BINGELY TV/STREAMING

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: THE WOLF OF WINTER

Prime Original

Prime Video

The US Open has kicked off here in NYC and when it comes to one of the greats, it’s Novak Djokovic. In the documentary, Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter, we see his iconic rise as he plays tennis. But we also see how he juggles between the tragedies that took place in home country of Serbia, the belief his family had as well as the lengths that they would go to bring him to global stages, and how he has mastered being such a force on the courts for all of these years!

While we attended week 1 of the US Open, he shared in the press room that he would be interested in potentially sharing more of his story in a serialized format. We hope so!

TRAVIS BARKER: LOUDER THAN FEAR

Hulu Original

Hulu

Travis Barker is an incredible drummer and producer that has lent his talents to Blink 182, super bands as well as working across genres. He defintiely showcases how in many ways music and the way he plays it is a sport all of its own!

In Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear, we get to know how he came to music, literally drumming to his own beat, having great voices in music giving their thoughts about him, the highs and lows of his life, his plane accident, and how he has bounced back from it by flying again in the last few years!

We also see aspects of his personal life, kids, and the various businesses that he is involved in.

LANTERNS

DC Studios

HBO Max

We love seeing our favorite comic books in a new way and in DC Studios’ Lanterns, they do exactly that! In this series, we get to watch Green Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and fresh recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as two intergalactic cops that are brought into an immersive and dark, Earth-based mystery.

Whether you follow the comic books or are new to the universe, this series feels like a True Detective vibe while providing Easter Eggs and hat tips to characters that have yet to be revealed who are also known characters in this universe!

In addition to watching this show, we highly suggest that you watch/listen to the companion podcast Lanterns The Official Podcast hosted by Juju Green.

Read the AUG ISSUE #128 of Athleisure Mag and see Bingely TV/Streaming in mag.

9LIST ROUTIN3S | LAKEY PETERSON

Read the AUG ISSUE #128 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST ROUTIN3S | Lakey Peterson in mag.

9LIST ROUTIN3S | PAUL GEORGE

Read the AUG ISSUE #128 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST ROUTIN3S | Paul George in mag.

FANATICS FEST 2026

We enjoyed going to Fanatics Fest 2026 at the Javits Center, NYC. It had four heavy days of card show, Fanatics Games, panels, autographs, breaks. experiences, and more. The show was even better this year than last, and really brought out the best athletes, teams, entertainers, and brands for loyal fans eager to see their favorites. Definitely hometown NY Knicks had a big vibe coming off of their historic win; demonstration of teamwork and hustle; and Espy win.

The Fanatics Games are so innovative, definitely something we look forward to. This year Justin Bieber took the overall win. it was so much fun hanging with Big Papi on “ice.” (Athleisure Mag Cover, Issue #125). He was teeing off against Yankee great HOF CC Sabathia, an exciting pairing. Fortunately, someone shouted to keep the puck on the ground, and Ortiz nailed one smoothly in. NJ Devil was also part of hospitality, had been a bit since we saw you at Star Wars night at Prudential Center.

UFC Suga Sean v NYG Skatterbo were locked in. They were putting some targets, after some close calls, Sean hit one and celebrated. Skatt chuckled and came out to the crowd and signed a bunch of autos and did some Skatt Blasts. It’s fire to see two elite athletes from different sports go head to head in these games.

Conversely, Kevin Hart taking on Marcello Hernández were not locked in. Nope, but you knew that was the case. We picked up with soccer/football grand-standing. A lot of hoopla. Hart looked like he made a couple of tough ones. There was some more amped peaccking you’d expect from these two. Then we saw them dueling it out in golf.

WNBA Legend Diana Taurasi v US Kelley O’Hara remained serious competitors through out on the greens, as were Jordan Chiles and Tiffany Haddish in their battle. Mo Bama and Sheck Wes shooting hoops on the court was fun. Big group, all were invited. We also caught up with them on the ice; Sheck was super cool to some zealous fans, also doing some signature posing.

We also took in some excellent panels.

Cody Rhodes had a great discussion with GOAT QB Tom Brady. Cody was psyched to bring out Brady as someone he’s long admired. Brady was happy to relate he’s a perfect fit for a WWE heel. As with the year before, when we saw him speak with Oakley Meta. Michael Rubin, and Travis Scott, Brady just dropped dimes of wisdom in all his stories and answers. He revisited collecting cards as a kid. We’d imagine it’d be that level of cool to jackpot with your own cards you collected of yourself while playing, and to have those cards dwarf the sizeable PC you cared for over the years throughout, and now run CardVault by Brady, Both are extremely expiring. Brady learning from Manning to spark a top Gronk go-to move. Surround yourself with greatness. stay curious, honor the game and the greats’ legacies was another great story.

Dana White hosted a Zuffa Boxing panel, including featuring Ryan Garcia. (Ryan was our Cover Star for November 2021, #71). Always entertaining, Ryan looked eager and ready to go. Those hands are so fast for sure.

Inter and Nike held a 2026/27 Away Jersey Kit Reveal with Republic Records and artist performances showing exemplary sports, fashion, and music together.

Chirstian Vieri helped launch the jersey on stage, loving how it felt.

We also kicked off the show seeing Mr Wonderful do a $1.8M card deal with Shyne. O’Leary walked on the stage and reminded the crowd to always buy the best.

The show presents solid, warm networking opportunities, some cool people and brands were met, and old friends seen. Remote top NYC events had Fanatics Fest going all over town, as was for us as for the Final match watch party with Don Julio 1942 Tequila. We watched in a gorgeous tent adjacent to yacht on the pier. it was a pleasure and honor to watch the Final with Jacket Designer legend Jeff Hamilton, who mentioned some fabulous stories, feeling on the sports, wellness and the city, and also finding this year at Fanatics Fest special.

In our next part, we’ll share what we enjoyed seeing and learning from additional panels we attended, including John Cena; Spike Lee and Ryan Clarke; Diana Taurasi and Legend UConn Husky Alums, and more.

IG @fanaticsfest

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Paul Farkas

Read the JUL ISSUE #127 of Athleisure Mag and see FANATICS FEST 2026 in mag.

COVERING THE BASES | BRAYAN ROCCHIO

During this time of year, we always enjoy catching our favorite basbeball games. We caught up with Cleveland Guardians’ Shortstop Brayan Rocchio who is known for his switch-hititing abilities and is known as The Professor. We caught up with him at the midpoint of this season to talk about his love for the game, how he stays in shape during the season, and the importance of eye health especially when it comes to him playing on the field!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with baseball and what’s your first memory of playing this game?

BRAYAN ROCCHIO: I’ve loved baseball as long as I can remember. My earliest memories were when I was just starting, playing at Cocodrilos Sports Park in Caracas Venezuela at the age of 3.

By the time I was playing in the Chucho Ramos minor league, I was having the best moments of my life. I remember my family and friends would always come out and support me, which reinforced my passion for the game.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to go pro and do this as a career?

BR: At first, I wanted to be a veterinarian. When I was training at Cocodrilos (Crocodile) Sports Park, some of my friends played a prank and told me there were real crocodiles living in the neighborhood. I’ve always loved crocodiles since then – it’s random, I know – but I’m drawn to them. I told my mother that I wanted to become a veterinarian, and for a while, I seriously considered it. But my family has a strong athletic background, and as I fell more and more in love with baseball, sports won out.

AM: What do you love about playing this game?

BR: The most satisfying part of the game is just trying to win for the guys around you, competing by your side every day. I don’t think about my personal stats or focus on myself. I like making a difference so my team can go as far as possible and win.

AM: We are always looking at adding various fitness routines into our workout. What are 3 workouts that you do to assist in optimizing yourself in the sport?

BR: My training is designed around optimizing force production, joint sequencing, and movement efficiency, that’s specific to the demands of baseball. With my coaches, we work on rotational power, deceleration capacity, and segmental timing to improve energy transfer from the ground up.

Three exercises that are always part of my training are barbell hip thrusts, rear-foot elevated split squats and rotational medicine ball work. They all support the movements I use in baseball and help me become a stronger, more explosive player.

AM: You are known as The Professor. How did you get that name and what does it mean?

BR: I was playing in the Dominican Republic when I was 16, and I was at shortstop when a ground ball hit the hole. I made a diving play and was able to throw the guy out at first.

When I got back to the dugout, my coach at the time told me I made the play like a professor. Then the name just stayed. People started calling me El Profesor after that.

AM: Why did eye health become so important to you especially when it comes to athletic performance especially when you are navigating your games?

BR: Being able to see clearly is crucial in baseball. It’s a really difficult game, you’re tracking a 100mph grounder, reading spin and reacting instantly. Your body must be at 100%, including your eyes.

But for years I didn’t know what was going on with my eyes – they always felt dry and my vision would get blurry, especially while playing at night. I went to my doctor about it - he said I have dry eye disease8 and prescribed a product called MIEBO® (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution). Since treating my dry eye symptoms, I now feel more confident in my performance.

AM: Can you tell us about dry eye disease and how are you managing it?

BR: Most people who have dry eye disease, including me, have tears that evaporate too quickly. It’s actually the number one cause of dry eye. Healthy tears last for 10 to 15 seconds. Mine only lasts 5 seconds, which leads to irritation, especially in places like stadiums where you’ve got wind, dust and bright lights. Now I use MIEBO as part of my daily routine four times per day. My eye doctor told me that MIEBO works by forming a protective layer on the eye’s surface that helps reduce tear evaporation and maintain that moisture on the eye. However, the exact way MIEBO works is unknown.

AM: How does eye health fit into wellness and recovery routines that you implement throughout the season?

BR: Eye health is one of the biggest parts of my wellness and recovery routine. Just like your body needs rest, so do your eyes. I take care of my eyes during a game. I also make sure they get a lot of rest before and after games and drink plenty of water to keep my eyes hydrated.

MIEBO® (perfluorohexyloctane ophthalmic solution) is used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Do not use if you are allergic to MIEBO, o not use if you are allergic to MIEBO, remove contact lenses before using MIEBO and wait for at least 30 minutes before reinserting. It is important to use it exactly as prescribed.

AM: Here at Athleisure Mag, we have a team that includes those that are taking images, looking at images, graphic work, selecting garments and focusing on matching hues and it’s a lot of eye work - what can we do to support our eye health?

BR: I love playing video games to relax, but that’s another activity that can strain your eyes. For activities like baseball, or staring at a screen, you can focus so hard you forget to blink. If you’re looking at a screen for a long period, I think it’s important to take a break and look away to relax your eye muscles. And it’s even more important to see an eye doctor regularly. If your symptoms keep bugging you, and artificial tears aren’t really cutting it, it might be time to ask an eye doctor if you have dry eye and if you can try a prescription like MIEBO.

AM: With MLB All Star Weekend behind us, we are now in the back half of the season! Tell us about your expanded role at the Cleveland Guardians and how are you approaching it mentally and physically?

BR: The team is having another great year all around and we feel really good about how we’re performing. The second half of a long season is where you have to lock in even more and keep the same intensity as you push for the postseason because games get tougher and the playoff race gets tighter. I’m working around the clock to help my team however I can.

AM: How do you achieve the balance of taking personal time for yourself when you’re in the midst of baseball season being on the field as well as traveling for games?

BR: Baseball is such a long season and there aren’t many breaks, so finding time to just enjoy being around your teammates, or finding small activities that can help you relax in your down time is really crucial.

IG @rocchio05

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Brayan Rocchio/IG

Read the JUL ISSUE #128 of Athleisure Mag and see COVERING THE BASES | Brayan Rocchio in mag.

FIGHTLAND STARZ PREMIERE

Earlier this month, we made our way to Jazz at Lincoln Center to see the premiere episode of the latest series to be released from the 50 Cent (POWER, Den of Thieves, Escape Plan franchise) Universe, Fightland! The night kicked off with words from Kathryn Busby, the President of Original Programming at STARZ. Following her talking about the show, its place within STARZ, and how excited everyone is, she introduced 50 Cent, who is an Executive Producer who brought this series to STARZ and Sky.

He shared how important it was to launch this project through G-Unit Film & Television and what boxing meant to him.

With both of these opening remarks, we saw the first epsiode of this season. At the end of the first season which was full of plenty of action, we enjoyed 50 Cent performing alongside members of G-Unit and special guests. With castmembers from this show as well as those from the POWER universe, it was a great night to enjoy this energy. We continued on to the after party which was held at PH Live at Planet Hollywood in Times Square and enjoyed more performances by 50 Cent and well as hanging out with the STARZ team.

Fightland premiered on July 31st and will drop new episodes each Fri. on STARZ and its app as well. This show is a new high-octane scripted drama set in the cutthroat, high-stakes, cash rich world of British boxing, we navigate the action in the ring as well as what takes place outside of it!

Check out what we enjoyed during the red carpet premiere here, here, and here.

IG @starz

@50cent

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Fightland/STARZ

Read the JUL ISSUE #127 of Athleisure Mag and see FIGHTLAND STARZ PREMIERE in mag.

THE 9LIST ROUTIN3S | CAROLINE MARKS

Read the JUL ISSUE #127 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST ROUTIN3S | Caroline Marks in mag.

WWE SUMMER SLAM 2026

It’s that time of year again - WWE Summer Slam and although there are a number of matches we will be excited to see this weekend, the one between CM Punk and Cody Rhodes is our favorite! It’s all going down in Minnesota and there’s bound to be a number of storylines that will be made from this powerhouse weekend! You can check out on ESPN as well as check out the latest S3 of their docuseries, WWE: Unreal on Netflix!

MUBADALA DC OPEN 2026

From Jul 25th - Aug 2nd, we can continue to enjoy watching our favorite tennis stars at The Mubadala Citi DC Open which is a hardcourt tennis tournament that features an ATP 500 event for men and a WTA 500 event for women. Held annually at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C., it was founded in 1969 by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Donald Dell, and John A. Harris. If you can’t be in DC to watch it, you can see the schedule and watch it exclusively on the Tennis Channel and the Tennis Channel App.

FOOTBALL'S GOAT DEBATE IS HEADING INTO A NEW ERA

Not many arguments in football ignite as much passion as the greatest player of all time (GOAT) debate.

Every generation believes it has witnessed the greatest player to ever step onto a pitch, yet every era produces another superstar capable of challenging that claim.

The GOAT debate started with Pele and Diego Maradona. Football then entered a new era as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the sport for nearly two decades.

With Messi and Ronaldo now moving toward the final chapters of their legendary careers, football is preparing for another changing of the guard.

Pele vs Maradona: The Original GOAT Argument

Pele became a global superstar as a teenager after helping Brazil win the 1958 World Cup. He later won two more World Cups, making him the only player in history to lift the trophy three times.

He was the youngest player to appear in a World Cup, the youngest scorer, the youngest player to score in a final and the youngest to score a World Cup hat-trick.

Pele also helped make football one of the most popular sports in the world. Even though he spent almost all of his club career in Brazil rather than Europe, he became an international icon.

Maradona's greatness came from his extraordinary ability to take control of games on his own.

His defining moment came at the 1986 World Cup, where he inspired Argentina to victory with a series of unforgettable performances.

He scored the infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England and one of the greatest solo goals ever seen. Argentina fans loved him – English supporters loathed him.

Pele was renowned for sustained excellence over many years, but Maradona was admired for moments of brilliance that seemed almost impossible to reproduce.

The debate became even more intense in 2000 when FIFA introduced its Player of the Century award.

Maradona won almost two-thirds of the public vote while football experts and FIFA Magazine readers chose Pele. FIFA declared them joint recipients of the award.

Messi vs Ronaldo: The Rivalry That Changed Football

Messi and Ronaldo completely changed what people expected from modern football.

Their rivalry started in 2007 when Kaka won the FIFA Player of the Year award, while Messi and Ronaldo finished behind him in second and third, respectively.

During the ceremony, there was a brief mix-up where Ronaldo was accidentally handed Messi's award before it was corrected.

No one realised that both players would go on to dominate world football for nearly two decades.

They constantly pushed each other to improve. Every season became a race to score more goals, win more trophies, break more records and claim the biggest individual awards.

Their rivalry became more intense when Ronaldo joined Real Madrid while Messi played for Barcelona.

Their achievements were remarkable. Between them, they have scored nearly 2,000 career goals, won more than 80 major trophies and claimed 13 Ballon d’Or awards.

The debate still rages on even as they reach the pinnacle of their glittering careers, with Messi playing for Inter Miami and Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr.

The Portuguese icon has been a central figure in Al-Nassr’s recent success. His exploits have made him incredibly popular within the betting industry.

Fans regularly back Ronaldo to score goals and his presence continues to influence Al-Nassr’s odds of success on betting sites in Saudi Arabia and further afield.

Ronaldo delivered a winning return for bettors when he led Al-Nassr to the Saudi Pro League title last season. will hope to pick up where he left off next term.

Yamal, Haaland & Mbappe Join the GOAT debate

The 2026 World Cup gave both players a chance to bid farewell to the international stage, sparking conversations about which players could take their places as the faces of world football.

The most likely candidates are Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland.

Mbappe is already on his way to GOAT status. He won the World Cup with France in 2018 and came close to making it back-to-back titles in 2022.

The 27-year-old has scored nearly 500 goals across his career. He also boasts a stunning trophy cabinet filled with individual awards, although he’s yet to add the Champions League to his collection.

Haaland has been hugely successful with Manchester City, winning a plethora of trophies including the Champions League, Premier League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

The Norwegian marksman is already considered one of the most lethal goalscorers of his generation and is on his way to establishing himself in the GOAT conversation.

Yamal has been crowned as Messi’s heir. The Spanish winger has turned the football world on its head since coming through Barcelona’s La Masia academy.

Winning the World Cup with Spain further solidifies his claims as the prince of football, although it’s far too early to know whether he can maintain the consistency needed to be in the GOAT conversation.

THE ONE PARTY BY UBER | FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 KICKOFF

We went to “The One Party By Uber” for its FIFA World Cup 2026 NYC Official Kickoff Party at Pier 36, NYC. Iconic DJ/Producer Mark Ronson kicked the party off, particularly the atmosphere went electric on the eve of Game 5 in the Knick’s Champion winning run, he played some Benito wearing a retro Patrick Ewing jersey, then Empire State New York by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys that was mixed into his hit remix of Valerie.

Then the iconic Backstreet Boys came out and wowed the crowd with an intimate and amped performance for the VIP crowd. All members, Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson crooned their hits to the crowd, with generous nods and shoutouts, and strong hit catalog plus their Paw Patrol soundtrack hit, showing love for the sport, NYC, and Uber. The nostalgia was maxed, with most of the audience enchanted with utter glee.

We ran into some old friends, Charity Lawson and Dotun Olubeko, and caught a mesmerizing dance from Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk, Native Son, Coming 2 America) as well. On our way home, our to-go had a nice bagel and a smear courtesy of Uber Eats.

IG @uber

@ubereats

@iammarkronson

@backstreetboys

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 66 - PG 69, 74 - 79 BFA | PG 70 - 72 Paul Farkas

Read the JUN ISSUE #126 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ONE PARTY BY UBER | FIFA World Cup 2026 Kickoff in mag,

63MIX ROUTIN3S | JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER

Read the JUN ISSUE #126 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | JuJu Smith-Schuster in mag.

WIMBLEDON COURT

Over the weekend, NYers were able to enjoy The Wimbledon Court in Central Park, New York which offered tennis fans a taste of The Championships, Wimbledon in the heart of Manhattan from June 26 – 29 June 2026!

On Friday 26 June, The Wimbledon Court Invitational had tennis stars Andre Agassi, Caroline Wozniacki, James Blake and Genie Bouchard take to the court in a friendly invitational to open the four day celebration. This event was a ticketed event; however all other events were free and based on capacity.

Throughout the weekend, there were an array of tennis-themed activities celebrating the Wimbledon experience - fans had the chance to play on the Wimbledon Court, as well as the chance to enjoy Wimbledon's traditional strawberries and cream, alongside various fan engagement activations, off the court.

Today, there will be the opportunity for New Yorkers to enjoy watching the opening of The Championships on giant screens. The ballot for The Wimbledon Court Invitational has now closed.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

RUM TIME WITH BIG PAPI

We have spent countless Summers watching the greats hit the baseball field and one of them was 3X World Series Champion, 10X All Star, David “Big Papi” Ortiz who was the DH for the Boston Red Sox. As a Franchise Royalty at the Sox, #34 was retired by the club in 2017 and he remains a beloved fixture in Boston sports culture where he played 14 seasons and is the 11th in the organization to have his number in Fenway Park! He continues his love for the team by mentoring players on the team and assisting with development. You can also catch him as an analyst for FOX Sports MLB as Big Papi is loved by all!

This month’s cover star continues to forge ahead, we sat with him at the Mandarin Oriental’s MO Lounge to talk about Ozama Rum, a Dominican spirit brand with 3 expressions. We talk about his career, baseball, his work as a sports broadcaster as an analyst, his love for the DR, being a family man, his legacy, being on the Masked Singer, and the impact of Ozama within the beverage industry and the DR.

DAVID ORTIZ: So how’s it going?

AM: Great! We are excited to be with you as we have loved seeing you play. When you’re doing your analyst work, it’s awesome to hear you bring us into the game, and we’ve been such a fan from the start of your career. It’s excting to talk to you about baseball, your career, and Ozama as we enjoy Dominican rum and I know our readers/community will be excited as well!

DAVID ORTIZ: Thank you!

AM: When did you first fall in love with baseball and when did you realize that you wanted to play professionally?

DO: Well, I have been playing baseball ever since I can remember at 6 or 7. I remember that my dad (Editor’s Note: Américo Enrique “Leo” Ortiz was a former semi-professional baseball player in the Dominican Republic), he was the one that always had that vision you know? He used to be a baseball player - for sure he didn’t make it to the pros. He was very close, but all he dreamed about was having a son to play baseball. He always pushed me down that path. He thought I had the talent, he thought I had the good hands and the coordination, which is important. He pushed me. I love sports. Basketball was the one thing that I always admired, you know? And it was fun. Basketball was fun – going to the court and playing with your boys, you know? You can be organized or unorganized!

AM: Yeah.

DO: Baseball is more organized for when you have to play as a group, you know? Everybody need to be -

AM: In sync

DO: Yes, in line! Basketball, you can pick people from the street, let’s play. You know? And you just go for it!

But when I turned 13 or 14, I started getting serious about baseball.

AM: Wow!

DO: Since I started developing this, it was about the progress.

AM: Being in college watching you play was when we first saw you on the scene. It was like ‘97, ‘98, and we used watch across our dorm. You could see your energy, and just to see the passion that you have. It was a thrill.

You’re a 3X World Series Champ, 10X All-Star, you were inducted into the Hall of Fame, and that’s just some of your achievements. What has it meant to you to play this game?

DO: This game was my everything! You know, it’s different. It’s what I wanted to do. It was basically my way out for me and my family and for them to be in a better shape, you know? Baseball was my everything,

it’s still my everything. Even after I retired, you know, I still deal with our organization (Editor’s Note: David continues to have a deeply integrated and multifacted relationship with the Boston Red Sox. He is an official mentor and advisor who works with rising prospects and established stars by offering guidance, sharing baseball wisdom and weighs in on clubhouse dynamics. He also has an unprecedented and long-term agreement to actively represent the club in special appearances, assists with free agent recruitment, and works in business development for Fenway Sports Management). The organization, the work that I do on TV, I mean, everything I do is basically related to it.

AM: Why did you want to become an analyst? Regardless of the teams that are playing, even if it’s not the ones we’re following specifically, we love watching you talk about the game because there’s such a passion as well as having that insight as a player that makes it so exciting.

DO: Well, you don’t know what you don’t know.

AM: Right!

DO: My team came to me while I was playing it still and they want to try me out. FOX wanted to try me out. I’m not going to lie to you, I was a little nervous! When you are outspoken and then you have to go all of a sudden go on TV and control yourself, control your emotions - at the beginning, it was a little rough. But once you get used to it, you just go through the flow.

You know, referring to the players, talking to the fans, you always have to keep in mind that there’s always people watching - people listening.

AM: Yeah

DO: They’re paying attention. English is my second language, so at the beginning, it was a little –

AM: Right.

DO: But then, I guess I was blessed working with the right team. Those guys made me feel so comfortable. It’s like a conversation between friends, you know? Now, all of a sudden, I’m 8 years into the business and I love it. I love it. I love entertaining. I love having fun. I love passing information. There’s a lot of great hands, lots of talents and I always wanted to be the one that gives these guys some guidance. I want to pass some information to the fans, you know, it’s fun.

AM: Are there 3 teams that we should have our eye out for the season or 3 players? What are you looking for or excited about this season?

DO: Well, I’m pretty sure everybody is looking at the Dodgers who have won back to back these past couple of years. It’ll be interesting to see if they can do it again!

AM: Yep.

DO: They have their platform, they have their team, they have the players, they have the owner, and they have a great manager - my boy, Dave Roberts. They’re on fire already so, we’ll see. That’s hard to do.

AM: Yeah.

DO: We faced some situations at the Red Sox the other day where our manager Alex Cora, got fired. Great manager, good dude - we play together. We’ll see how we continue moving forward.

Unfortunately, you always have to talk about the Yankees ha ha.

AM: That is our team! We love you, but that is our team.

DO: You know, the Yankees is the other team that continues to chase. I mean, the Yankees haven’t won a World Series in 17 years. But I still give credit to the Yankees because winning is not easy. People think that because of the name, you’re gonna win eventually.

AM: Right.

DO: Well, for the Yankees, they invest money. They hire good players, and they always put a quality team out there. Sometimes, towards the end of the season, you feel like you need a little more and more and more. That’s when you realize it’s about putting things together for the fans to enjoy, you know? It is what it is, but the Dodgers are the one dominating!

AM: That’s facts.

We should also try the rum expressions. We know you had a rough night last night. (Editor’s note, we began cracking into Ozama starting with Ozama Blanco, then Ozama Añejo, and finished with Gran Añejo as we talked with David.)

DO: I’ll be watching now.

AM: Okay ha!

Well, we have been enjoying this for the last few weeks.

DO: For real?

AM: Oh yeah! We love Dominican Rum, as a category since we were introduced to it back in 2011, when we would go to Santo Domingo.

DO: Yeah.

AM: That’s when we first learned about the 3 B’s (Editor’s Note: The 3 Bs are the 3 most famous historic rum brands from the Dominican Republic: Bermudez the oldest which launched in 1852, Barceló was founded in 1930, and Brugal founded in 1888 which is the largest domestic producer in the Dominican Republic). We were down for that. Then, when we were sent this, we realized it was very smooth and that it was your brand, we were even more excited!

DO: I’m glad you enjoyed.

AM: Yes, and sipping it now, it’s very tasty.

So, you’re a busy man. You are always doing lots of things. What are 3 workouts that you do just to stay in shape and to keep it all together?

DO: You know, so at the end last year, I needed a knee surgery badly. So being busy and having an injury to my knee, I basically wasn’t able to work out. I do a lot of walking. In front of my house, I have been living in DR for the past 3 years.

My old man passed last year. I moved to the Dominican 3 years ago just so that I could be around and to be with him. I was living in Miami.

AM: We’re sorry to hear that.

DO: Yeah, it was hard.

But anyway, I live in the Dominican, you know? And it was good because we had the production over there. We do a lot of activation over there. We are working on promoting the rum and other stuff. I work for so many companies.

AM: You are busy.

DO: Yeah and this guy is keeping me even busier, but I love him. I like to stay healthy. When I’m at home, in front of my house, I have a park like Central Park.

AM: Wow!

DO: So, I do a lot of walking, riding bikes, going to the gym, you know - pop some weight.

That’s what kept me in shape for real. My son, my younger one!

AM: Oh, all that running around!

DO: He’s 2 years old. He know he owns me. I am getting married next year and that little guy, you know, I have 5 kids. But this one, he knows something. He is very smart and his name is Diego. He knows that Daddy, is all about him. So when I’m at home, I’m at home.

AM: Yeah.

DO: That’s him right there!

AM: OMG!

RW: He’s the best dressed, 2 year old like!

DO: That’s him playing baseball already.

AM: That is the cutest! So yes, that is a workout!

DO: I love my family, you know? I’m a family guy.

AM: Masked Singer is one of our favorite shows!

DO: Uh oh!

AM: We knew Googly Eyes was you from, like the first note you sang before they even unmasked you. And it was like, wait that’s Big Papi that can only be him! Of course, when they unmasked you it was like – it couldn’t be anyone else but him!

How did you get connected to that show and why did you want to do it? Obviously, you’re part of the FOX family but how did it go down?

DO: Ha ha! I didn’t know what I was walking into! My agent called me and he was like, David there’s an opportunity. I’m like, really, what’s going on? Well, we already up in LA.

AM: Yeah.

DO: It was during the playoffs.

AM: Yeah.

DO: When we were in the playoffs, I had to go to LA for about a month. We stay there the whole month, but then we have to travel to different cities.

AM: Yeah.

DO: It was getting closer to the World Series. The Masked Singer people they had an issue with somebody, and they need somebody to replace that person or something like that. They only need you for like 4 hours. I’m always hustling and somebody has to pay the bills ha ha. But I had so much fun doing it.

AM: It was so good!

DO: I had no clue!

AM: Right!

DO: First of all, they said, you gotta sing a song that you know.

AM: Yeah.

DO: I’m like, what? I’m the worst singer than everybody. They were like, “don’t worry, we will get you a song that you can have fun and you don’t have to go through all the crazy lyrics or whatever. That’s why we came out with, Turn Down For What! Yo and I had so much fun, but then at the time, I had a knee problem. What they did is that they put together an outfit –

AM: Googly Eyes!

DO: I was sitting on in and I just gotta push it.

AM: Yeah, because when it came out, you just saw this really structured item come out to the stage.

DO: It was like a workout, because when I got out of that, I was sweating bullets.

AM: Everyone says that their costumes are so hot and you can tell when they unveil you guys! You always wonder if someone is going to pass out!

DO: Yeah, I was dripping!

AM: Well it was a fun performance, you could see the crowd was so excited when you came out and it definitely looked like it was a lot of fun.

DO: It was fun. It was fun. People were like, “who’s that was that Derek Jeter?” I was like, have you ever heard a Dominican person speak English? Ha Ha we’ve got a strong accent!

AM: Yeah when someone said Jeter, we were like no! The first lyric that you belted out that was you without a doubt! The panel needed to sit down because the guesses didn’t make sense!

DO: I know right?

AM: So, why did you want to launch a rum brand? Like, you said, you’re a busy man. You’re always doing lots of projects. But why did you want to launch Ozama and what led up to that?

DO: Yeah, as a kid growing up, my father was a hard working man, my mama as well. But I noticed that when it was the weekend when my dad was able to be at home, he used to bring friends. They used to drink rum. It was very traditional in my family, you know? Growing up in that beautiful environment, you know, we were poor. We didn’t have much. But with the family, it was always this happy reunion! People that don’t have anything crazy, but whatever they have they enjoy, you know?

And that is always what keeps people together.

AM: Wow!

DO: It was a happy time. I was just a kid just watching the adults having a drink, having fun. I used to have an uncle after he started to have a few drinks, he’s start throwing quarters to all of us. That was the most fun part for the kids. My uncle got a little tipsy he was, like, hey, come here. Guys come here. We were just fighting for it you know?

AM: You gotta add it to that piggy bank!

DO: You know it ha ha.

You will never believe it until you see it - how you can do so much and not have so much.

AM: Yeah.

DO: Besides that memory. When I grew up, Ozama on the other hand, my dad used to talk about this story about him going across the river swimming. My dad was a good swimmer. You swing across the river, but then you gotta swim back. He swims, they used to go on the other side, and they started cooking around the river, and then later on, they gotta swim back.

AM: Oh!

DO: On the other side, they started talking about the story about this shark that used to go across the river. I was like, oh hell, no, I’m not swimming back. I had to wait for the boat to bring me back.

He took me back. It was so funny. I used to go to the Ozama River with my boys and we used to go fishing crab right here. The river was very healthy, beautiful, clear water. We had so much fun down there. I don’t know how to swim, so I was the one that used to do the packaging! Because they used to fish it, bring it, and then I would do the packaging. We used to be like 10 kids. We used to have a spear to hunt it. They used to go into the water. They used to take those spears, hunt it, Bring it back up, pass it to me, and I used to put them in the bag.

Once we had hundreds of them, then we used to go home. But it was, the most athletic, friendly, and fun. It could be a little bit dangerous. I never used to chase. Since I was a kid, I was very mature about not chasing dangers. Like, one time they wanted me to attach this rope with 2 gallon containers and put them across my chest for me to go across the river.

I was going to do it or whatever, but then I was like mom and dad ain’t around? I’m not gonna mess that up, just in case something goes down.

AM: Right!

DO: Then all of a sudden, something is missing. I’ll just do the packaging and you can bring it. They’d say, “you’re a chicken – a chicken,” and I’d say, “yes, I am!”

AM: Love this story and that answers why the crab is on the bottle!

DO: I’m telling you that I was 10 or 11 years old! Those are the memories that I have from the Great River now, unfortunately, it seems like as the population has grown up, things start you know to go down in a different direction. Once we start coming out with this product, I want to call attention to cleaning that river.

AM: Like a conservation effort!

DO: Yes, out of the profits we will donate a percentage. We are, you know, taking that percentage to be able to clean up the river. Once people know that my name is attached to this and the purpose, beside the business side - a lot of companies that are international and are outside of Dominican - they are into helping us out with some of the rivers.

AM: Yeah.

DO: We are all behind this. Besides that, we created so many jobs for single moms with kids back home at the factory. They do the packaging for Ozama. Ozama Is in charge of creating the jobs. I think that all of the forces behind Ozama are pointed in the right direction. That’s the way I look at it.

AM: Wow.

DO: It took us 1.5 - 2 years to come out with a with a blender who took their time before we came up with this amazing, great tasting rum in 3 different categories. Our Blanco is so smooth that when you mix it out, especially you ladies who have a different taste than as us as a man, we put that white rum together. When you mix it with juice or any type of thing, you will get away with it because it tastes very smooth. Then you go to the Gran Añejo and the Añejo, it’s a little older aging wise. It’s my favorite.

AM: Ours as well!

DO: Oh for real?

AM: Absolutely!

DO: You know what though? There’s no difference for me when it comes down to drinking whatever I have available. You know it’s just I think the time and the effort that you put behind this rum which is worth it! The feedback from people has been amazing! Let me tell you, you’re making a run in a country that is known for Dominican rum.

AM: Agreed! We raised our eyebrow before we had it because I’ve been drinking Brugal for awhile and I was a very big fan of it. Then, I had Ozama and it reminded us when we would go to Santa Domingo and sit on our balcony sipping, and it takes us back every single time we drink it.

DO: So, yeah, when you talk about those brands have been out there already for a long time day, throughout the year, they have to come out with high quality rum so they can stay established in the market. They make rum for individuals – minorities, middle-class people, high-end people, etc It all depends on how deep your focus is.

We think with Ozama, We make premium rum affordable. It’s a good price with a good quality.

AM: Yeah!

DO: Because, we are a startup. The company is just beginning and you want to be able to have everybody in the market, to be able to to afford it. So that’s what we have at this point and like, I say, the feedback have been amazing. That’s what I care about when I get behind a product. I have a quality product so, we can maintain ourselves out there.

The one thing that I wanna really emphasize with my partner? Was, let’s make a quality rum that I can compete with everybody out there.

AM: Yeah, we think it does and the packaging is beautiful. It can sit on that bar cart next to very expensive bottles, and it says I’m here.

DO: That’s right, we got this design from Italy. They make our bottles. He has been doing an amazing job of putting it together at the beginning. As you can see, the beautiful design of this bottle - it took us a bit to put it together. Last year, selling wise. I think we did a phenomenal job based on people waiting for it – right Ricky?

RW: Yes.

DO: So, it was like 7,000 – 10,000 cases last year to begin with. This year, we’re on our way to do even better. We’re chasing it up. We’re chasing it. We got the heart, we got the dedication, and I’m so excited to get behind this product. It basically connects with my family, my tradition, you know? So many stories are behind this. The most important thing is to connect with the people.

RW: As David was saying, when people try this, they don’t say no. It’s very delicious and then, when people hear that, it’s $24.99 on the shelf –

AM: Which is an amazing price point because the bottle visually makes you feel like it’s a $60 or $80 bottle.

RW: To be able to get a quality product in a quality rum like this, for $25, you go to Total Wine, this is $24.99 on the shelf. This one at 6 years aged, Ozama Gran Añejo is $45.

We also just won the Gold Medal design for our rum bottle design!

AM: That’s fantastic! The bottle really gives you that river vibe.

So, consumer side for this summer, where will Ozama pop out?

RW: Today, we are live in all of the Northeast – NY and in all of New England. We are in New Orleans, Pennsylvania, Florida, and the DR. It’s available online and 43 states as some we can’t ship to. It’s available everywhere. We have a team in place in all of the key markets whose sole focus is driving trial and activating out in the market. The majority of my team works Tuesday – Saturday.

AM: As you do!

RW: Aside from us in the industry, not as much booze is sold on Monday. They’re out there in Boston, New York, New Jersey, and Florida. They’re putting this out there, sampling it. We have been at some of the festivals here.

AM: David, what do you want your legacy to be known as whether it’s in the sport, as a business man, or as a family man?

DO: The way I live my life is based on a journey. Baseball was a journey and I am thankful to God for everything as he opened many doors for me. I want to be remembered as the greatest dad, the greatest father of all time, because I am crazy about my kids. I’m great to all of my family. Yesterday, I was with my younger daughter. She lives here. She’s a musician. She graduated from Berklee College of Music a couple of years ago, living here, trying to figure it out.

AM: Is she a singer, does she play an instrument?

DO: She can sing, she plays instruments, and she’s a producer!

AM: Oh, wow!

DO: I mean, when you go to Berklee they make sure that you change the whole packaging! And once you do that, as you move - if you go, you kind of figure out what you’re going to be really good at. Sometimes you got to be good at everything. Sometimes you get to be good at producing. Sometimes you get to be good. So, she’s down that path right now.

I came in and I told her I’d be with her for the next 3 days. We’re gonna go to places, I want you to meet people. You know how you girls are, especially when you have had a connection with your mom and with your dad? My kids, the way I look at them is like they’re still babies to me.

AM: Yeah.

DO: She’s been having so much fun the past 3 days having me around. Those are the sort of things that I really want in life, you know? Just to continue with the legacy of my father and my mom. They raised me right. They taught me how to get things done the right way. That’s what I try to teach the kids you know?

Then there is the rum and the cigars. Especially the cigars. My dad was very involved into that. My dad had his own factory. We do a lot of events and people come by as you know how rum and cigars go hand in hand!

5 years ago, he came out with Americo Cigars, really good cigars. So? When we are basically going place by place, we try to use the mark also for the cigar brand. It has been incredible for people and the combination of Rum and a good cigar is almost perfect, you know? It’s like they are cousins or something! I’m a visionary and this startup company is something I care about and I am a hard working man, that’s all that I know!

I’ve been working since I was 8 years old. I have an uncle who had an auto place. And all of us, my whole family - they used to get us as a kid and bring us to the auto part place whenever we have free time, to work with our uncle. That was kind of a mandatory in the family. And when you’re a kid, you don’t know. But now that I’m a grown man, I see the purpose of it.in my family, nobody’s doing time. Everybody works hard, we have this beautiful family and I’m talking about the guys of my generation. They know how to work, how to go through process, and when we sit down now that we are adults and talk about it, we understand it, so we want to do exactly the same thing with our kids.

Especially nowadays, it is so hard to raise a child with all of this crazy stuff happening, but I think that what you learn at home, it’s the meaning of the direction that you want to take growing up.

I have 5 kids. The older are professional. They play baseball at the professional level. My older, who is married, Jessica, she graduated at Regis College in Boston, in Psychology and Administration and she lives in the Dominican with her husband. I talked to you guys about Alice already. Then there is David, and. D’Angelo. David plays for the Texas Rangers. D’Angelo plays for the Red Sox.

AM: Wow!

DO: Diego is my other guy to chase now ha ha. You know what I’m saying?

AM: It’s been so phenomenal to meet you because we’ve loved your career and watching you play. We love how you just present yourself as a person, your passion, and we have tried for years to have you as an interview, but your schedule is definitely busy!

DO: If I knew this interview was going to be this smooth and good, I would have done it a long time ago!

AM: It’s awesome because we’re Yankees fans but have always have enjoyed seeing you play!

DO: A great story is all my employees are Yankees fan! I gotta deal with it.

AM: We wanted to be respectful ha!

DO: No it’s ok! Listen, I gotta tell you something. Yankee fans. They have been always very respectful with me because they know that as an athlete, I went about my business. I don’t care if you play for the Yankees, the Mets, Chicago, I was just trying to do my job. The Yankees fans respect that because the Yankees fans are the only fans that always come to me, and they be like, Papi, I’m a Yankees fan. I know you respect this because they know it was nothing but business. Nothing personal, you know, but I was going to whip your ass, nothing but business.

RW: Yeah, pretty good business!

DO: It’s what Yankees fans love seeing from a player. Because remember, the Yankees since I can remember they were the first ones doing what the Dodgers do nowadays. They always go for the best players because the boss, Steinbrenner always wanted to put a pin in the field. When the Yankees fans see that a guy is good and he plays for another team, all of a sudden you have the guy on your team performing. They respect that!

I love this city right here. This city gave me a lot of memories. I love competing against the Yankees and I will say this, when you are competing against the Yankees and you beat the Yankees - you get recognition as a player because you competing against the best! But at the end of the day, go Sox!

IG @davidortiz

In speaking with David about life, baseball, and Ozama, you also heard from Ricky Wolfe who is the VP of Sales at Ozama. Ricky comes with a strong background in the spirits industry. We also chatted with Edwin Castillo who is Ozama’s Rommelier. Together, they provide more insight on rum that is made in the Dominican, how Ozama came to be, the expressions, a bit of industry news, how they connected with David, and of course, talking about how the DR is also a prominent position within this partnership and venture.

RICKY WOLFE: If you guys want to taste the 3 expressions we have them here.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Let’s make it a proper meeting!

RW: Well there is no one better to taste it with than Edwin! He is our Chief Mixologist and he lives in the Dominican. He flew up for some of our events yesterday and some other things that we will be doing. He is the musician behind a lot of the cocktail program that we have. I’m sure that you are familiar with a Sommelier.

Well, he is a Rummelier – which is the pin on his lapel and he is classically trained in rum!

I am the VP of Sales team for Ozama. My father, Abbott Wolfe (Founder and CEO of Drink2Success) and David are business partners and created Ozama together.

AM: How long did it take for you to come up with the formulation?

EDWIN CASTILLO: The most important thing that you need to know about Ozama is that our rum is 100% Dominican. We have a different kind of rum that what others use in the Dominican and we use 100% Dominican sugarcane. A lot of rum in the Dominican uses molasses. Molasses is different with its aromas, and it is not easy to drink as you need some mixers.

AM: Right.

EC: The rum is made with a honey version of sugarcane and it is very refreshing.

AM: It is very smooth!

EC: You don’t need a mixer, you can drink it very neat!

AM: We have enjoyed it that way!

EC: Other rum in the Dominican in terms of aging, it’s 1 oak in American – it’s Bourbon. We use 2 oak – it’s Bourbon and a Cherry Cask. This way, our rum has more aroma.

AM: The first time we enjoyed Dominican Rum, it was in 2011 and was introduced to Brugal first. It was very tasty and has been a spirit that is always enjoyable. Molasses is an ingredient that we enjoy, but we do agree with you that this is such a great sip and it is very enjoyable, smooth and it’s great to drink by itself. Sugarcane is another ingredient that we’re fans of as it’s amazing in sodas.

EC: Brugal is made with molasses.

RW: Both of them are sweet in a good way. But it’s a very different profile. When people taste them side by side, molasses is thick, and it’s just like honey. But sugarcane is just a different taste.

AM: What year was it created?

RW: We launched last year. The project has been going on for a few years now. David and my father connected sometime in 2023 and it took obviously a lot of time. Everything about this was created by us - by the small team. I mean, the name, the package design, the label, the glass bottle - the liquid obviously.

AM: Your family was in the business before this too?

RW: Yeah! So, my, my father and I have both been in beverage alcohol for many, many years. My father was at Constellation Brand for a very long time.

And then his last, his last job before this, he helped Cameron Diaz (Charlie’s Angels franchise, Bad Teacher, There’s Something About Mary) and Katherine Power (Founder of MERIT Beauty, Versed Skincare, Who What Wear) build Avaline?

AM: Yeah, oh wow!

RW: It’s a clean, organic wine, so that was really his first foray if you will, into both startup and celebrity backed brands.

So, him and David connected through a mutual connection. David has always wanted to do something like this. David knows many, many things, but he didn’t know the alcohol industry, so that’s where we came in. I was at Boston Beer, Sam Adams for almost 14 years. Once my father and David got this off the ground, I jumped in to the deep end.

AM: That’s amazing. We were talking a bunch with the Truly team when they started.

RW: Oh, yes!

AM: We got to see them kind of rise year by year. It was pretty damn cool!

RW: I remember I was managing Maryland at the time - living in Baltimore, and we were a test market for Truly.

AM: Oh wow!

RW: I remember vividly standing in front of our Distributor Sales Meetings which are always at 7am in the morning on a Friday.

AM: Because, why not?

RW: Why not?

I vividly remember standing up in front of them, saying, I’m gonna tell you guys about this thing called Truly - Hard Sparkling Water. We may never talk about it again, but we’re going to see what happens this summer.

AM: Wow.

RW: There’s a reason that it’s very popular. It was wild to see from the test market.

AM: This is really cool and we’re looking forward to trying it.

Have you enjoyed being out here, Edwin?

EC: It’s nice, but I love being in the Dominican because it is very quiet!

AM: Where do you live in the Dominican?

EC: Santo Domingo.

AM: I’ve been there a few times. I had a shoe collab line with Sebago, and they made their shoes at Las Plaza America, so I was there a few times a year and I would go for 5 - 6 days at a clip to design each season ahead of my appearance at HSN. When we weren’t in the factory, we would go to the beach, restaurants, and the clubs! It was so beautiful there and I remember when we were heading to Embassy Suites there we would pass the baseball fields that were lining each sides of the street which was amazing! I loved it!

EC: Everybody wants to go to Dominican Republic to go to Punta Cana.

AM: True!

EC: Some people think that Punta Cana is the whole country.

AM: I fell in love with Santo Domingo. I really did - beautiful. We were partying some place where the kids of Presidente Beer bottling company and then there was a Lamborghini dealership and Louis Vuitton store across the street!

When I first came to DR, Punta Cana was the first city I had been to and we stayed at a lovely all inclusive resort. But then, when I went to Santo Domingo, I fell in love and my first night, we went to Boca Marina in Boca Chica and I made sure that we went there every time I was visiting to design and in each visit, we always had a lunch there and then a dinner! The views there and the food – best Lobster Lasagna. I just had spots – Casa de Campo was also lovely and then I was mesmerized by the baseball fields!

In looking at the 3 expressions, it’s quite an assortment! There is such a vintage vibe here.

RW: Yep, we have extra age products. Our Grand Rerseva, that’s being being developed. This on its own is aged for 6 years.

AM: Wow!

RW: So you know obviously we only launched last year, so people are like, well, how do you have a 6 or 8 year rum? The Distillery partner that we found with Edwin’s help, has been making rum for a long time, and obviously we’ve come in and make our blend, but they’ve got stuff aging for 10+ years. We can pull some of this and some of this and the barrels that we want. At some point, there will be a Reserva.

AM: Yeah, cheers to that moment. So, there’s at least 2 alcohol brands that your family has?

RW: The company that my father started is called, Drink2Success, so Ozama is our baby because our goal is to either create brands that are our own that we can own and develop and build or use our expertise and experience to help other brands. You guys are here in NY, so Wandering Barman is a craft cocktail Brewery or craft cocktail Tap Room. It’s a fantastic room in Brooklyn. It was 3 restaurateurs who saw a need for pre-batch cocktails that were ready to go, ready to serve format. They built a phenomenal business here in New York and allowed us to come in and basically help them take it to the next level.

So, there is nothing like Ozama in our portfolio. We make sure that nothing competes against itself.

AM: Of course! Any piece of innovation has to go here.

RW: Exactly!

There are 5 brands in the portfolio right now. Not only is this our baby, it’s also the biggest.

IG @drinkozama

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Front Cover + PG 16 - PG 27 Paul Farkas shot on SONY Alpha | PG 28 + PG 31 Ozama | PG 32 Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images | PG 34 - PG 36, PG 42, PG 46 + PG 48 Gerald T Coli/Dreamstime.com | PG 38 Defmusik/Dreamstime.com | PG 41 David Pillow/Dreamstime.com | PG 45 Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images | PG 50 Frank Micelotta/FOX | PG 52 + PG 55 FOX Sports | PG 56 + PG 58 Trae Patton/FOX |

Read the MAY ISSUE #125 of Athleisure Mag and see RUM TIME WITH Big Papi in mag.

THE 9LIST 9M3NU | SPRING TO SUMMER

Read the MAY ISSUE #125 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST 9M3NU | Spring to Summer in mag.

PRE-SEASON | JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER

We’re a few months away from the start of the upcoming NFL season, but while we wait, we caught up with Super Bowl LVII Champ JuJu Smith-Schuster, Wide Receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs to talk about the upcoming season, his nuptials, and partnership with Just For Men® Gray Reverse.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’re all looking forward to the upcoming NFL season! What are you excited about as you get ready to hit the field?

JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: I’m most excited to be back around my teammates and players. Going into my 10th year, I look back and appreciate that I’ve been very fortunate to play for great teams, and now I’m just excited to give it another go this year.

AM: What is gameday like for you in terms of pre-game rituals?

JSS: There’s two songs that I always listen to before each game. I also love eating Mambas, and going through my normal routines like praying before each game. I always pray for my team, myself and our health.

AM: How do you approach your tunnel style?

JSS: It’s very important to me. When you look good, you feel good and you play well. It starts first with your hair. I get a haircut every week, and being able to partner with Just For Men is important because with Gray Reverse it’s important to me to make sure I look good and play well. I’m huge into fashion - I even have my own clothing brand. It’s a way for me to express my thoughts, feelings and emotions.

AM: Why did you want to partner with Just for Men?

JSS: For me, partnering with a brand like Just For Men fits into my lifestyle. I see myself as a guy who puts in work, and Just For Men is a leading name for hair and grooming, and for me, that’s what I’m all about.

AM: Why is it important to have a proactive anti-aging grooming routine?

JSS: I’m getting to that age where everyone’s calling me “unc.” Just For Men Gray Reverse is the ultimate anti-aging hack and it is super easy to apply. You can apply the serum to wet hair, dry hair and it really goes a long way in your grooming routine.

AM: You’re about to get married, how do you balance between the festivities around your wedding and training during the off season?

JSS: I’m getting married this year and it’s going to be so fun. My soon to be wife is the planner, I’m more like “Hey, I’ll just show up.” She’s been so great about putting this all together and planning. I’ll be on camera a lot, so it’s important for me to begin using Gray Reverse now. She is big into beauty, so she inspired me to have a good grooming routine.

AM: What can you tell us about how you will groom and style yourself for the wedding?

JSS: The morning of my wedding I’m planning to golf, and I’ll need to get ready, take a shower, brush my teeth, fix my hair and apply Gray Reverse to help me feel young and feel super confident. I told my fiance that if I hit a hole in one that morning, I will come straight to the wedding early. That would be awesome.

AM: Tell us about Afi Fire and what we can expect from that?

JSS: My clothing brand is called Afi Fire, and in Samoian it means “A fire inside.” It relates to having that fire in you about what you’re passionate about. I just dropped collection three, of Afi Frost, in collaboration with a tattoo artist in Polynesia named Fred Frost. The brand is really about expressing my passion through clothes.

AM: Tell me about The JuJu Foundation!

JSS: The JuJu Foundation is a non-profit foundation where we lift young kids and elders in spirit and give back in so many ways whether that’s football camps, donations and more.

IG @juju

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 80 Just For Men | PG 82 - 85 Evan Sanders/Kansas City Chiefs | PG 86 Bri Ali/Kansas City Chiefs

Read the APR ISSUE #124 of Athleisure Mag and see PRE-SEASON | JuJu Smith-Schuster in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | F1 ARCADE LAS VEGAS

You don’t have to wait for the next Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix taking

place Nov 19 - 21 2026, you can always enjoy heading to F1 Arcade Las Vegas, located in The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Guests can enjoy an unparalleled social gaming experience built around the venue’s full-motion Formula 1® racing simulators! You can also enjoy an elevated culinary and beverage offerings.

This venue spans 21,000 square feet across 2 levels. There are a number of semi-private, private rooms, and full buyouts for up to 690 guests. You can enjoy 87 bespoke racing simulators that are full-motion and designed specifically for their venues. Guests receive haptic feedback (vibrations for off-track excursions), custom-designed steering wheels and softwear that offers varied skill levels from Rookie to Elite. They also have 3 permanent bars, a portable bar, and 19 large televisions.

We suggest that you enjoy their Dynamite Fried Chicken (chili, lemon aioli), Impossible “Bulgogi” Tostada (Gochujang, shaved cabbage, kimchi, avocado cream), and Chipotle Tiger Shrimp Tacos (pickled daikon, cucumber, ginger, ponzu).

Having a great night out means pairing these savory bites with great cocktails. We suggest trying the My Night in Vegas (rye, ginger, yuzu, celery bitters, blueberry peat foam), She’s in the Lead (cucumber and rose gin, lemon, blueberry wine, rose, egg white), and Sparks Will Fly (rum blend, coconut, chamomile, lime, aromatic bitters, sparked spices).

For those that are looking to enjoy a great beverage, but without alcohol, there are a few drinks that we suggest that you should have in mind. Their Zero-proof Designated Drivers include Mule in the Paddock (Almave Mule, spiced ginger, lime, soda), Cool Down Lap (Pentire Adrift Negroni, Coastal Spritz, Roots Divino Rosso, Mallorca Melon) and the Phantom Overtake (Pentire Seaward Paloma, Cucumber, Cordial, grapefruit, dill air). This is just a sampling of the menu offerings which are filled with various options.

For those who may not be able to be in

Las Vegas, F1 Arcade has a number of locations which include the UK (London in One New Change and Birmingham in City Centre), Boston Seaport, Washington DC Union Market, Philadelphia, Denver, Atlanta, and Chicago.

F1 ARCADE LAS VEGAS

The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace

3500 Las Vegas Blvd S,

Las Vegas, NV 89109

f1arcade.com

IG @f1arcadeusa

PHOTOS COURTESY | F1 Arcade

Read the APR ISSUE #124 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | F1 Arcade Las Vegas in mag.

SURFING THE DREAM | CAROLINE MARKS

The World Surf League’s Tour kicks off the season on Apr 1st for the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and we can’t wait to see some phenomenal surfing. One of the competitors that we will have our eye on is Caroline Marks WSL Champion for 2023, Olympic Gold Medalist from Paris 2024 and is currently ranked World #2 for the 2025 season.

We wanted to know more about her love for surfing, how she came to it, and how she stays in shape when she is hitting those barrels! We also wanted to know more about her soon to be released Red Bull film, Now Days, her brand Pro Balance Brands, and her recent ambassadorship with Lexus!

ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s so great to connect with you!

CAROLINE MARKS: Hello! I’m currently over in Australia. I’m starting my season, actually the first day of the waiting period is tomorrow!

AM: It’s great to have you as this month’s cover!

CM: I’m really excited. You’ve had a couple people I know on the cover, so that’s pretty cool. I just surfed this morning, now I am talking with you, and then I will be back out surfing!

AM: We assumed!

What is your first memory of surfing and when did you fall in love with it?

CM: My first memory is pretty funny, because there’s actually a photo of it. I was in Costa Rica with my dad and I was on the front of his longboard. I was super young, maybe 3 years old. Then there’s another photo of me and I’m literally standing parallel and my borther’s like in the ackground and he’s kind of making that, “oh my gosh face.” I have a little bow in my hair and it’s pretty cute. I remember falling in love with it. It’s pretty funny because I surfed when I was little and then I actually got into horseback riding while growing up. I loved animals and stuff so I actually wanted to be a veterinarian when I was younger and then started barrel racing competitively, and did that until I was 10 and then didn’t really surf much then.

My oldest brother Luke was a competitive surfer so I kind of just thought surfing was his thing and I just kind of let him do his thing and I rode horses, and then I pretty much just wanted to impress my brothers really bad, and that’s why I started surfing. Then I remember when I was 11 years old, I was at the U12s Girls. There’s this event called USA Championships at Lower Trestles and it’s the biggest amateur event as a kid. All the best kids from Hawaii, all the east coast kids, and all the west coast kids come out and compete at Lowers and I ended up entering the event just because my brother was in it and I ended up winning. I was like, “whoa, I must be all right at this!” I just remember getting this big trophy and surfing all day and just having so much fun. I couldn’t believe this is a thing you can do you know? So, I remember from that moment forward, that I want to do this. This is so fun. So that’s where I really was like, I want to be a professional surfer. Wherever it takes me, I’m having so much fun.

AM: Not to say that there is, but is there a similarity or some kind of crossover between barrel racing and surfing for you?

CM: I mean, yeah, if you think about it, I was actually talking about this the other day in an interview, which is funny. I never thought of it like this, but you are on something that’s very out of your control. The ocean’s very, very out of your control. You’re on an animal and you don’t really know what it’s going to do. You can try to control it, but you really can’t. You know, they have a mind of their own.

I guess trying to go fast, like in surfing, going fast is a good thing. It’s like riding horses, that’s kind of like an art. And so certainly, you’re swerving around the barrels and in surfing, you’re riding the waves. I guess there is a little bit of crossover, more than I realized. So it’s pretty funny.

I’ve got some funny photos when I was like little. It was pretty classic.

AM: Obviously surfing on its own is a great sport, you know, for the total body to stay in shape. But what are work3outs that you do to optimize yourself in the sport?

CM: I love Pilates! Core and surfing is really important. I do a lot of lower leg work in surfing. Definitely having strong legs is really important because obviously you’re on the board a lot. I also love swimming because it’s just really good for your paddling and really good for your lungs and breathing and stuff. So those 3 things I do as well as cycle in between. Biking and swimming are kind of the things that I go back and forth between, but I mostly do Pilates and then just typical stuff in the gym with my trainers.

AM: What is your favorite maneuver when you’re surfing?

CM: This isn’t really a maneuver, but getting barreled is probably the ultimate feeling as a surfer!

AM: Oh wow!

CM: Oh yeah! You’re obviously in the tunnel of the waves.

AM: It looks so beautiful, but it looks so scary at the same time!

CM: Oh yeah, it is a bit of both for sure, but definitely getting barreled is something that’s just such an amazing feeling and then just doing a big frontside carve obviously just like laying into a big turn that always feels really good going really fast and just like laying into it. So those two things I like!

AM: You are a 2X Olympian who won a Gold medal in Paris. What has that meant to you to surf on such a global stage – you have had many stages, but what does it mean to do it for the Olympics?

CM: The Olympics, it doesn’t really get any bigger than that you know? It’s obviously a very global thing. It’s one of the only things that brings the whole world together. Not everyone knows about surfing, but everyone knows about the Olympics.

AM: Right.

CM: I was really proud to represent my country on that big of a stage and obviously to win. I mean, it’s just so incredible. It’s definitely the proudest moment in my career. I mean, it’s obviously about the world title. It’s hard to say one win for a WSL Championship versus the Olympics as both were the biggest dreams of mine as a little girl and the fact that I did both of them at 22 is pretty crazy! I am super grateful. It was amazing and it’s pretty hard to describe the feeling of being able to represent your country, but I’m really proud.

AM: Are you thinking about LA28?

CM: Of course! I want to be in as many Olympics as possible, but obviously, you know, LA28, it’s at a wave that’s like Lower Trestles. It’s 5 minutes from my house and obviously to be the hosting nation is just extra motivation because, it’s at home, which is pretty incredible. So I’m definitely thinking about it for sure.

AM: We can see you there! Anytime we’ve seen you surf, we can see you’re in your element and are just happy to be one with the water, it’s all zen and then we see you owning that barrel!

CM: Surfing has brought me everything really - a lot of the best moments of my life. I’ve met some of my best friends through surfing. The ocean is such a healing place for me, which is pretty cool to be able to say that about my job.

AM: Yeah.

CM: My career is - I just go in the ocean. Your day is instantly better, which is pretty amazing.

AM: You just mentioned at the top that the World Surf League Championship Tour kicks off its 50th season starting tomorrow for the first on-call day in Australia for the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach at Bells Beach in Victoria, Australia from Apr 1 – Apr 11th. What are you looking forward to as it kicks off?

CM: Yeah. I mean, first off, we’ve had our longest off-season of our career.

AM: Yeah.

CM: Just with them changing it around the schedule. It used to be - well way back, before it was my first couple years on tour it was April - December and then they switched it to January – September. It’s been that way for 5 years and now it’s back to April so in order for them to do that, we ended up having a 7 month long off season which for us, that’s a very long time. So usually our off season is pretty short compared to other sports. I think everyone’s just very excited because you haven’t really seen us in jerseys in a while! We also have some of the goats coming back like Carissa Moore and Stephanie Gilmore, which is amazing and they also extended the Women’s Tour, so there’s a lot of like milestones that have been broken this year already! I think everyone’s just really excited to see what happens. I have no doubt it’s just going to be a firework of a year. So I’m pretty excited.

AM: What’s your favorite one on the WSL Tour?

CM: Well, that’s a hard one. I know.

AM: We ask the tough questions!

CM: It’s a hard one. I mean, Cloudbreak’s pretty incredible. It’s such an incredible wave. Jeffreys Bay, which actually is not on tour this year, but it’s in South Africa, that’s another iconic one. Tahiti, obviously, just from winning the Gold there. I just have a lot of great memories there. And then Lower Trestles, of course. Lowers and Tahiti are probably my favorites, just with Lowers being in my backyard. It’s just such a fun wave. But it’s hard because everywhere has such beautiful things about it. But I’d say Lowers is probably my favorite wave on tour.

AM: Clearly you travel around the world to different places quite frequently. Are there 3 items that you tend to take with you to make any city or stop kind of feel like home?

CM: I mean, definitely. I’m not really one to bring a pillow. We just have so much stuff. We have our board bag, all of our clothes, and stuff like that. But I think just like a shirt from home, something I sleep in at home, just bringing it on the road. It’s the little things like that which kind of make me feel more at home or your favorite coffee cup or whatever things just make you feel more homey. But I feel like I’ve gotten so used to traveling that I’m able to adapt to it pretty quickly. I do travel with an eye mask. That’s something I do travel with to sleep on the planes with. That’s important. But nothing too crazy. Actually, this year my sister-in-law packed me a good luck charm in my bag so I just leave it in my luggage and it goes everywhere I go which is pretty cool!

AM: You definitely know it’s always there because it’s just in the luggage waiting to go.

CM: Exactly! i just leave it in there and it’s a little good luck charm which is kind of cool. I’m not too much of a creature of habit in that sense. I kind of just go with the flow.

AM: We had the pleasure of watching the screener for Now Days right before chatting with you. This is such a great film and so enjoyable to watch. It’s shot beautifully and it’s really great to see the 6 of you being able to navigate the waves and to tell your story. You recently had an event for this here in NY even though the film debuts in May. Why did you love being part of this film and what can you tell us about this?

CM: Thank you so much. I’m stoked you got to watch it. First off, there hasn’t been an all female surf film since 2011 and that was Leave a Message. That film left such an impact on me and I know it has for many other girls. It was so cool to see that. As much as it sounds simple to do, an all-female star film, it’s so difficult to get everyone together. We all have crazy schedules from different countries. We’re also each other’s biggest rivals.

AM: Right.

CM: That’s another thing that’s pretty funny, but I’m just really proud of it. I think, you know, obviously hopefully it inspires the next generation. And I feel like... that’s kind of our job in this generation is to inspire the next one and to push this forward and grow this forward and that’s what the generations did before us! That’s why we have equal pay. The girls in this film and this generation, I feel like we just had very good timing. All the girls before us that fought for this and for us and so now this film hopefully inspires the next generation to go harder and to push more. I’m really confident in that and I’m just really proud of it you know? It’s like two and a half years in the making coming to Red Bull and anything they put their hands on is pretty special. I knew the surfing was going to be amazing, but I also love how it tells a story of “hey, we all obviously want to win.

Surfing is a very cutthroat individual sport, but we also like pushing each other in a healthy environment and we are all good friends.” You know, I see these girls more than my family most of the year.

AM: Yeah.

CM: I’m with them so much. So, it really shows that. And we’re all able to relate to each other in a way that we probably won’t with our other friends, because we live this exact same life. So, yeah, I’m super proud of it and I just hope that the young girls, young guys, whoever watches it is just really inspired and wants to go surfing. It’s pretty cool to see the fruits of the labor because it definitely was a lot of work, but it was worth it!

AM: 100%! One of the things we like most about Red Bull films is when they have a number of individuals within the same sport, like Mark McMorris who was our cover this past December, he had just debuted PAVED.

CM: Yeah.

AM: It’s incredible to see people in a sport, but to see the individuality as well as the things that bind them together, it’s just so cool. We don’t surf; however, living in NY we love the surfing culture in Rockaway and Long Beach. It’s so cool to see how surfers show drive, grace, and flow which is what is evident in this film. People are going to enjoy it once it premieres.

CM: Thanks so much! I hope so. There’s definitely been even for this event, there’s been a lot of people asking about it, which has been really cool to see the hype around it. You know, it was something that was out of my comfort zone. Like I’ve always been so just hyper focused on competing and winning. That’s really what it takes in order to win. So this was cool because it was something that was new to me and different. I’ve never done a film like this before. So I was really proud of that.

AM: Well, you also just became a surf ambassador for Lexus, which is awesome. Why are you excited about this partnership? And why did you feel it was synergistic to your brand?

CM: Yeah, I mean, first off, Lexus makes such cool cars. And one of my friends, Griffin Colapinto, he got signed a year prior to me.

AM: Another cover of ours.

CM: Yeah! So I think just seeing the car and seeing how it fits my lifestyle, it’s a great combination between, sporty and luxury - I really like that. I like how they celebrate that. Also just getting to know everyone behind Lexus, everyone’s really cool. It’s a very family-oriented vibe, and I come from a big family, so I really love that. And so... I feel like it was a great partnership. I got one here in Australia with me and everyone’s like, nice car, nice wheels. I’m getting all the compliments on it.

AM: Wow.

CM: It’s pretty cool. I got to roll to the first event in style, it looks so cool.

AM: We have a Lexus SUV which is great because sometimes for the magazine between photography gear, styling items, transporting the team to shoots or even doing an event with goodie bags, you need to be able to carry everything – it needs to be fashionable, but you want to be able to get to where you have to go with everything in one piece.

CM: Absolutely. I feel like it fits all my boards. It fits wetsuits, everything I need. And also like it’s comfortable and it’s safe and it’s sturdy. And I also just love it aesthetically. I love and have the GX 550. I love the way it looks. So that’s also a bonus. I’m proud to drive the car. So yeah, it’s awesome.

AM: Well, what does the partnership look like in terms of what can we expect to see you doing with them and with the car? What will that look like from a consumer side?

CM: So Griffin and I, we’re going to do some collab videos here. We’re both in Australia, which will be pretty fun. So there’s a lot of beautiful beaches here, a lot of great scenery. So stay tuned for a cool video with that. And obviously, you know, I’m going to be traveling a lot this year. But wherever they provide me a car, we’re going to be providing content. Lexus sponsors the U.S. Open, so I look forward to seeing what they have in store for this year’s event. I think I’m doing a signing with them. We have great things coming up. And yeah, I’m really excited about it.

AM: Clearly you’re a business person as an athlete and someone who has a number of sponsors, and you have added to your portfolio by creating your own brand, Pro Balance Bands. Tell us about this and why did you want to launch it?

CM: Thanks for asking. It’s cool. My dad, he’s very business-minded. He comes from that background. He taught me a lot about that side of the world, which is really cool. I really trust his opinion. I think after the Gold medal, we kind of thought, how do we capitalize on this? The bands felt so natural to me and and my main thing was, I travel a lot and I don’t want to put a product out that I can’t travel with because most of my life is on the road, So the bands feels so perfect. I’ve also been training with them since I started working out way more consistently in 2019, my second year on tour and that was the year I made the first Olympics. I just use bands everywhere and I bring them everywhere I go. They come in like a little pouch. It’s great and you can do a lot with bands so it felt so natural and it’s been really fun.

It’s my first time starting a company and obviously I have a lot of help doing it, but, it’s been really cool and all the bands are really good material. I use them every single day. So it’s great. You’ll see me if you watch the webcast warming up with them. So I’m really proud of it and it’s been going good so far. I think we’re going to come out with some new products as well.

AM: Nice.

CM: We started with the bands, but we’re going to keep adding more things in. We also have weekly videos of myself, my brother, our other ambassadors doing videos as well. My trainer too, he does videos, which is cool. So if you want to know how I train, you just go on the website Pro Balance Bands or on our YouTube. It’s exciting and I’m enjoying it. It’s been fun.

AM: Well, when you’re not on tour or shooting campaigns or doing all these different things, how do you take time for yourself just to have a moment to yourself?

CM: Honestly, I’m a pretty simple girl. I love just being with my friends whether it’s as simple as, you know, going to get a coffee or going out for dinner or watching the sunset. Things like that bring me a lot of joy. I think just kind of being in one place and being with good people - I call it my “feel good people.” When you’re around people you really know, there’s no effort.

AM: Exactly.

CM: You end up leaving hanging out with them with more in your battery - it becomes more full. It’s how I recharge. And I also do love my own alone time as well. I just love whether that’s just sitting on my couch at home or just going for a drive, that’s also really therapeutic to me as well or going on a beach walk or whatever. Things like that sound really silly, but that’s kind of how, what helps me unwind and I love that.

AM: Being that you’re in that next generation of surfers, you’re trailblazing, you’ve gotten all these different awards and accolades. What do you want your legacy to be seen as in this sport or even in life?

CM: I mean, I just really want girls and people in general to be inspired. I love surfing. It’s really fun to me and I hope I kind of give off that persona. I just want to leave a legacy of being hardworking, but also enjoying your life too. You know, it can’t always just be like work, work, work like this. We live such an amazing life and we should enjoy it. And there’s more to it than surfing too. We’re in these different countries. We’re in different cultures. It’s really cool. Obviously surfing is what brought me here. But there’s so much more than that. And I think hopefully I can leave a legacy of just a really positive outlook on life, surfing, and fun. I hope that makes sense.

AM: It does. We always think about that when you’re doing stuff, especially now that obviously we live in an age where people can see stuff socially, you’re touching corners of the world that someone who grew up that isn’t living your life or experiences personally, they can envision that for themselves. Maybe if it’s not that same thing, but something similar and it just creates a spark and wonder. So that’s really cool.

IG @caroline_markss

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | FRONT COVER. PG 16 ,PD 24, PG 26 Ed Sloane/World Surf League | PG 19 Tony Heff/World Surf League | PG 20, PG 29 Brent Bielmann/World Surf League | PG 22 ROXY | PG 30 Ryan Miller/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 33 USA Surfing | PG 34 Domenic Mosqueira/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 36 Nathan Adams/ Red Bull Content Pool | PG 38 Marcelo Marafni | BACK COVER CHAMPION |

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see SURFING THE DREAM | Caroline Marks in mag.

GOLDEN HAPPINESS | ERIN JACKSON + JORDAN STOLZ

Although the Olympics have completed this cycle, for the Winter Games 2026, we enjoyed sitting down with Erin Jackson Team USA Olympic Speedskating Gold Medalist to talk about her love of the sport, how she got into it, competing at Milan-Cortina and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with speed skating, and what do you love about this sport?

ERIN JACKSON: I actually loved this sport for as long as I can remember. You know, some of my earliest memories of skating were just up and down my driveway and the little plastic skates. So it started out as just a hobby for me. I didn’t have any dreams of being competitive in the sport. I just started doing it because I loved it. So that was my intro which was through roller skating and then roller skating, led me to inline skating, and then inline skating led me to ice skating. So, yeah, it was just kind, I guess, a very natural progression, but it did just start with the love of the sport and the love of the hobby I guess!

AM: I mean, there are so many things you could have done! Why did you decide that figure skating wasn’t the thing, but speed skating was?

EJ: I actually did go that route first, so I did what’s called artistic skating. And that’s like figure skating, but also on roller skates. Who knows? That that could have been where I ended up, but my coaches in artistic skating they actually moved away to pursue figure skating on ice for their daughters. Their daughters ended up competing in Sochi, I believe.

AM: Wow!

EJ: So who knows? Maybe I could have gone that route, too? But when they moved, I just let that be the end of figure skating.

AM: Well, what does an average week look like when it comes to training for upcoming competitions?

EJ: So we train six days a week, most days, it’s two training sessions. One of those days, we’ll have three training sessions one of those days, we’ll have one training session, but we’re training most the time. It’s kind of like a full-time job, so we’ll have a morning session for probably 3 hours or so, and then rest in the afternoon for lunch and then come back and have another session later in the day.

Normally skating once a day, and then the other session can be, you know, like, bike intervals, or, you know, cardio or weightlifting or something like that.

AM: We were just going to ask about three workouts that you do to optimize for this particular sport? You kind of just answered it. Our minds are still wrapping around six days a week. I mean, clearly, that is what you have to do.

So this past Olympics marks your third, where you were competing in the 500 meter and the 1000 meter? What does it mean to you to be able to compete on such a global stage?

EJ: It’s a really cool honor, I guess, like just being part of the Olympics and just being able to be part of this really large thing where people from all over the world are coming to do the thing that they devote their lives to. We all just come here and do it together. It’s just a really cool community aspect, you know, part of this large community of Olympians and Team USA. And it’s, yeah, I feel like that’s the best feeling of it, just like doing it all together.

AM: What did you love most about your experience this year, and you know, being in the Olympics, and are you thinking ahead to 2030?

EJ: Yeah, I am thinking of 2030, yeah, I couldn’t imagine stopping the train at this point. I definitely want to keep going with all the progress I’ve made this season, and I really want to carry that forward. Some of my best memories from this games were a toss-up between watching my teammates this time around, because for most of them, it was their first Olympics. It’s getting to see all the amazing firsts that they were experiencing and then also watching other Team USA events, like with athletes from those sports. You know, they can give a lot of insight and behind the scenes info about the scoring and sometimes even the drama in the sport. So, yeah, that was a really cool thing too.

AM: Well, you are part of Happiness as The Real Gold Hershey Campaign, which is so fun to see that and to get to see other aspects of you while you’re talking. Why did you want to be involved in it? And what does happiness mean to you?

EJ: Yeah, the Happiness is The Real Gold Campaign, I feel like was a really important thing to get out there in a really important message, because it can just like remind athletes and just people in general that the people in your lives who love you and care about you like, they’re gonna love you, no matter what, because what they really want for you is happiness.

AM: Yeah.

EJ: Your achievements are just kind of a bonus for that. I feel like it was a really great message and one that was really heartfelt and emotional campaign, especially with having our families involved. I was really happy to be a part of it.

IG @speedyj

After chatting with Erin, we caught up with her Team USA Speedskater, Jordan Stolz. We wanted to hear about his passion, a successful Winter Olympics, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: How did you come to the sport of speedskating and for those that are not familiar with it, how would you describe it to them?

JORDAN STOLZ: I would describe it as a sport where you are constantly trying to keep progressing and a sport that is very satisfying when you improve. The feeling of being able to go fast on turns is a feeling that I can’t get anywhere else! I can’t get it in a car, I can’t do it on a mountain on a bike – it’s something that is very surreal and I think that people get addicted to it!

I first got into it because of Apolo Ohno (G2, S2, B4) back in 2010, and I was watching him compete and it was the first Olympics that I had ever watched in my life. I was just really into it and it caught my eye with the way that he was passing people. It was like a showman and I asked my parents if I could start skating. and I actually started with my sister on our frozen pond in our backyard. We shoveled a track and ever since then, I have been doing pretty good.

AM: What are workouts that you find beneficial for speedskating?

JS: I would say a lot of cycling. The number 1 thing that changed for me is when I spent a lot more time on a bike. The weight room too – just building up your squats. You have to have power on the ice. You want to combine those two, but you don’t want to go too far with either one. You don’t want to be this cyclist that weighs 130lbs, but you also don’t want to be a body builder and then you would be super slow on the ice – you’d have too much weight. It’s kind of factoring all of that in to work with the mechanics of skating and the technique. I have found that to be the most beneficial for me.

AM: What were the Opening Ceremonies like for you and what does it mean to you to compete on such a global stage?

JS: It means a lot to compete for Team USA on the Olympics as a global stage and to win 3 medals, the highest medal count. That means a lot, not just for me, but for speedskating itself and the whole country. It’s great that I can bring more awareness to speedskating, as it’s such a cool sport and I’m glad to be able to do that.

I didn’t walk the Opening Ceremonies, but I loved watching it on TV when I was in the Village.

AM: When it’s gameday, do anything that gets you into the mindset to compete?

JS: I try to relax a lot and not to think too much about the races. I want to be able to get into the zone before getting into the rink. Before that, I like to chit chat with people, sit in bed and watch some reels, and then I can get out there and be ready!

AM: You had an amazing Winter Games 2026! You won a Gold in the 500 M, and then another one in the 1,000 M - the first American male to do it in the same Olympics since 1980, and you got Silver in the 1,500 - you also made 2 World Records - what does it feel like to leave the Games with those accolades?

JS: It means a lot especially to have my name attached to Eric Heiden (5G) and it means a lot to be thought of as a successful speedskater in Olympic history for the US. I hope that I can continue to progress and do better going into 2030 and this is just one of those stepping stones. When I went to Beijing, I didn’t win any medals there and then 4 years later, I trained a lot and the World Cup had a lot of experiences and then I was able to come here to the Olympics in a very prepared way! Who knows what can happen over the next 4 years? Hopefully something very similar and I am feeling very good about the results that I have had this entire season and not just the ones that took place at the Olympics. I’ve been skating some fast times and had great track records.

AM: In your downtime in Milan, how did you take time for yourself to reset between competitions?

JS: It was just – there wasn’t a lot to do in the Village, so it was about laying in bed and trying to relax and focus.

AM: You partnered with Hershey’s For the Happiness Campaign. Why did you want to partner with them and what does Happiness is the Real Gold mean to you?

JS: I wanted to partner with them because they are a huge household name company. Having that name tied around you at the Winter Olympics is really special. It’s the highest achievement that you can have as a speed skater. First of all going to the Olympics, and then being able to win a Gold medal, with the name Hershey’s behind you – that just means a lot, especially how they support my family in general. It’s authentic and I feel that they really put the truth behind the slogan that Happiness is The Real Gold. They are 100% right about that!

AM: Post Olympics, are there any projects or upcoming competitions we should know about?

JS: I have the World Champions coming up – the World Sprints and the World All Arounds – it’s a combination race. It’s kind of like the 2nd thing to the Olympics if you are considering the Netherlands view. They view it super seriously here. I think it’s really cool and I will compete in both and try to win both of them. It will be fun and really hard! Everyone wants to hear if I will be doing anything in cycling and that’s probably not going to happen because I will be focused on skating.

IG @stolz_jordan_

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Hershey’s

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see GOLDEN HAPPINESS | Erin Jackson + Jordan Stolz in mag.

BUST A BRACKET REESE'S | POINTS OR CUPS - IT'S A WIN WIN

When March hits our calendars, our minds turn to March Madness and seeing who will take it all for Men’s and Women’s basketball in the NCAA. It means that we have a month of basketball, colleges that we root for and those that we are not as familiar with. There are so many stories, and don’t even get us started on our brackets as we attempt to guess the journey. Whether it’s backed by stats, favorite colors, or teams, it’s a great time had by all. We made our way to Reese’s Bracket Summit to hear from NY Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and analysts Andraya Carter and Richard Jefferson on how we can make them and how Reese’s rewards or losses as well!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve enjoyed hearing your commentary on various games. What made you want to be an analyst?

ANDRAYA CARTER: Oh wow! I think that the opportunity came before my interests came and I remember when we were in the tournament and this is when I was a player. I don’t remember what analyst was talking about me, but I was a role player at Tennessee. I was a defensive player and I didn’t score that many points. Whoever the analyst was saw some value in what I brought and they were running some of my defensive highlights, and this was in the Selection show, and there is a picture of my teammate, Meighan Simmons and she’s shaking my shoulders because I was so shocked that they were talking about me!

I think about that a lot when I first started my career. I remember that moment being so cool and I remember thinking I could be an analyst that points out the things that makes this game hard and contributes to the success. I love the game of basketball so much and being able to break it down and so I think that once I had the opportunity to be an analyst and that it is something that you can get better at, it almost became my new sport. How much better can I get at being an analyst? I watch film on it, I practiced it, I broke it down, it was almost like even though my career as a player ended, I had something that I was able to work towards. It was something that I could improve on and it was something that I could chase, and once those 2 things clicked for me, I knew I could do this. It was a long journey for me from the time of realizing that it clicked up to now – but that’s a story!

AM: It’s always enjoyable to hear from you because you played the game and you know first hand everything that is involved in that.

What do you love about the game?

AC: Ugh, I love how so many little things work together to make it happen. There are so many ways to run a play, so many ways to defend a play, and so many roles that a player can have. When you look at different teams from season to season and even looking at a team during the season, there are so many ways to look at this puzzle and to see how all the pieces fit together! That’s within a season, that’s within a team, that’s within the players, and that’s even to the game. There are so many things to break down as these teams chase championships. It’s different every year and it is different game to game! Sometimes there are those 2 teams that play and when they do it again, there are other things to evaluate.

To me, the way that the game just builds and the way there are games within a game, I love it so much! Being able to grow up playing it and also I think that the way it brings people together and how sport is a universal language, you get to meet so many people along the way. Basketball changed my life and I love being able to watch how the game changes the lives of others – it’s really special to me.

AM: We really love this time of year, March Madness and everything that is involved in that! What do you love about this time of year?

AC: I just love the intensity of it and being win or go home! Obviously, it’s heartbreaking when a team loses, and to watch teams have success and to continue to be able to play and to keep their season alive, for me the intensity of win or go home is everything! Everything just levels up in March for basketball and I think that also watching players rise to the occasion and having a player put their team on their back and step up, you see something click for them – that is amazing to see!

AM: You were giving tips earlier about how one can set up their brackets. But for first timers that may not know about checking for stats or other things. How can they go about putting their brackets together?

AC: For anyone that is setting up their brackets for the first time this season, the Every Bracket Busts For A Reese’s Sweepstakes is perfect for them! You’re bracket busts, you win some Reese’s and the chance to go to the Men’s and Women’s Final Four and Championships. Being at the Final Four as well as the Championship game in that environment is so special! Shout out to anybody that is doing their brackets for the first time! Thanks to Reece’s you could get a chance to go!

I do think that filling out your bracket is hard. How much research do you want to do? How much time do you have? I am just thinking about this off the top of my head, if you don’t know much about a team and you pull up their stats and see their leading scorer and watch some highlights of them or see what their game is like, and what they are capable of. Watch the other teams and see their leading scorer. See which team gets you the most excited and that is who you pick. I think that whatever method you have, use that for your whole bracket, trust it, and go with it. Sometimes when I fill out my bracket, I like because teams that have good defense because when the lights are the brightest and the emotion is really big, sometimes your shots don’t go in. There is so much excitement and energy but defense travels and I think as a player, you can control that a little bit more. I could shoot my same shot and it may not go in, but I can control my defensive energy. Teams that are good defensively, if I can’t pick between the 2 teams, then I look at who has the better defense because defense travels.

AM: That’s a great tip!

Who are 3 teams that you are looking at this year, that we should be focused on?

AC: That’s tough! Men’s or Women’s?

AM: You choose!

AC: Well, Tennessee Women’s is interesting given everything that they have been through. Obviously, it’s a really rough end of the season. I’m particularly as a former Lady Vols and as an analyst, I’m interested in if any team had a rough end to their season like that – how does that kick them forward? Does it kick them forward, does it give them a fresh start? Are they able to use everything that they went through as motivation to turn it around? Or on the opposite side as a former Lady Vols, it wouldn’t be something that I would enjoy – but is it too little too late to try and correct things?

AM: Yeah!

AC: This is the time where you want to be peaking and playing your best basketball going into March. Is it too late this time around? So Tennessee is a very interesting team on the Women’s side.

I’m very interested in UConn obviously, the opportunity to go back-to-back it’s something special and not something that many teams get the opportunity to do. I am a very big fan of a few of the players on the team as well as the system that they play. Obviously here with Reece’s, Breanna Stewart was hanging out with us. She spoke to what Geno Auriemma puts his players through in terms of testing them throughout the year! They don’t have the strongest strength of schedule, but their biggest battle is their head coach! So, UConn – will they repeat as Champions?

I’m also interested in UCLA! That’s a team that added new pieces, it’s a team that lost to UConn last season in a way that I know that they are not proud of, and in a way that taught them a lot for Cori Close and her players. They could have another opportunity to make a deep run.

So those are teams that I have my eye on of course there is South Carolina with Dawn Staley – they are always a good team to have my eye on as well!

AM: This is so great to hear!

Who do you think will win it all?

AC: I have UConn winning it all for the women!

AM: Same!

AC: I think that on top of what I said, I think Sarah Strong is a really hard player to game plan against. You can put her on so many places on the court and use her in so many different actions on the floor that I think that they are just a tough game plan. We talk a lot about UConn’s offense – Azzi Fudd is such a sharp shooter and Sarah Strong is just so versatile, and UConn is a very difficult team to score against. None of their opponents in the tournament scored 65 points last season. I just talked about defense, but as good as their offense is, their defense and their ability to make teams go east to west instead of north to south, is something that I find very tough among other things for Connecticut.

IG @andraya_carter

After speaking with Andraya, we sat down with NBA Champion Richard Jefferson to talk about his love of the game, why he enjoys being an analyst and also how he feels about Arizona!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been fans of yours since you played in the NBA and it’s very cool to be hanging out with you right now.

Why did you want to be an analyst once you retired from the game?

RICHARD JEFFERSON: The reason why I wanted to be an analyst is because I love the game of basketball very deeply! You look at how you can continue to express your love to the game that has given so much to me. So there is coaching, there is player development, there are levels of coaching from high school and college. For me, I just loved talking about the game of basketball. I started a podcast 10 years ago because I love hearing the stories about basketball and also everybody has strengths and areas of improvement. For me, talking about the game of basketball and giving knowledge because I was a nerdy kid at 12 and 13 years old reading basketball cards and sitting and watching NBC and Marv Albert in the Jordan era! I just studied it and loved it as a kid! Then I grew into it as a basketball player and then I played in the NBA so I got to live it, and I always felt that I was the lucky little kid that got to live his dream! Now, I get to sit here and talk about it, but I feel fortunate because I have reference points all the way back to the mid 80’s because I grew up loving the game and being able to study it!

AM: Same!

What do you love about basketball and what personally draws you to it?

RJ: What draws me to it is that it is such a beautiful game. You have to be a complete player for the most part. You have to be able to play offense and you have to be able to play defense! You look at football, I love it, it’s awesome, but you have guys on one side of the ball and one side on the other. In baseball, there is a similarity to it. In basketball, it is – if you are in a weak spot on offense, you will be exposed! If you are on a weak spot on defense, you will be exposed! Just like in life, your goal is to be a complete person and a well rounded person, it doesn’t mean that you are great at everything, but you are well rounded. That is what the game of basketball is. In order to be a good or great basketball player, in a prideful way, you have to be a well rounded individual and I think that there is something beautiful about that in life in general.

AM: I love this time of year! When Selection Sunday hits, you know you have some great weeks of basketball that are taking place – not my team this year, IU –

RJ: Congratulations on the football win!

AM: Thank you! That is like 5 Super Bowls!

RJ: Congratulations!

AM: What do you love about March Madness, The Final Four, the Championship game?

RJ: What I love about it – both sides men’s and women’s is that I think that the Summer Olympics is something that here in America, everybody roots for and it is every 4 years. I don’t think that there is a single thing in America that everyone comes together – it’s university pride, it’s college pride, it’s where your family is associated, it’s rivalries - it’s all of these things. You can be 60 years old and you’re a North Carolina fan and you still fucking hate Duke! Now, all of a sudden, all of these old things that you had gets turned up for 1 month. Grandma knows it, your 5 year old son knows it, people that don’t basketball are like, “I’m just going to pick my favorite colors!” That’s what sports does and I don’t think that there is a single greater event than the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournament that brings together everybody in our country like that!

AM: Couldn’t agree more!

For 1st timers that are filling out those brackets, what should they do?

RJ: Oh man, for 1st timers, let me show you how to do it! Shout out Reese’s, that’s why we’re here. If you are a 1st Timer, this is what I would do. I start with Arizona because they are going to win the National Championship and I do this every single year, because Arizona is going to win. So I have them in the winning spot and then I go backwards. It’s a little unorthodox.

AM: Yeah it is.

RJ: That’s fine! This is where I think that Reese’s has really cracked the code! I have Duke losing in the 1st Round. People are like, that’s a little crazy!

AM + RJ: Is it though?

RJ: If Siena wins, I look like a genius! If Siena loses, I turn in my bracket and I win free Reese’s Cups! I still look like a genius! So, I just don’t see that there is a lose/lose situation. Why would I root for a team that I cannot stand? Why because I want a perfect bracket? I’d rather them lose and look like a genius, then have them win and I get some cups! If they win, I’m pissed off anyway so give me my prize.

AM: Love this and you are very proud of this bracket!

RJ: I’m very, very proud and I have the Women’s one also! I am very proud of it and I will say this, across the board, I have South Carolina - Dawn Staley was my favorite Women’s player growing up and she is my favorite coach. Across the board, we had Stewie here, there was no shade given to UConn – such respect and I have nothing but positivity for them. They are probably of all the schools Men and Women aside, when we started talking about them, they had the ultimate level of respect, but we’re not talking about them right now, we’re talking about the University of Arizona and how we won the Big 12, we won the Big 12 Tournament, we have the Big 12 Player of the Year, and we have done all of the things that are needed for us to win a Championship – so this bracket is going to be perfect! There is on thing that I have put out and I don’t mind that you have Duke blue hair – it’s fine!

AM: Wait a minute, I am IU through and through!

RJ: So right, we get through there as well – Siena that’s who I am rooting for, they are my sleeper pick mainly because I want Reese’s Cups!

AM: So what are 3 teams that you’re looking at that we should be thinking about?

RJ: You should be thinking about Siena because they have a really good match up in the 1st Round, but I think that they are going to win against Duke.

Arizona, I talk about Arizona, but I think with Arkansas, there is a big battle there by the kid Darius Acuff Jr. who is very, very good. I’m actually glad that we could potentially play them in the Sweet 16. What does that mean? It means that you get your first 2 games in and then you have a couple of days to prepare before you go to the next game. Those preparation days are the days where you say, “ok, we could be going up agaunst an amazing player” and you want some more prep against that, because we do have an amazing team.

AM: Ok, so my last question was going to be who do you think will win, but we know that clearly you feel that Arizona will win it all!

RJ: You’re damn right!

AM: So what does gameday look like for you?

RJ: Ok, I am pretty much immune to any sport or any sport team. Arizona is one that I am emotionally connected to. I turn on the game. When they are winning, I watch. They start losing, I turn it off. That is a real thing because again, it is the emotional connection. Oftentimes, I will tune in and out. I can’t sit and turn on an Arizona game and just relax. That’s not possible so I avoid the anxiety.

IG @richardajefferson

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | Hershey’s

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see BUST A BRACKET REESE’S | Points or Cups It’s A Win Win in mag.