's such a great time to be alive.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
And we hope that you thought that was such a
great episode. Thank you. All so much for tuning in.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
We'll be back in your feed with the new podcast
on Tuesday. In the meantime, if you enjoy today's episode,
we would love for you to rate, review, subscribe, and
call in or write us in if you want to
be featured on the pod.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
This episode was edited by Savannah Howld and produced by
Lisa min Natillo and Alexandra Puccio. Again, I'm Mellin Hislop
Speaker 1 (39:26):
And I'm Steph Roant, and we will chat with you
again on Tuesday.
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