BINGELY TV/STREAMING

BORN TO BOWL

HBO Original

HBO MAX

We get sucked into bowling matches when we happen to catch them on TV. In Born to Bowl, we get to learn more about this sport and some of the biggest people in it in this docuseries. The fact that Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan, The Perfect Couple, Caught Stealing) is known for narrating HBO’s noted NFL docuseries Hard Knocks focusing on teams navigating their seasons. In addition, we get to know about famous bowlers and those rising up. We see them going through their championships, hear how they sustain themselves as they work in their sport and outside or it, as well as the community of this sport.

SCARPETTA

Prime Video Originals

Prime Video

In Prime Video’s Scarpetta, this crime thriller based on Patricia Cornwell’s novels introduces us to forensic pathologists, Dr. Kay Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman). We learn that she is returning to her hometown as Virginia’s Chief Medical Examiner who is working on a murder investigation while also focusing on cases from the past which allows us to navigate dual timelines.

In the dual timeline at the start of her career 28 years earlier, we see a cast of characters solving an array of murders. Interestingly enough, the character of Pete Marino is played by Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire, The Watcher, The Irishman) in the present day while his real life son, Jake (The Offer, Aaron Hernandez: American Sports Story, Inside Man) plays the same character from the 90’s. The cast is rounded out by Jamie Lee Curtis (The Bear, The Sticky, Knives Out) as well as Simon Baker (The Devil Wears Prada, The Mentalist, The Guardian), and Ariana DeBose (Hamilton, Westworld, I.S.S.).

You can stream the episodes of S1 and S2 has already been ordered.

LOVE TRAPPED: OWENS V. ECHARD

iHeart Podcasts + Glass Podcasts

Spotify

When we watched Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor, he was not one of the favorites and many of his choices left people scratching their heads. Like many on this show, they moved on to settle into their new lives. In Love Trapped: Owens V. Echard, this 10 episode podcast investigation details through his own words, legal teams, and depositions when he dealt with a woman who is alleged to engage in a paternity fraud scheme.

What makes this story interesting is that it is Internet sleuths dug into the details of the case to allow his team to see an array of discrepencies that were taking place. At the time that this case came to light, fans of Bachelor Nation, Reddit and more came together to get to the truth and to expose a history of a pattern of behaviour by his accuser.

Read the MAR ISSUE #123 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY TV/STREAMING in mag.

BINGELY TV/STREAMING

PHOTO CREDIT | Netflix/Being Gordon Ramsay

BEING GORDON RAMSAY

Netflix DocuSERIES

Netflix

We know Chef Gordon Ramsay whether you have been to his restaurant, watch a number of his shows, or purchase items that we see him partnered with. We know that is a busy man who has an ever growing empire. In Being Gordon Ramsay, we watch as he is about to launch a large multi-venue dining complex in London’s Bishopgate tower on the 60th floor. While he is focused on this, we get to see his family, the relationship with his business partners, how he continues to stay connected with his other restaurants, and how he looks at building his empire across his hospitality group, media and other ventures.

PHOTO CREDIT | FX/Love Story John J Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette

LOVE STORY: JOHN F KENNEDY & CAROLYN BESSETTE

FX

Hulu

In Love Story: John F Kennedy & Carolyn Bessette, we go back to the 90’s to learn about JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette. We see how he transitioned from being an Assistant District Attorney for NYC to becoming the founder of George Magazine. We see how she rises in the ranks of Calvin Klein as a VIP services person to running the PR for celeb talent. Of course we see how their 2 lives collide for a romance that wasn’t easy with his stardom, attachments to his on again off again girlfriend Darryl Hannah, and living in his family’s shadow as a Kennedy.

We get to see what drove them as people and together. We also see how they navigated their relationship that was filled with growth, marriage, and then eventually the events that led to the tragic plane crash. Throughout this limited series you get the vibes of the time, the style, and the music as well as more texture on their love story.

PHOTO CREDIT | 30 For 30 Podcasts/Murder at the U

MURDER AT THE U

30 For 30 Podcasts

Spotify

We always enjoy the podcasts that come from 30 For 30Podcasts and their investigative journalism that focuses on some of the most known as well as lesser known sport stories that we want to know more about. In their latest series, Murder at the U, which looks at the murder of University of Miami senior defensive tackle Bryan Pata in 2006. It was all

but certian that he would be a top draft pick and would be drafted to the NFL. He was months away from having everything that he wanted for himself as well as his family.

But everything took a turn when one night in November he was shot dead outside of his apartment after coming home from practice. For over a decade, this death has been one that has rocked college football and his family and friends are still trying to get answers on who did this to this man? A team of ESPN reporters have taken it upon themselves to look at the evidence and talk to those who knew him.

Read the FEB ISSUE #122 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY TV/STREAMING in mag.

ORIGINS AN NFL COLLECTION

It’s been another great NFL season and it all culminates with Super Bowl LX which takes place on Feb 8th at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, the home of the San Francisco 49ers! This year, the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will battle it out to see who will be the champions! During this time of year, there are a number of events and activations taking place. One of them is Origins: An NFL Collection which in addition to be a collaborative line of apparel that is created with designers who are in the community that the Super Bowl is being held, but it is a time where those who are in the area can enjoy the pop-up! We wanted to find out more about this collection, the pop-up event, the NFL’s committment to highlighting artists and bringing them in to the experience of Game Day! We took some time to catch up with the Director of Marketing and E-Commerce at the NFL, Ashley Daniel to find out about this and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell me a bit about your background prior to coming to the NFL.

ASHLEY DANIEL: I’ve spent most of my career since coming out of college working for the NFL. During undergrad, I volunteered with the Super Bowl Host Committee and later interned with the NFL in the Media Strategy & Business Development department. After graduating, I was selected for the NFL’s Rotational Program and have continued to grow my career within the Consumer Products department ever since.

AM: As the Director of Marketing and E-Commerce at the NFL, what does your role entail?

AD: The role is dynamic, which is one of its most rewarding aspects. My work ranges from leading our Local Club Collaboration Program and developing capsule collections with small, local brands to collaborating with our advertising team on national NFL Shop TV campaigns. At its core, the position is about tying inspiration to conversion and strengthening fans’ connections to their cities and teams through product.

AM: Tell us about Origins: An NFL Collection in terms of why this program was created and what it serves to do.

AD: The Origins program was first developed for the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Although we produce incredible Super Bowl merchandise, there was an opportunity to showcase products from local brands that authentically represent the host city and its communities. The program emerged from that insight, grounded in the belief that every host city is home to artists and designers who reveal dimensions of the city often overlooked.

AM: How do you go about finding designers to partner with, and what are you looking for?

AD: Each year, the approach evolves. In previous years, my colleague, Xaimara Coss, who is also a Director on the Consumer Products team at the NFL, and I relied heavily on web research and social media, tracking who was showing up at local markets, consistently launching collections, actively engaging with their communities, and creating truly distinctive work. This year, we partnered with our licensing partner, NoCallerID, to support the search. Together, we spent several weeks reviewing candidates and hosting introductory conversations before ultimately selecting the final group of brands.

AM: Tell me about the designers who will be participating in this year’s Origins: An NFL Collection.

AD: Each designer brings a distinctly different point of view, which is what makes this group so compelling. Aaron De La Cruz is an artist by trade, and his work immediately stood out to us, particularly his use of shape and movement, which introduced an aesthetic we hadn’t previously explored within the Origins program. We knew he would bring a bold, unexpected reinterpretation of the Super Bowl. Nostalgia approaches design through incredibly unique silhouettes; when we saw a previous collection featuring intricate woven paisleys, it was clear they would offer a fresh perspective on what fan apparel can be. Lastly, there’s Blvck Scvle, an iconic Bay Area streetwear brand that has been shaping the culture since 2007. Their product is elevated and refined, with exceptionally strong design execution. Together, the three brands form a powerful cohort that authentically represents the spirit and creativity of the Bay.

AM: This year, there will be a one-day pop-up event ahead of the Super Bowl in the Bay Area. Tell us more about this.

AD: Each year, we host a launch pop-up retail event that serves as the first opportunity for fans and the community to shop the new collection. The event brings together shopping, music, and a strong community presence in support of the participating brands, attracting both locals and visitors in search of authentic Super Bowl products and experiences. This year’s launch will take place on Thursday, February 5, at the Pearl from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is free and open to the public.

AM: For those who are unable to attend the event, how can they be part of this experience?

AD: On Friday, February 6, at 9 AM ET, the product goes live on NFLShop.com/origins. They can also follow the brand stories as they launch on @NFL on IG and on NFL.com/origins.

AM: In terms of the Super Bowl, will this collection of Origins: An NFL Collection be at the stadium?

AD: No. Any product that does not sell out at the launch event will be sold at the NFL Shop Presented by Visa at Super Bowl Experience Presented by Jersey Mike’s.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us that we should know about at the NFL that you are involved in?

AD: There are a lot of great drops coming out around the Super Bowl. We can’t say much right now, but stay tuned.

IG @nfl

After speaking with Ashley about Origins: NFL Collection, we wanted to talk with one of the designer collaborators, Aaron De La Cruz, to find out more about his work, participating in this assortment, and more!

AM: Before we delve into this collaboration that you did with Origins: An NFL Collection, can you tell me about your background and what led you to design?

AARON DE LA CRUZ: From as far back as I can remember, I have loved to draw. As a kid growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, I spent a majority of my time outside surrounded by skate and graffiti culture. The graphics I would see on clothing, skateboards and art in the streets influenced me to create my own at home, school and, eventually, on the streets too. I was fortunate enough to have the support of my parents and teachers who recognized my talent, which helped me get into programs and eventually art school. I graduated from college with a BFA and went into teaching art for ten years until I became a parent and I decided to pursue being a full-time artist. That was exactly 13 years ago this month – wow, time flies! I’m the first full-time artist in my family, so my main focus is to show my kids that being a creative for a living is possible. This occupation is hard and definitely has its challenges. They are old enough now to see what it’s really like, but projects like this are moments to celebrate and make it feel like a dream come true.

AM: You have done a number of collaborations with Maison Margiela, Diesel, ESPN, etc. What is the creative process that you go into when you are creating something for or with another brand?

ADLC: When taking on collaborative projects, I prefer to have a personal connection with the client or find a way to connect the project to my family. Because many of my works are considered abstract at times, they can appear as decorative considering the context in which they are displayed. I always try to find a way to integrate my family into these types of projects because, for me, these are the people in my life I’m surrounded by the most. When given the opportunity, I make it a point to provide a story that will connect with the audience, especially for those who are interested in what’s beyond the surface.

AM: How much does the Bay Area influence your work?

ADLC: The Bay is a special place. We have a rich history of movements that were born here that have spread throughout the world. That, plus our unique landscape, draws people to visit and live here, including myself. I don’t know if the Bay is something visually noticeable in my work, but I can say the culture here has definitely influenced what I do with my artwork. Social justice is something very important to me, and I use my art as a vehicle to express my opinions. I try my best to donate works to nonprofits that are doing amazing work. I also give away my work from time to time for those who might not be able to afford it and promote social interaction.

AM: As one of the collaborators in the Origins: An NFL Collection, what does it mean to you to be part of this project?

ADLC: This project is HUGE! As a kid, I was a big NFL fan, and now as a parent, football plays a big part in my life 24/7. I have twin sons (and a wife) who are borderline obsessed with the sport, so for me to be involved at this level is definitely a project I am happy about, and so are they. Being Mexican and a fan of the sport, you don’t see much representation on the field, so for me, this project was an opportunity for us to be seen at this level. I really wanted to show any kids who are artists or have a desire to play the sport that we can find ways to be seen on and off the field in the NFL.

AM: What were you inspired by in terms of the items that you designed in this collaboration?

ADLC: Many of the works I create involve the idea of deconstruction and breaking something down to its simplest form. For the collection, I wanted to create something that my fan base – who might not be football fans – would appreciate, and for football fans who aren’t familiar with my work would recognize.

First, the use of black and white was inspired by the referee uniform. The referee is someone who plays a big part in the game and, at times, can control the game. The artwork on the garments is scaled at 2” wide, which is the width of the black and white stripes found on the official NFL referee uniform.

Second was the location of the artwork. This was inspired by the player, their passion and what they put their body through playing the sport. I created an all-over design because they take hits all over the body and sometimes walk away with wounds and scars that they have for life, all for the love of the sport.

Third was the design, I created unique marks using my signature style that reference routes found in a playbook. I wanted to capture the simplest thing that was recognizable and had that feel of hand-drawn.

I wanted to capture the simplest thing that was recognizable and had that feel of hand-drawn.

The colors of the garments are white on black (chalk on board), black on white (marker on dry erase board) and the grey colorway is a nod to San Francisco and our reputation for being covered in fog.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us that we should know about?

ADLC: Please be on the lookout for the online release of the collection at AARONDELACRUZ.COM on Feb 7th. If you happen to be in San Francisco for the Super Bowl, be on the lookout for a city-wide project I’m doing on Feb 6th. This project will involve me creating 11 original works of art and dropping them off at 11 different locations throughout the city. I’m using this as an opportunity for people to discover and support independently owned businesses within the 11 districts (11 players on the field!) of San Francisco. All of this will take place on my Instagram (@aarondelacruz) so you will need to follow and see what happens!

Aside from that, I’m working on multiple projects and continuing to play this game of life while supporting my team (family). Trying my best to win the MVP for being the best Dad in the league and not end up on the injured reserve list haha.

IG @aarondelacruz

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Origins: An NFL Collection

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see ORIGINS an NFL Collection in mag.

THE SUPER AGENT | LEIGH STEINBERG

We spoke with legendary sports agent, author and philanthropist, Leigh Steinberg. It was intriguing to hear how he became a sports agent before it was a core field and what research and strategy he puts into win-win dealmaking. Agents, managers/owners and entrepreneurs alike surely benefit from listening to and following his tried and true methods. He is all about making relationship bonds and helping athletes on and off the field. We discuss some of his major sports deals; working with top sports players and teams; as well as landing endorsements that align with player values. His new book, The Comeback: Resilience, Empathy and What Matters, comes out this Super Bowl, and includes his story of alcohol addiction and rebounding to be over a decade of continuous sobriety, as well as continuing to help athletes on the field; their health; as well as being a role model and supporting their respective communities, nurturing young sports talent, and during local tragedies.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So what led you to become a sports agent?

LEIGH STEINBERG: Well there really wasn’t a field of organized sports agentry when I began.I was a dorm counselor in an undergrad dorm working my way through law school and they moved the freshman football team into the dorm, and one of the students was the quarterback, Steve Bartowski, and in 1975 he became the very first player picked overall in the draft, the first player in the first round, and he asked me to represent him. I was out of law school a year choosing between different offers, and all of a sudden here I had the first pick in the NFL Draft and we ended up with the largest rookie contract in NFL history.

So that got it started, but my dad had two core values. One was treasure relationships, especially family and the other was make a meaningful difference in the world. In that very first experience, I saw that athletes were venerated in idol worships and that if I used their experience to try to trigger positives in the world that we could send them back to the high school community, and they could set up scholarship funds, or work with Boys and Girls Club, or a Church at the Collegiate level, they could endow scholarship or retrofit equipment and bond with the alums, and at the pro level that we could set up a charitable foundation that would attack some problem that bothered them in the world and use the leading business figures political figures and community leaders to assist in executing the program.

So that’s work done and running back who just put the 220th single mother and her family into the first home they’ll ever own, or Patrick Mahomes II his 15 and the Mahomies it helps at-risk kids, kids in hospitals, kids without enough to eat, and so that’s how I began, and that’s been the spirit of our firm.

AM: So how is it that you built the relationships with the team owners, the managers, and the GMs to get to some of those biggest deals ever?

LS: I think the whole key in life is listening skills. It’s being able to draw out another human being cut below the surface; understand their deepest anxieties and fears and greatest hopes and dreams; and see the world the way the other person sees it.

Now put your heart and mind into the heart and mind of a general manager, of an owner, of a potential client, and really people don’t tend to share their deepest emotional feelings very easily - so you have to create an atmosphere of trust around another human being so they’ll peel back the layers of the onion and show you who they are, and then you can craft win-win scenarios.

AM: That’s great. So what is it about win-win negotiating that has such big results? We’d love to hear more about your formula.

LS: So it’s first of all, doing an internal inventory so you understand how important is short-term economic gain and how important is long-term economic security. What about family or geographical location, or profile or autonomy and for an athlete? How important is being on a winning team, the quality of coaching, the system that they run the facilities.. and it’s to have an understanding if you’re representing a client of really what is critical to them in this transaction. It’s understanding what’s critical to a management type in the same situation. So it’s doing research ahead of time, it’s understanding the business, the profitability, the revenue streams and in contemporary sports salary caps, and understanding how they work and how to work around them. So it’s really a commitment to a win-win scenario where both parties walk away happy, and it takes creativity so there are times where you need to think outside the square and be more creative in how to problem solve.

AM: There’s so many lessons that you could give us just in an entrepreneurship in general, so what were some of the tools you used or even a war story about when you saw an owner a manager and or GM on the other side, but they weren’t really meshing where they agreed on what to do?

LS: So that’s where it can be important to go to the ultimate decision maker, and hopefully if I can negotiate with an owner.. can I create a concept of whose reality will govern in the situation. So one of the things I do is to create exhibits that show exactly how valuable a player is in a series of statistical categories or honors and that just how that relates to the market, so if we’ve done that correctly it should be a blueprint for a logical conclusion. So instead of saying I want the money or the most money, or whatever you’re trying - motivate the other side through logic, statistics and give them a framework to view compensation through.

AM: What has been part of your recipe for building strong relationships and bonds on and off the field?

LS: Part of it is not embarrass people publicly. That it’s understanding that there are, especially in sports having public exposure, putting the team in an awkward position creating a conflict publicly doesn’t near to the benefit of a client. In other words, you should try to do these things seamlessly behind the scenes quietly so that the first time anyone even knows negotiations are happening is when you have a happy player sitting signing his contract. So it’s being careful to safeguard relationships. if you’re in a situation where someone from the other side has his neck exposed and you’re tempted to step on it, the only thing I can tell you for sure is your neck will be exposed at some point in the future, and I think it’s critical to honor those relationships.

We live in primarily an oral world, so your word is your bond. So I think it’s really important to be trustworthy and to not try to build your own stature through diminishing others.

AM: Very true. So I know you’ve been asked a lot about Jerry Maguire in the past. It really hit me hard when I got to see it, so I wanted your impression by being an advisor, by being the inspiration and also the memo and the infamous tagline - I’d love to hear your thoughts about it.

LS: Well for the memo as you know, our concept is role modeling making a difference in the world. So it’s a boxer Lennox Lewis cutting a public service announcement that says real men don’t hit women and that could trigger behavioral attitude in rebellious adolescents more than a thousand authority figures ever could. So Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) called me up, the writer/director in ‘93 and asked if he could follow me around for a film that would be based on a sports agent. So he went to the NFL draft with me in New York. He went to league meetings in Palm Desert. He went to Super Bowl. He came to a series of games with me and went to pro scouting day at USC. He was like a fly on the wall and I told him stories.. lots and lots of stories and what part of those stories went into it, I’ll leave to Cameron, but then I was technical advisor so I had to vet the script to make sure [there was] the willing suspension of disbelief that holds you in the picture, and that the dialogue seems real, that the look is authentic and didn’t get tampered with, and then I worked with the actors.

I took Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Men of Honor, Boyz N The Hood, Selma), who played the wide receiver down to Phoenix for the Super Bowl and made him pretend he was a wide receiver client of mine all week and he hung out with Desmond Howard and Amani Toomer. I actually had to show the quarterback in the film played by Jerry O’Connell (Stand By Me, Las Vegas, Scream 2) how to throw a spiral because he had gone to NYU and they didn’t have a football program. So anyway it’s been 27 years and still every time I go to an airport or go out to dinner someone runs up to the table and either asks me to say those four words or says them to me that start with ‘Show Me The..’

AM: And is it taken well by you for the most part?

LS: Sure I think that I believe the film humanized sports agents and showed some of the true caring that goes into the relationships and you know it was the highest grossing sports film of all time until The Blind Side came along.

AM: Hmm, well we love that movie and thank you for being part of it and being an inspiration. It’s also inspiration for business people on passion, ethics, discipline and holding on; it’s an inspiration for people in romance - I mean the movie does go beyond sports too.

LS: So it’s really cool one of the reasons it was popular was the relationship, yeah romantic relationship. I have a new book coming out at the Super Bowl and it’s about resilience. It’s called The Comeback and it comes from the realization that life will frustrate us all at some level, hopefully minor and not catastrophic, but in many cases because of divorce and relationship problems and financial problems and substance abuse, people hit a situation where they lost their way and and they seem to be destructive. So the question is not whether that’ll happen in some form, it happens to us all. It’s how do you come back from that? How do you find resilience seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? So, it’s stories of resilience, including my own story.

AM: That’s really cool, looking forward to reading it. A lot of people need comebacks and you know as you’re speaking I think there is also a big epidemic right now of people functioning in their jobs or tasks or relationships but silently maybe not liking it or fitting where where they’re they might be just accomplishing the status quo but they need that pivot or growth that we kind of all need a comeback.

LS: Right, so sometimes not the most devastating moments, but it could be assessing yourself every now and again and making sure that you’re on the right path that’s where that internal assessment tool where you know short-term economics, long-term economic, profile making a difference in the world autonomy - you know vacation, whatever it is it’s having the most pristine clarity as what really will bring fulfillment to a person.

You know it’s fair to say, I battled with alcohol and crashed back in 2010, and so you know people are out there still suffering. The first key is breaking denial. OK, alcohol and addiction is a disease that tells you that you don’t have a disease, so it’s having some clarity about the fact that you’ve hit bottom. You don’t want to live this way for the rest of your life and you’ll take action. My action was a 12-step program, with a unique fellowship and the point is there is light at the end of the tunnel. I mean I just turned 15 and a half years continuously sober, so the point is for people out there despairing, who are confused and despondent - reach out! There’s help available and you can turn your life back into the fulfilling journey that you hope for that’s great.

AM: Let’s discuss the groundbreaking Mahomes deal, so how is it going through all that when you land that deal in 2020 with the Chiefs? What were you feeling when you closed the deal? What did it take to get there? How did Patrick feel and I guess you guys were on top of the world then!!

LS: Again, I think it’s understanding every client and to Patrick what was important was winning and wanted to go to the super bowl. In other words, it wasn’t enough to be the highest paid player on a team that was losing or under, so it’s part of what’s different about representing athletes, is that you’re not representing a corporation or a pig iron manufacturer or some commercial, and they’re a human being, so that you start to grow and care for the person you become bonded with. So being able to guarantee lifetime security felt really good.

AM: You have been a such a pioneer involved with endorsement deals. You know it’s great, that in the endorsement deals that you advocate and close for like-minded values between the players and hopefully the brand at the time and continuing. How is it finding those relationships between athlete and brand and showing athletes that they don’t just have to do things for money, that they could do things with money and values attached.

LS: Well one of the things I’ve tried to be careful of is advising clients not to do all that many endorsements [until] they’ve established a sports career. So to sort of take it easy so Mahomes didn’t do endorsements his first year, he wasn’t a starter and the second he was at the end of that year it was fine, but you want to prove to the fans of the city, to the ownership, to the other players that you’re serious about football or baseball or basketball, and you’re committed. Also hopefully set up a charitable foundation that shows you’re serious about being involved in that community, so a lot is about values, it’s about understanding that high profile is a role model and that your associations with products and and companies in the world ought to do what you suggested, which is to share the same values about what’s important. If you believe in helping people, then there’s a component there and each of the deals can actually have a structure where they go back to help the charity.

AM: Then sometimes you’re involved with helping athletes give back just to a disaster and being involved with the situation. How do you help facilitate those positive impact scenarios?

LS: I remember Ben Roethlisberger donated when they had the big tidal waves in Thailand. He donated a game check to relief, so it’s having an awareness of the time and place. One of the things we’ve been able to do at our Super Bowl party which I hold every year, is to address problems. So for example, back in Miami around 2008 or 2009, we shipped the water machine to Haiti. They had just had an earthquake and cholera problems with impure drinking water, we were able to ship a water machine that purified the water for 140,000 people. So it’s when we had troops in the field, we did a live hookup with troops between the Super Bowl party and Afghanistan and Iraq, so it’s having an awareness of what’s going on societally.

Years ago I created something called the Sporting Green Alliance and it took sustainable technology and wind, solar, recycling, resurfacing and water to state the arena and practice fields to drop carbon emissions and energy costs and it transformed them into teaching platforms. So the millions of fans that go could see a waterless urinal or solar panel and think about how to integrate those concepts into their homes and businesses.

AM: Then there’s also the Leigh Steinberg Foundation, so that’s where you’re helping educate about head trauma and CTE.

LS: I had a crisis conference back in the 1980s because I’m representing half the starting quarterbacks and they keep getting hit in the head and we would go to doctors and ask how many is too many? What’s the number that should contemplate retirement and they had no answers. So we started holding brain health summits back in 1994, and the first one here in Newport Beach had Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Warren Moon, and Drew Bledsoe, all came and listened to neurologists. By the time we got to about 2006, doctors like Bennett Amalu told us that three or more seemed to be the magic number, and after that you had an exponentially higher chance of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, premature senility, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and depression. So I call this a ticking time bomb. We’ve continued to have those brain health summits. We did two hours in New Orleans at our Super Bowl party, and I thought why not establish a foundation to raise money for research into brain health. There are two new modalities, one’s called RTMS and the other is neurofeedback. They can actually through neuroplasticity rehire a concuss rewire a concussed brain, so we’re making some progress and I have a series of neurologists on the board of the foundation and some iconic athletes.

AM: You’ve done so much, including golf tournaments and youth support for talented youth to get sponsorships. What is it that drives you to do so much good in the world beyond being an agent?

LS: So my my dad used to say if you see a problem in the world as tiny as picking up a piece of trash or as big as racism or climate change, and your tendency is to wait for they or them to solve the problems, older people, political figures, you know someone else, he would say, you could wait forever son, ‘the they is you,’ ‘you are the they.’ So it’s just a sense of responsibility, that’s part of why I’m in this world, is to heal pain to help people who can’t help themselves, to try, and be as active as I can in bringing hope and healing into the world.

AM: What is one lesser known story in either closing a deal, or in working with a top client - our community would certainly love it.

LS: So Ben Roethlisberger, Super Bowl winning quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was very superstitious, and so he had a routine he did before every game. So it came time to see the AFC championship, which was Pittsburgh versus Denver in Denver, and usually players will reserve tickets for you as an agent and everything. So I called Ben before that game about tickets and there was silence on the other end of the line, and I said is there a problem? He said, ‘yeah well, last year you came in Pittsburgh to the AFC championship game, and we lost.’ I said, well Ben there were 70,000 other people there too. He says, ‘I don’t know,’ but I said you mean I can’t come to the game? He said, well you could go to willcall, but you’ll be waiting for hours. So at any rate, they played, they won. So go back to the Super Bowl, which was played in Detroit, and I’m on the bus on the way back with him, and I said, ‘Ben guess what? You just won the Super Bowl, and I’m here, so I guess I get to go to more Super Bowls?” And he says, “Yes, but never an AFC championship game.”

IG @leighsteinberg

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Leigh Steinberg

Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see THE SUPER AGENT | Leigh Steinberg in mag.

NYFW SS26 EDIT

As we look to other cities around the globe that will continue to showcase SS26 fashion in menswear and womenswear, this month, we’re sharing a recap of some of the shows that we attended and what stood out during this season’s NYFW.

JANET MANDELL NYFW SS26

We kicked off our first day of NYFW at the Janet Mandell show which took place in the LES at The DL. Her show was A Tribute to Vintage: Janet Mandell’s Archival Runway. Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of attending her showroom here in NY (she also has them in Chicago and Los Angeles) which is home to rare vintage who has dresses the Kardashians, Rachel Zoe, Mindy Kaling, and more.

To see these pieces on the runway with a candlelit backdrop on a rooftop, we loved seeing some of the most coveted looks in luxury rental fashion! This show showcased rare looks from the 90s and early 2000s with designs by Roberto Cavalli, Christian Dior by John Galliano, Gucci by Tom Ford and Gianni Versace.

At the conclusion of this show, which left a number of the guests in a dream to see these pieces all in one place, we enjoyed champagne after the event as a means to get ready for a busy season ahead!

IG @janetmandell

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 122 - 123 Janet Mandell |

MORPHEW FLAGSHIP LAUNCH

Interestingly enough, upon leaving The DL, we made our way around the block to Morphew who had a lovely get together to launch their new location of their vintage luxury fashion and art. Their collection includes ready-to-wear, rare luxury vintage, and atelier pieces.

IG @morphew_world

NEW YORK MEN’S DAY MORNING SESSION NYFW SS26

Although we had attended functions the night before, NYMD took place on the first official day of NYFW. This event is one that we enjoy due to the fact that over the course of the morning and the afternoon, you see a curated group of designers.

Both sessions took place at the Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan, which is a large showroom. This season’s presenting sponsors were PROJECT (represents what’s new, now, and next in men’s contemporary apparel, footwearm and accessories) and COTERIE (is the premier women’s contemporary to advanced apparel, footwear, and accessories platform).

The venue host was at the Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan showroom, which allowed attendees to see all the shows, while also being immersed in a luxury space showcasing this brand and partnerships.

In this first group of shows, 4 brands presented their collection to attendees. archie was part of NYMD for the first time. They shared their line with their models rotating on a playground spinner with neutral tones. It was a great way to see the movement of the collection as well as to see everything together.

Peak Lapel was back for another season and had a number of tipped blazers in primary colors with a nod to preppy style. As opposed to being in motion, this presentation of this collection allowed attendees to see them playing chess and had a feeling of sitting in the park as opposed to being in a luxury showroom with G Wagons nearby.

Clara Son is a menswear brand that was back for another season. This collection had a playful take on menswear while incorporating suiting and great separates. There were pops of colors as well as neutrals. It’s always a line that has a distinct point of view.

The last designer to be part of NYMD for the morning session was Oxblood Zebra that returned for another season. This collection has signature pieces that reminded us of items that your favorite artist or athlete would wear.

IG @newyorkmensday

@coterie_show

@archie__usa

@peaklapelnyc

@clarasonstudio

@theoxbloodzebra

@mercedesbenzmanhattan

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 124 Oxblood Zebra/Angel Flores | PG 125 Max Esmail |

RYNSHU NYFW SS26

Rynshu’s box style show allowed every attendee to see the looks that hit the runway at all angles. Although this brand was new to us, we loved the flowing silhouettes, sequins, and a clean palette.

IG @rynshu

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 127 Rynshu |

NEW YORK MEN’S DAY AFTERNOON SESSION NYFW SS26

We made our way back to the Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan showroom to see the afternoon shows, which included 4 additional designers.

For the first time, FIT MW25 Collective shared a curated group of designs! It’s always nice to see what the next generation of creatives and designers are looking to do to put their fingerprint on this industry!

Bryan Jimenez introduced their menswear collection for the first time at NYMD this season! We found that this collection has great core essentials that could be worn dressed up or even casually. It also had such an easy sensibility that we can’t wait to continue to see more from this designer and how it will evolve from season to season.

The first time that we had seen Joseph McRae, it was at another season of NYMD. If you have been watching the current season of Freeform’s Project Runway, you know that he was a contestant and he brought the drama in a number of the challenges. We’re not doing a spoiler alert in case you have yet to see it. As usual, he likes to play with proportion, he’s phenomenal when it comes to dramatic pieces that make a statement.

Max Esmail returned with suiting and outerwear in menswear. The fact that we were at the Mercedes-Benz showroom, it was a great backdrop for this Miami Vice gotham style look.

IG @fitnyc

@bryanjimeneznyc

@joseph_mcrae

@max.esmail

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 125 Max Esmail |

CHRISTIAN SIRIANO, MACY’S I.N.C X CHRISTIAN SIRIANO + RECEPTION NYFW SS26

A Christian Siriano is an event not to be missed, from star studded attendees, to fashion that is always next level, we were excited to see his NYFW SS26 runway show that took place at Macy’s. Transformed into a golden draped space his muse, Coco Rocha opened and closed this phenomenal show which was filled with dramatic pieces.

Once this show completed, we made our way to the executive floor of this iconic heritage department store, where they had a gallery of curated looks by the designer who also serves as Creative Director of Macy’s I.N.C.

The selection of blazers that were embellished with details was nice to see as we made our way to the roofdeck to enjoy a cocktail reception. In addition to Christian coming to celebrate the 40th year of Macy’s I.N.C. he mingled with guests along with Coco Rocha herself.

IG @csiriano

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 128 - 132 Christian Siriano |

NATALIA FEDNER NYFW SS26

We have been fans of Natalia Fedner ever since we saw her S1 on Project Runway. She is known for creating Stretch Metal which has been created for dresses, tops, skirts, and swimwear. A number of celebs from Lenny Kravitz, Beyonce, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and more have worn her pieces. In addition, we have even styled her pieces in our cover photoshoot of an NFL Super Bowl Champion winner as well.

We enjoyed seeing her show on Sun night during NYFW for her SS26 collection which had a number of fun pieces in Metal Couture from solids to prints in her iconic 6-way Stretch Metal style.

IG @nataliafedner

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 134 + 135 Natalia Fedner |

FREDERICK ANDERSON NYFW SS26

For the past few seasons, we have enjoyed attending Frederick Anderson’s NYFW shows, and for his SS26 season, he focused on the concept of joy. There were definite beach vibes in his collection that made you think of booking a trip to Bali, Sao Paulo, and Miami. Of course they are perfect for warm nights right here in NYC!

IG @frederickanderson_designer

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 136 + 137 Frederick Anderson |

MOTT50 EDITION + COOLIBAR NYFW SS26

We ended our NYFW shows at 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar where Coolibar, a suncare brand for apparel showcased elements of their collection as a standing presentation, a runway show for Coolibar, and another runway show for their luxury portion of the line known as Mott50. Before and after the show, we enjoyed a sunny warm summer night in the golden hour which was paired with cocktails and light bites.

Protecting our skin and wearing products that have UPF 50+ built in is a great way to make sure that you are taking care of yourself. We had the pleasure of interviewing Supermodel and 90s icon, Niki Taylor moments before she made her return to the runway in this show as she opened and closed it!

ATHLEISURE MAG: It is so great to sit with you before you hit the runway! I remember when your first cover for Seventeen Magazine came out and it’s great to see how you have navigated your career. It’s so great to meet you.

When did you realize that you wanted to be a model?

NIKI TAYLOR: Oh my gosh! My mom was a model, she had done a couple magazine covers for Gold Coast back in the early 70s, and then she became a photographer. I think just growing up, I was always taller than everybody else. I think that’s when people were like, “oh, she should get into modeling.”

AM: Exactly!

NT: There were some teen things going on in South Florida, so we looked up modeling agencies in Fort Lauderdale and Irene Marie and Michele Pommier came up and I went to both of them. So my mom and I, we made a little black and white comp card and went to a photographer that took black and white photos. I just remember, that I had the hat and the bob and a couple at my mom’s photos we put on this comp card and we sent it into Irene Marie and they said no. They’re like, “nope, she needs braces - come back when her braces are off.” At that time, I was getting ready to get them. I did. I came back and there was a guy named JJ Cortez at Irene Marie. He was a modeling scout, and he said, “hey, we’re gonna sign you,” and the rest is history!

AM: You’ve had a phenomenal career from covers, hosting, and just so many different things. What do you love about what it is that you do, and did you envision that it would be all of this?

NT: I was a fan first. I would spend my allowance. I would ride my bike to the drugstore, buy a Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, and then put Christy, Naomi, and Linda on my wall!

AM: Exactly.

NT: I would look at that and say, I’m going to do that! I think that the drugstore had Italian Vogue one time – I don’t know how it got there!

AM: But it was like destiny!

NT: It was. It was all of the girls doing fashion shows. I remember I was, like, oh my, gosh, there’s Helena Christensen. There is Christy Turlington, she’s my favorite. Anything that I could find with Steven Meisel that he shot was on my wall.

Irene Marie brought me to New York. I did a modeling competition for Spectrum, and I won that. And then, from there, I signed with them and then I went to, um, my first show which was Thierry Mugler when when I was 14. I just remember being the first model there. So I got to watch them all come in, and all the personalities that arrived! My dad had one of those little throwaway cameras. I remember my dad coming with me.

I sat down and Danilo was doing my hair, and I could see Helena Christensen behind me and smiling at each other. I just feel like I was more a fan and the fact that I am still doing this and I get to do this, I’m very lucky.

AM: Well, we love hearing about people’s fitness routines. So, what are 3 that you do that we should consider incorporate into ours?

NT: Well, this is my husband, Burney.

AM: Hello!

NT: We weight train and see a trainer twice a week. We do a lot of walking. We love riding bikes. Anywhere we go on vacation or from work, we try to find somewhere that has bikes.

AM: That’s so cute!

BURNEY LAMAR: Have you done the Citi Bikes?

AM: No, I have not done the Citi Bikes.

NT: Oh my gosh, you have to!

BL: They’re amazing.

AM: I don’t know, you have the crazy drivers and then you have you on the Citi Bike. Yeah, I don’t know about that.

BL: They have a dedicated lane for them!

NT: Oh yeah they have they green lane.

AM: Oh yes – as long as they adhere to that!!

NT: They definitely look out for that bike lane! Talk about getting around fast!

AM: That part is true!

NT: Especially if you are late for something. It does help having somebody with you.

BL: We were ripping around last night.

NT: We did! We went downtown to the Oculus on our Citibikes. Then he said, “alright, let’s take the train,” so we’ll took it back uptown. Then we took another bike so we’re always moving.

We also do a lot of cardio as well, in addition to trying to lift heavyweight 2X a week. It’s because of him that I do that, because if it’s just me, then I’m going to just want to stretch.

AM: Right, I thought that you were going to say pilates, but you have such a great mix.

NT: I just turned 50 and I’m a grandma, so I have a 9 month old grandbaby. His name is Nico. So, we just have to keep moving and that’s our workout routine pretty much!

AM: Are there things that you do when you’re about to do a photoshoot, campaign, walk the runway etc to get into that mindset?

NT: I just feel like we do something every day. I love food. I’m a good eater and I always have been. You can ask my husband, I go up and I go down. I can tell when things are getting a little tight, right?

AM: Yup!

NT: It’s just portion control and a little bit more cardio! I’ve always been like that, and I have a sweet tooth. I can probably put down dessert more than anybody here. I love my sugar. So I have to workout. To get ready for this, I just try to do something every day, and I’m just trying to bring up my heart rate and sweat a little bit.

AM: How did you get connected to this brand? And you know, how excited are you going to be to be able to be a part of the show today?

NT: I’m not sure you’ve met Luis.

AM: Not yet.

NT: Not yet, okay so he will be speaking a little bit tonight. Him and I, we worked together in Miami, before this company for another clothing company. I just grew up in South Florida. I’ve always been in the sun. I know the importance of protecting your skin, and I just wish I had this clothing back then. We love being outside. I could have used their sun sleeves. They have an amazing bandana. I love their sun hats, too. My daughter, Ciel and I, we got to do this shoot together, which was fun. And she’s very good about protecting her skin. She doesn’t go in the sun at all.

My dad struggled a little bit towards the end of his life and had squamous (Editor’s Note: A common type of skin cancer that develops in the flat, thin cells – squamous cells – of the skin’s outer layer). So they were cutting off little pieces of his shoulders – he would mow the lawn without his shirt on. He would run and he had no sunscreen and back then, we didn’t wear sunscreen!

AM: Back then it wasn’t something that we think about as much as we do not. And sunscreen is for everyone across skin tones, hues, shades and whether the sun is out or not – regardless of the time of year!

NT: Yes!

AM: If you are breathing, you need to wear and use it!

NT: Oh yeah and think about the areas you don’t think about like your ears and there are so many areas that just get avoided.

AM: Especially your neck when you’re hair is pulled up and you’re not thinking about it.

NT: I wish this clothing brand was out there back in the 90s, it would have been nice. But this brand is UPF 50+ protection from UVA, UVB, and It’s 98 protection. It was founded in 2001 it’s the first brand that earned the Skin Cancer Foundation recommendation.

AM: That’s huge.

NT: I just love that you’re protected and it does not wash out. It’s in the clothing.

AM: The lookbook was amazing and it will be nice to see the collection when it hits the runway! The pieces are just so modern, very stylish and flowy, and I just appreciate you taking the time.

IG @nikilovesu

@coolibar

@mott50

PHOTO CREDITS | PG 138 - 143 Coolibar |

Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see NYFW SS26 EDIT in mag.

IT'S ABOUT THE GAME | DILLON GABRIEL

This month has been a busy one and for NFL prospects, it has special significance as they awaited the NFL Draft 2025 which took place Apr 24 - 26th in Green Bay, Wisconsin. We had the pleasure of talking with quarterback Dillon Gabriel of the University of Oregon. As we talked with him prior to the draft, we had no idea where he would go although as of the release of this issue, he will be playing for the Cleveland Browns!

In sitting with him prior to the draft, we wanted to konw more about his love for the game, his approach to playing it, his partnership with Echelon fitness, what it's like to go through the NFL Combine and what it involves, being a finalist for The Heisman Trophy, and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with football?

DILLON GABRIEL: I think it was from a young age being able to watch my dad. It was just someone you look up to and someone that you wanted to be able to emulate and to be just like. I think that was just in life, but I also think that sports is a big part of our upbringing and of course, I have played all of the sports that you could play at the time. But I just fell in love with football because it has been something that I just – it’s just enjoyable, it’s something about it with it’s team aspect that you have everyone coming together to accomplish a goal. So, I would just say that at a very young age.

AM: What do you love about being a quarterback?

DG: I love the ability to have the ball in your hands for every single play. I think that the decision making and processing is a lot of fun. I think that it’s the combination of preparation and then actually doing it. Getting those 2 things in sync is actually difficult to do just by yourself.

AM: Yeah.

DG: Let alone having to do it with other people. You can’t throw the ball unless you have protection up front. You can’t get yardage unless there is a catch down the field and I just think that that teamwork aspect in every single play where 11 people have to be in unison, it’s just a lot of fun because you are doing it together. I think that more than that, the relationships, the people, and the friendships that last a lifetime. Those are memories that no one is going to be able to take from you and that’s good and bad!

AM: Well, that’s true too!

Did you always think that when you started playing that you would do this all throughout school and did you imagine yourself going to the NFL?

DG: I did. I always had this dream where I know that a dream is one thing, but in order to make it a reality, there has to be work behind it. I always felt like I was determined in that way of matching my habits with my goals. I think that for a lot of the time, I just stayed present. I tried to be really good with where my feet were and I learned that in college.

Now that I am here, it’s hard to believe in the sense of time has gone by so fast. But I’m not surprised that I’m here because I know that when I was in certain moments, I knew that I was going to maximize it and I knew that my love and care for my passion – how disciplined I am every single day. So when you match those 2, I knew that I’d be in a good spot and it’s still surreal. I’m back home and you see the kids – how excited they get and for me, I see it as myself being in their shoes once. But all it was was me committing to a goal or a dream. That’s always been a way for me to just ground myself and to understand that even though it's a higher level football there is still that passion aspect and love for it. It’s the work that I have done behind it that I have been doing from a younger age. Now, it just gets that much more challenging as a competitor.

AM: What’s an average week for you when you’re training in season versus the off season?

DG: I think that off season is very grind mode. I would say that it is physically more taxing. You’re always trying to get your speed work in and your strength work in. For a quarterback, throwing a football is a whole different aspect to your off season workout. So you attack those 3 while still being around ball and talking football. I think that that is a language, just like any other language to excel at it, you have to speak it consistently and live in it. That is what I try to do while still making the physical aspect more of a focal point.

In season, I think the physical aspect takes a back seat at least day-to-day until gameday comes, but mentally, it’s a lot more challenging. Learning a game plan, executing it, getting everyone on the same page, having conversations individually position wise as a unit and a team. Then there are aspects too that are more than Xs and Os. The motivation aspect and being able to keep people motivated and having themes of the week. So, you encompass all of that while having the physical tax on your body. If I looked at it like that, I would say those 2 things are different in the off season vs in season.

AM: Our community is always excited about workouts that they can include in the routines that they already do. What are 3 workouts that you do that you think could be beneficial for us to think about when we want to switch up our routines?

DG: I love rotational strength. Of course, I’m a throwing athlete, but I believe that being able to have strength in rotation is still good for change of direction. It’s done me well and I love the cable machine. So anyone who can do the cable machines, we’ve tried it from each angle – high, hip height, and low. I love cable rotation and I’ll do those 3 different angles.

I really love working with speed. I love speed and one that I love to do as well is a core bosu ball. I got put onto this core routine that I love. It’s a bosu ball, you put your back on it. You do single leg V ups 10 on each side and then you do cross leg kind of like elbow to knee. So I do 10 reps each and that’s 40 reps total. I don’t care how good you get at it, there’s a rush and a burn and that’s one of my workouts.

I’m also going to go with the curls and things like that. Those are our base workouts that we do with legs - you’ll always catch me doing core and arms at the end.

AM: Tell us about this partnership with Echelon Fitness and how it’s giving back to your high school, Mililani which we think is really interesting.

DG: Yeah, I think that what I love about Echelon is their ability to be able to make training fun, but also that coaching aspect that you still get. I believe that when you are able to have intent behind your lifts and workouts – there is that motivational aspect too where you get direct feedback.

Are you lifting, what’s the strength, speed – and that is where the strength is going. That’s strength training and working out in general. I used it every single day when we were doing team lifts. Being able to have that aspect in our workouts is huge, but I think that when you’re marrying that with what we are doing at Mililani High School, I think that that’s powerful. The impact that that will create for athletes that are trying to get back on the field – it’s like double the work that you’re trying to do. You’re trying to get healthy and you want to dominate when you’re on the field. Being able to have that direct feedback and have measurables, but also walk into state of the art equipment allows you to feel really confident in your workout. I think that for anyone to be able to work in that kind of an environment, you’re going to be better. You’re motivated that much more to get better and to benefit yourself so that you can see results on the field. I am just appreciative of them because they see the vision as well and they understand the youth and what’s up and coming is very important. Any way that we can protect them in any way – I always talk about protection with working out. How are they doing workouts that are beneficial to them and will translate to what they ae doing on the field. With Echelon, you have all of that information in that database on your monitor for each piece of equipment. That’s a unique and cool part to what we are all doing.

AM: That’s so exciting. How did that come together between yourself and Echelon to provide that equipment for your high school?

DG: I think it was about similar visions and being able to hop on the phone with them with Dara and their CEO Lou. We got both of them on the phone and it was just clear visions on both ends with what we wanted to accomplish and believing in that. I think that now that we’re here and you see it in person finally, there have been all of these conversations, but now to see it it’s just a whole different aspect to see things happening in real time. I’m glad that we got to this point and I know that they are a huge piece of what we are doing.

AM: You’ve had an incredible collegiate career, you were a finalist for The Heisman Trophy – what are you the most proud of in this portion of your life right now and what has this meant to you?

DG: I’m definitely most proud of the memories and I think just the journey. As a whole, it has had a lot of success. I’d be lying if I said that there was no failure. I think that when you’re able to learn from that failure, and grow, ultimately whenever there was an uncertainty or an unknown, that is where I have had the most ability to grow. I think that I’m just proud of that journey and how I managed that. I have always chosen good people to be around, but at the same time, the law of attraction. Who you are as a person is who you want to be around. I’ve always tried to live by that and I have faith in what God has in store for the future.

But then I also have those memories that are just day-to-day. The locker room stories – even to this day, I still laugh at those little interactions in the weight room. Just as little as that, on top of those big wins and great environments – the triumph of working through something that was difficult. Because everything worth having doesn’t come easy. For me, I think that all of that is what I think about. The awards and all of that is something that you appreciate because a bunch of people came together to accomplish a goal. There was success in that way. But more than those, I think that you just know that it is the ultimate team sport. Although we highlight individuals, there is no way that you do it alone. That is why I appreciate the game of football.

AM: Can you talk a bit about the NFL Combine, what takes place there, and how one prepares themselves for this so we have a better feel for the journey leading up to the draft and being placed on an NFL team (Editor’s Note: The purpose of the NFL Scouting Combine is to provide NFL teams with a standard platform to evaluate and assess the physical and mental abilities of 300 or so invited top draft-eligible college football prospects before the NFL Draft for 4 days. It allows teams to gather comprehensive data, including medical exams, psychological tests, and on-field drills, all in one location, making it easier to compare players and make informed decisions)?

DG: So the Combine, after going to it, I see it as if any questions that they might have, they’re going to answer them. I say that’s physically, mentally, background – anything prior and what you know about football. I think that that just all encompasses you as a person. Then of course, it’s also about what you can do on the field because you’re going to compete as well. This is all taking place in a high stress environment so it’s also about how you are going to handle it. Who are you as a person when things aren’t exactly perfect. I think that the Combine has a unique way of doing that. They definitely got answers to all of their questions all day every day! They separated those questions as I mentioned before mentally and physically. So there were 40 yard dashes and throwing and competing on the field. There was more football work. Then you get in your formal meetings and you have those 15mins speed dating meetings where you’re talking football that whole entire time. How consistent are you – all day every day? How much do you love football? I’d say that that is the biggest thing – they get every question answered from every angle in their organization.

AM: That must have been exhilarating to be there and to be chosen, but also exhausting as well as that is intense and you are doing that across 4 days and across all those teams.

DG: 100%

AM: Obviously, the NFL Draft is Apr 24 – 26th. How are you preparing for that and what are you excited about?

DG: Honestly, I think that midway through this draft process, I think that I just let go and I just trusted what God has in store for me and for my future. He always has you know? I think it has been a unique way of knowing that you have to be right where your feet are. I say that because there is unknown and uncertainty. You’re in and out, your life is in a backpack. There is no home base or consistency in that way. You have to be comfortable with that uncomfortable. Midway through I realized I had no control other than how I work and what I do every single day. But at the end of the day, when the draft comes, all of my work is out in front of all 32 teams and one team will be the believer in what I do on the field and off the field, who I am as a person and what I bring to the table. I just have confidence in that and at the end of the day, all of that pageantry ends on that date and then you’re back to work!

AM: Right!

DG: So, the work that you have been putting in is going to show and I have confidence in my preparation as that is what I have pride in myself for the past 6 years of my college career. It’s going to continue on in the NFL.

AM: When you’re not playing the game or are thinking about the game, how do you take time for yourself?

DG: It’s hard because we love football and inevitably, we’re talking about it, but I think that that is when I go back to my passion. When you love it, it’s not so taxing and like anything, it can be a lot when it is encompassing your life the whole time, but being able to relax is just being around family. Being able to be around people where you can truly just be yourself. You don’t even have to have a conversation because their presence is all you need and you can understand one another through short conversation. I’m a big relaxing guy, I love to be around family and to try new things. I love food believe it or not and I’m from Hawaii so whenever we can go to a new food spot and try new things – that’s always great! I love being outdoors as well. Going on a walk and being out there with people you love is so nice. I think that for me, that’s always how I recharge. Even daily, if it’s a phone call or in person – that’s my thing.

IG @dillongabriel

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 43 + 44 University of Oregon | PG 47 @Thatsfye | PG 48 - 50 ESPN Honolulu

Read the APR ISSUE #113 of Athleisure Mag and see IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GAME | Dillon Gabriel in mag.

UNSTOPPABLE | RASHEE RICE

We're few months out from the NFL being back, and athletes across the league are putting in the work to be ready for the upcoming season as they look at how they will achieve their goals individually as well as on their teams. With that in mind, we're excited to have LVIII Super Bowl Champion Rashee Rice of the Kansas City Chiefs as this month's cover star!

We sit down with him to talk about his love for the game, what it's like playing his position, being on the Chiefs, playing for this team, looking at the season ahead, and what he does entrepreneurially as well as philanthropically off the field!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with football?

RASHEE RICE: When I was about five years old, I played for my local community team in Philly called the Island Eagles.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to play football professionally?

RR: I realized I wanted to play professionally when I got my first college offer. It was

like a testament to me - getting a full ride scholarship showed me that I was good enough, and I felt like I could take it even further.

AM: What can you tell us about being a Wide Receiver?

RR: I think the number one thing is that all eyes are always on you. It’s always you versus the man in front of you. So, you get a lot of one-on-one opportunities to prove yourself. You have to make the most of every opportunity you get when the ball's coming your way.

AM: What does it mean to you to play for the Kansas City Chiefs?

RR: It means everything to me. I have the best quarterback in the NFL, the best tightend, and the right guys around me. I also have the best coach - someone I looked up to as a kid growing up in Philly and an Eagles fan. I love playing for KC because the city doesn’t have a NBA team , so we are all they got to represent the city right now and I really enjoy that. We love that and we continue to embrace that.

AM: You played at SMU and had an amazing rookie season which culminated in a Super Bowl ring! What can you tell us about your football career and what the first year meant to you?

RR: I can tell you it wasn’t easy. It took a while for me to get situated and comfortable with who I wanted to surround myself with on the team and learn from. It was a grind - it was the longest season I have ever experienced, transitioning from college to the NFL. Dealing with the transition and training was hard, but paid off.

AM: You're entering your 2nd year in the NFL with this team, what are you looking forward to?

RR: I’m looking forward to competing and showing the the world that I am one of the top receivers in the NFL.

AM: What is it like playing with Patrick Mahomes II as well as other members from this championship caliber team and what have you learned from them?

RR: Playing with Pat and the rest of the guys has been amazing. They already had that championship mindset that I wanted to learn from. So coming in, working and being able to be around them showed me I am capable of being a champion - all I have to do is follow their lead.

AM: What are 3 workouts that you do to optimize yourself in the sport that would be great for our community who are interested in adding items to their routines?

RR: Ladder drills – These help keep your feet quick and ready.

Catching tennis balls – The smaller ball forces you to focus on the catch, improving hand-eye coordination.

Conditioning – Running and endurance training help me stay in shape and prepare for any route I have to run.

AM: What have the past few months been like for you as you have been preparing for your second season?

RR: I’ve been focusing on by making sure my body and mindset are where they need to be. I have been focusing on my training and workouts, also spending time with my close family and friends.

AM: With the 2025 season coming up, what can you tell us about what game day is like for you in terms of things that you do on Sunday ahead of hitting the field and what you do after finishing your game?

RR: On game day, I wake up and pray, then start to get ready to head to the stadium,

depending on game time. When I get there I usually have some type of meeting or walkthrough. Overall, game day is a relaxed day for me. The most important thing for me is music – it’s everything. I listen to music all day getting my mindset right before hitting the field.

AM: Outside of the game, how do you take time for yourself when you're not training, preparing for the next game etc?

RR: I really love being in the crib and I love watching movies. My perfect day off is sitting on the couch, having some good food and watching a good movie.

AM: Tell us about Sun Walker, your clothing line!

RR: Sun Walker is my passion outside of football. It’s my clothing line that I recently dropped, that symbolizes my life. The sun represents the spotlight, and the Sun Walker represents me - everything I have overcome and will continue to overcome.

It reflects my journey and the transition of becoming the person I always hoped to be.

AM: How do you give back philanthropically?

RR: I do a lot for my community, I try to give back to every city that has been a part of my journey thus far. This past season, I held a Thanksgiving Drive for the families of Kansas City. I held a Christmas Drive for the children of Big Brother, Big Sister of Dallas. We were able to take them shopping at Target for some gifts. In April, I’m having an event for the kids of North Richland Hills, the city where I went to middle school and high school, to come out and have fun. In May, I’ll be having a free football camp in Dallas/Fort Worth, the city I attended college. So, I’m definitely doing some things to give back and going to continue to do some more initiatives in the future.

IG @doub11e_r

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT + BACK COVER, PG 17 - 21 AFTR-DRK | PG 24 Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire | PG 26 + 28 Rashee Rice | PG 26 Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire |

Read the MAR ISSUE #111 of Athleisure Mag and see UNSTOPPABLE | Rashee Rice in mag.

THE GOLDEN BACHELOR S2. E0. | MEET MEL OWENS

S2 of ABC’s The Golden Bachelor has been greenlit and is slated to film from Jun - Aug with the premiere being sometime this fall. We don’t have all the details yet, but we do know that Mel Owens (NFL veteran, formerly the founder of Evolution Wear and is currently a sports injury lawyer) will be the lead. He has not previously competed on the show. When we find out about who will be competing in his season, we’ll let you know!

As we do each season, we have shared these images (we’ll update their ABC gallery images) and we’ll begin to make the best guess on who will be going to Hometowns! We can’t wait to see how Grant and Jesse Palmer will vibe as he continues through the season and what surprises will be along the way.

Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!

Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.

We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | RASHEE RICE

Read the MAR ISSUE #111 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Rashee Rice in mag.

9PLAYLIST | RASHEE RICE

Read the MAR ISSUE #111 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Rashee Rice in mag.

ATHLEISURE MAG #111 | RASHEE RICE

In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with NFL Super Bowl Champion of the Kansas City Chiefs, Rashee Rice. We talk about his passion for the game, his journey, staying in shape, the upcoming season, and how he gives back philanthropically!

We sat down with Creator, Executive Producer, and writer Chris Brancato for Godfather of Harlem which is back for S4 on MGM+. We also interviewed cast members Rome Flynn, Lucy Fry, and Michael Raymond James as we talk about this historically inspired series, why they are part of this program and what we can expect this season. 

We sat down with pro surfer Brianna Cope who talks with us about her love for the beach, surfing, being in Surfer Girls on Prime Video, and her love for cooking on the beach! We chatted with her about her ambassadorship with Gozney and why this is something that we can enjoy when it comes to making pizzas wherever we roam.

We enjoyed an amazing dinner a few weeks back at Ludlow House to celebrate the launch of Cards on the Table, a digital series hosted by Stanley Tucci in partnership with Allbirds. After having such a great time at the event we wanted to know more about Allbirds as a brand, footwear aesthetic, how this series came about, and what we can look forward to.

We have been fans of Chef Maneet Chauhan for a number of years from her restaurants to her hosting and judging shows on Food Network. We sat down with her to find out how she got into the industry, why she loves cooking, finding out about her restaurant group, and upcoming projects.

Our kick off to Spring wouldn't be complete without our recap of this past Awards Season via 9R3DCARP3T which shares exclusive quotes with those who walked the red carpet as well as their teams.

This month's The Art of the Snack takes us to Singapore where we dine at Burnt Ends. We talk with Chef David Pynt on his culinary journey as well as what led him to launching this restaurant and what we can expect when we come in to dine.

This month's Athleisure List comes from Lolita in Midtown NY which have a phenomenal menu for your next meal as well as cocktails! In addition, we also head to Italy to enjoy ARIA Retreat + Spa.

This month we have our 9PLAYLIST from NFL Super Bowl Champion and Athleisure Mag cover, Rashee Rice of the Kansas City Chiefs. We have an additional 9PLAYLIST with EDM DJ/Producer,  KAAZE. This month's 9PLAYLIST MULTI comes US Open 2017 Grand Slam winner, Sloane Stepens who shares what she enjoys listening to, streaming, and reading. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from Rashee Rice and from pro surfer, Brianna Cope. This month's THE 9LIST 9CH3FS comes from Chef Hailey Nissimov of Figaro Cafe, Owner Will Patton and Creative Dir Devin of Press Club Cocktail Bar and our THE 9LIST 9B-L-D comes from BRAVO Top Chef S22 that is currently airing - Chef Lana Lagomarsini as she shares what dishes we can enjoy for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

9PLAYLIST | JALEN HURTS

Read the FEB ISSUE #110 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST Jalen Hurts in mag listen to his selects on 9PLAYLIST.

YOUR NEXT HOMEGATE | CHEF EDDIE JACKSON

This time of year, we're enjoying the changing of the leaves, the crisp air, adding a few fun layers, and getting in all the football games possibly from college to pro! Whomever you're cheering for, it's an opportunity to gather with family, friends, and colleagues throughout the week whether you're tailgating or homegating!

We headed over to Chef Eddie Jackson, NFL veteran and host of Food Network shows' Outchef'd and Christmas Cookie Challenge to talk about how we can take our entertaining to the next level when our teams are hitting the field, how we can make it easy on ourselves, his football picks, and of course his upcoming show for the holiday season!

ATHLEISURE MAG: So what was the first dish that made you fall in love with food?

CHEF EDDIE JACKSON: Ooo, so I grew up in a family of chefs. My grandmothers on either sides were chefs. Yeah, and I just remember making biscuits in my grandmother's kitchen when I was like four or five years old.

AM: Well, you know, being an NFL Alum, we know that, you know, a thing or two about playing the game, we know you're watching it and of course what foods pair well with it. You know, whether we're tailgating or at the stadium or we're homegating, how can we make the perfect pairings for our next football game?

CHEF EJ: Well, first off football season is my favorite time of the year. For one, I love football, but two - it's all about tailgating and homegating. I made a cookbook that's all about homegating recipes, right? And so, I love giving people tips to show them how they can homegate tailgate, like a pro. And in this instance, I've teamed up and partnered up with Bota Box wine to create these delicious pairings, with some recipes. But then also, picking and choosing some of the wines that they have to go with different flavors that I created with the wings that I made for them.

AM: I mean, that's amazing and I love a good wing! I actually have a wing recipe coming out next year in a cookbook.

CHEF EJ: Hold on! You just have a wing recipe?

AM: So it's a compilation. So we've been doing different cookbook recipes where it's always been a number of other chefs that have also participated and this is our third one. I made a very tasty recipe that will be out next year! It’s a very zippy Mezcal Chimichurri wing!

CHEF EJ: Ooo, I see you Kimmie!

AM: I know right? I mean, I know you love a good chicken wing so how can we take our wings to the next level Chef Eddie style?

CHEF EJ: Alright! So I have a few things that I that I've created so the thing about homegating and tailgating is that you want to find different flavor upgrades, but you want to keep things simple, right?

AM: Exactly.

CHEF EJ: So I have some brawts that I've uh braised in some white wine. I have this Bota Box Pinot Grigio that we braise the brats in to kind of cut through some of the fattiness that brats can have. Another upgrade that you can do is like I have a slider recipe, right? So, sliders are simple. Everybody knows how to make a slider. So what we're going to do, is we're going to upgrade it and make a spicy ketchup. And in this instance, I'm making a jerk ketchup.

AM: Oh wow, okay!

CHEF EJ: I lived in Miami for a while and so I kind of fell in love with those jerk spices and jerk flavors. So we're gonna add that to some sliders to upgrade it. And then we get to the the piece de resistance, right? So we have some wings! I have a whole chapter in my book about wings!

Don't do, takeout, you can make wings! Wings are super easy! You can make your own different sauces and you can control the pairings, you can control the spice and smoky levels to the wings. So I have this wing recipe that's a little bit, smoky a little bit spicy and that's great to pair with something like this Bota Box Revolution, which is a red blend. It's going to cut through some of the greasiness that these wings have, right?

AM: Right.

And why did you want to, you know, partner up with Bota Box?

CHEF EJ: Well, first off. I love the brand. I have boxes of this at my house that they sent me. I thought, ok, this is delicious! Not only that, but I think that Bota Box brand is perfect for tailgating, right? So, no cork screw, it’s easily portable and it has a handle right on top, but not only that in this 3L box, you have 4 bottles of wine. Now, you look like the type of person that loves a little wine right? 4 bottles of wine in one box!

That’s perfect for tailgating, if I don't say something myself. But then it's just a great brand and it’s eco-friendly all these things. I think that, you know, the thing about tailgating is that you want one-handers. So you get you one of these 500ml - you got that in one hand. You got a brawt in the other hand. You know you’re just going back and forth. Take a little sip. Take a little bite of the bratwurst.

AM: Yup.

CHEF EJ: Perfect for a tailgate and overall, it's just a great company that I fell in love with once I did my research on it. I tasted some of the wines and felt that I could get behind the product and it's been a beautiful pairing. See what I did there?

AM: I caught what you did there! I Love the pairing.

CHEF EJ: It’s been a beautiful pairing ever since.

AM: So what tips do you have for people who are hosting? A lot of times we're so into creating that tailgate or that homegate that maybe we get lost in the kitchen as opposed to watching the game and hanging out with our friends. So what can we do to prep ourselves a little better?

CHEF EJ: So just like on the football field, it's all about preparation and execution. Like I said before, you want to focus on the food and the drink. So you want to keep it simple. So all of my recipes are really simple but I have these really good tricks and things to upgrade it so that you're not spending a lot of time. But then not only that, you take this Bota Box, it's already made for you. We're not spending time making the drinks. All you have to do is just twist it off and pour it. You don't have to worry about a corkscrew. So it's more time that you get to spend watching the game, hanging out with your friends and keeping it simple!

AM: Keeping it simple is always good! So we are in the thick of the football season right now. Who are you cheering for? Who do you predict is going to the Super Bowl?

CHEF EJ: You know, I keep getting this question over and over. I'm a huge football fan, right? My favorite team is the 49ers but we're not looking too good right now. We kind of had an up and down season so far just because of injuries, but this season has been very unique because it's so many teams that are good - that has have never been good.

AM: 100%

CHEF EJ: Detroit Lions are really good. In the last couple of years, I’m like, where did they come from? They've been terrible for so long! So now all of a sudden, they’re really good! So I think that the Detroit Lions have a great chance of making it to the Super Bowl. Baltimore Ravens have a great chance to make it to the Super Bowl. Of course, the Kansas City Chiefs. You also have Buffalo. The Buffalo Bills are really good! Let's not forget about the Vikings and how good they're doing right now. So, it's just so many teams that are just killing it, this season. I mean, I'm really excited because, you know, it's kind of like, in basketball you get tired of seeing the Golden State Warriors every year.

I want to see a new team this year kind of shine and so, that's why I'm excited about this season.

AM: Well, we just came off of covering the Food Network NYC Wine Food Festival over the past four days. So it's been a hectic few days. It’s always great seeing you on Outchef’d or the Christmas Cookie Challenge. Are there any upcoming programs that we should be keeping an eye out for from you?

CHEF EJ: Yeah, so actually the Christmas Cookie Challenge is going to start up in a in a couple weeks now because believe it or not, we are getting into the holiday season. I can't believe that!

AM: I know right, this is the season!

CHEF EJ: I know! I also saw in a shopping strip that they had Christmas lights out a couple of days ago!

AM: I saw a Christmas commercial last night and heard Christmas music and I'm like, wait that's too soon! You at least have to wait until Halloween is over!

CHEF EJ: So that'll be coming out in a couple of weeks and, you know it’s the holiday time once Christmas Cookie Challenge comes on! We’re going into our 8th season. So once that starts to play that's when I know it's it's the holiday time!

AM: Are there other projects you have going on outside of TV that you would like for us to know about?

CHEF EJ: I mean, I stay busy. I have two young kids. I'm always busy. I woke up in the middle of the night and I was like, you know what? I'm ready to write my second cookbook.

AM: Alright now!

CHEF EJ: I'm gonna start working on my second cookbook and maybe Homegate Like a Pro 2.0, you know what I mean?

AM: For sure!

CHEF EJ: So maybe I will have a whole section in there with wine pairings. I don’t know.

AM: Nice, we’re here for the elevation!

IG @chefeddiejackson

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 55 Food Network/Christmas Cookie Challenge | PG 56 Outchef'd | PG 58 Bota Box |

Read the OCT ISSUE #106 of Athleisure Mag and see YOUR NEXT HOMEGATE | Chef Eddie Jackson in mag,

9CH3F ROUTIN3S | CHEF EDDIE JACKSON

Read the OCT ISSUE #106 of Athleisure Mag and see 9CH3FS ROUTIN3S | Chef Eddie Jackson in mag.

AWARDS SEASON | 45TH SPORTS EMMY AWARDS NOMINATIONS

 Today, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) announced the 45th Annual Sports Emmy® Awards nominations as well as revealing the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, sports broadcaster James Brown. The ceremony will take place on Tuesday, May 21, at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street, New York City. 

“This year’s sports broadcasting nominees produced thrilling and captivating television,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO, NATAS. “We look forward to welcoming these exceptional professionals to the 45th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in May.”

“The Sports Emmy Awards are proud to recognize the outstanding work of this year’s nominees and to honor James Brown for his long and prolific career,” added Stephen Head, Head of Sports.

As we do throughout Awards Season, we share our predictions in bold, the ones we correctly identified as winners are in bold italics and winners that we didn’t predict are in italics. On the night of the event, we will share who we predicted correctly as well as those we didn’t that won.

OUTSTANDING LIVE SPECIAL

The Masters
        CBS

The 105th PGA Championship
        CBS

Super Bowl LVIII
        Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
        CBS

Super Bowl LVIII
        Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
        Nickelodeon
        [Nickelodeon Productions | CBS Sports | NFL Films]

The 119th World Series
        Texas Rangers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
        FOX

OUTSTANDING LIVE SERIES

FOX CFB
        FOX | FS1

FOX NFL
        FOX

Monday Night Football
        ABC | ESPN

Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli
        ESPN2
        [Omaha Productions]

Sunday Night Football
        NBC | Peacock

OUTSTANDING PLAYOFF COVERAGE

American League Championship Series
        Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers
        FOX | FS1

College Football Playoff Semifinals
        Rose Bowl & Sugar Bowl
        ESPN

MLB Postseason on tbs
        tbs

NFL Championship
        Detroit Lions vs. San Francisco 49ers
        FOX

·NFL Playoffs on NBC
        NBC | Peacock

OUTSTANDING EDITED EVENT COVERAGE

All Access
        Davis vs. Garcia: Epilogue
        Showtime

·NFL Draft: The Pick Is In
        The Roku Channel
        [NFL Films | Skydance Sports]

NFL Game Day All Access
        Super Bowl LVIII
        YouTube
        [NFL Films]

Road To The Super Bowl
        CBS
        [NFL Films]

2023 Special Olympic World Games
        ABC

OUTSTANDING EDITED SPECIAL

Chasing Greatness: Coach K x LeBron
        TNT

Crown
        CBS Sports Network

E60
        The Crossover: 50 Years of Hip Hop and Sports
        ESPN
        [ESPN Films]

GR8TNESS
        ESPN

You Are Looking Live!
        CBS
        [NFL Films]

OUTSTANDING HOSTED EDITED SERIES

E60
        ESPN

Kickin’ It
        Paramount+ | Golazo Network

The Pivot Podcast
        YouTube

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
        HBO | Max

The Shop UNINTERRUPTED
        YouTube
        [UNINTERRUPTED]

OUTSTANDING ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE

BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
        BLAST.tv
        [BLAST]

2023 Call of Duty League Championship Weekend
        New York Subliners vs. Toronto Ultra
        Twitch | YouTube
        [Esports Engine | Activision Blizzard]

Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2023 Grand Finals
        ENCE vs. G2
        Twitch | YouTube
        [ESL FACEIT Group]

League of Legends Worlds 2023 Final
        T1 vs. Weibo Gaming
        LoLEsports.com | Twitch | YouTube
        [Riot Games]

VALORANT Champions 2023 Grand Final
        Paper Rex vs. Evil Geniuses
        ValorantEsports.com | Twitch | YouTube
        [Riot Games]

OUTSTANDING SHORT DOCUMENTARY

Dreamcaster
        MSG Network | MSG+
        [456 Studios | Lord + Thomas | DaHouse Audio | Citizen Music | Vicaps | Helo]

Extraordinary Stories
        One-Armed Wonder: The Extraordinary Story of Jimmy Hasty
        UEFA.tv
        [Noah Media Group]

NFL 360
        Gone
        NFL Network

NFL Films Presents
        Lahainaluna High
        FS1
        [NFL Films]

SC Featured
        Nothing Else Matters
        ESPN+

OUTSTANDING LONG DOCUMENTARY

The Deepest Breath
        Netflix
        [A24 | Motive Films | Ventureland]

Full Circle
        Vimeo On Demand
        [Level 1 Productions]

Kelce
        Prime Video
        [Amazon MGM Studios | Skydance | Vera Y Productions | 9.14 Pictures]

The Saint of Second Chances
        Netflix
        [Tremolo | Stampede Ventures]

Stand
        Showtime
        [SHOWTIME Sports Documentary Films | MSM]

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY SERIES

Catching Lightning
        Showtime
        [Bat Bridge Entertainment]

Goliath
        Showtime
        [Village Roadshow Television | Religion of Sports]

Super League: The War for Football
        Apple TV+
        [Words + Pictures | All Rise Films]

Untold
        Netflix
        [Propagate | Stardust Frames | RAW | The Players’ Tribune]

OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY SERIES – SERIALIZED

Football Must Go On
        Paramount+

Formula 1: Drive to Survive
        Netflix
        [Box to Box Films]

Hard Knocks
        Training Camp With The New York Jets
        HBO | Max
        [NFL Films]

Monster Factory
        Apple TV+
        [Vox Media Studios | Public Record]

Quarterback
        Netflix
        [NFL Films | Omaha Productions | 2PM Productions]

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – WEEKLY

College GameDay
        ESPN

FOX CFB: Big Noon Kickoff
        FOX | FS1

FOX NFL Sunday
        FOX

Inside the NBA on TNT
        TNT

The NFL Today
        CBS

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – DAILY

MLB Tonight
        MLB Network

NBA Countdown
        ESPN | ESPN2

NFL Live
        ESPN | ESPN2

Pardon The Interruption
        ESPN
        [Rydholm Projects, Inc.]

SportsCenter
        ESPN

OUTSTANDING STUDIO SHOW – LIMITED RUN

College GameDay
        College Football Playoff
        ESPN

FOX MLB: The Postseason
        FOX | FS1

Inside the NBA Playoffs on TNT
        TNT

Postseason NFL Countdown
        ESPN

Road to the Final Four
        CBS | TNT

OUTSTANDING JOURNALISM

CNN FlashDocs
        Blindsided
        CNN

E60
        Peace of Mind: Psychedelics in Sports
        ESPN

E60
        The Perfect Machine
        ESPN

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
        A Blind Eye: Switzerland and the Corruption of World Sport
        HBO | Max

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
        Call of Duty: How War is Destroying Ukrainian Sport
        HBO | Max

OUTSTANDING SHORT FEATURE

College GameDay
        The Legacy of Tyler Trent
        ESPN

NFL 360
        The Chief Who Walked The Sea
        NFL Network

NFL 360
        Heroes
        NFL Network

NFL 360
        Miracle
        NFL Network

The NFL Today: Super Bowl LVIII
        Just Win Baby!
        CBS

Sunday Night Football
        Madden & Stingley
        NBC | Peacock

Thursday Night Football
        Marshawn Lynch ‘N Yo City: Intercourse, PA (Yes, this is a real place)
        Prime Video
        [Amazon MGM Studios]

OUTSTANDING LONG FEATURE

Outside The Lines
        Jordan McNair: The Freedom Within
        ESPN

Playing Fields
        Ornella: Knocking Down Social Prejudices Pursuing Her Olympic Dream
        Olympic Channel

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel
        No Surrender: One Man’s Battle with ALS
        HBO | Max

SportsCenter
        SC Featured: Dear Mrs. Reid
        ESPN

SportsCenter
        SC Featured: Running for Martin
        ESPN

Unredeemable
        Golf Channel

OUTSTANDING OPEN/TEASE

The 149th Kentucky Derby
        Timeless
        NBC | Peacock

Monday Night Football
        In the Air Tonight
        ESPN | ABC

NHL Winter Classic on TNT
        If This Wall Could Talk
        TNT

Sunday Night Football
        Heidi
        NBC | Peacock

Super Bowl LVIII
        My Way
        CBS

OUTSTANDING INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE

College Football Playoff MegaCast
        Rose Bowl Game
        ESPN | ESPN2 | ESPN Deportes | ESPNU | ESPNews | SEC Network | ESPN App | ABC | LHN

Fan Controlled Racing Watch Party
        Twitch | Kick
        [Fan Controlled Sports & Entertainment]

The Magic and Mastery of US Open Champion – Carlos Alcaraz
        ESPN.com

NCAA March Madness Live
        March Madness Live

Thursday Night Football
        Black Friday Football Studio
        Prime Video
        [Amazon MGM Studios]

Thursday Night Football
        Event Coverage Optionality/Customization
        Prime Video
        [Amazon MGM Studios]

OUTSTANDING DIGITAL INNOVATION

Big City Greens Classic
        Fully Animated Live Sporting Event With Integrated Real-Time Animated Talent
        ESPN+ | Disney Channel | Disney XD | Disney+
        [Beyond Sports | Silver Spoon Animation | Disney Television Animation]

Dreamcaster
        MSG Network | MSG+
        [Weber Shandwick | Helo]

MLB Next
        AR App
        MLB

Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
        Cross-Platform Storytelling with Broadcast, Web Widgets and AR App.
        Red Bull TV
        [Red Bull Media House | ProteGear | TeraVolt | Girraphic]

Thursday Night Football
        Machine Learning on Prime Vision
        Prime Video
        [Amazon MGM Studios]

OUTSTANDING PERSONALITY/STUDIO HOST

Malika Andrews
        ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC | TNT

Kevin Burkhardt
        FOX | FS1

Rece Davis
        ESPN

Ernie Johnson
        TNT | tbs

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THE ARTISAN | DOMINIC CIAMBRONE "THE SURGEON"

If you've been collecting sneakers and have a passion for some of your favorite Nike, Gucci, Lanvin's etc that are deconstructed, reconstructed and customized with premium and exotic skins, Dominic Ciambrone, a.k.a. The Surgeon is the legendary creative mind that is at the forefront of taking our sneaker game to the next level! His work has been coveted and collected by Justin Bieber, LeBron James, Odell Beckham Jr, DJ Khaled, Canelo, and more. In addition he has worked with Bentley Motors, NBA, NFL, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Heineken, Reese's, Glenmorangie, 7-11, and a number of other brands. We wanted to find out how he got into and pioneered this space, what his work entails, his projects, working with luxury brands, SRGN Studios, SRGN Academy, his passion for sports, The League, and additional projects that he is working on.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be a shoemaker?

DOMINIC CIAMBRONE: When did I realize that I wanted to be a shoemaker? I would say when I was 19 years old. From the age of 15/16, I was painting shoes, but I realized that to actually be a shoemaker, I needed to take my craft a step further. That realization came I think when I met one of my mentors, Michael Anthony who hand makes western boots.

AM: What was that journey like to be able to be self-taught and learning all of those elements?

DC: It was a long road! I started with painting shoes and then I learned how to sew on top of them – I learned sewing in high school. Then I met my mentor who made western boots so I got to watch him make boots and then I realized that that’s what I wanted to do with sneakers. I wanted to make the highest end sneakers in the world and it took many years working for free and just doing stuff to learn about machines and tools. It was a lot of missteps and a lot of learning. I did paint, I did shoe repair, fixed purses and bags. I mean, I did all kinds of things just so that I could learn.

AM: Back in 2011/2012, I had a collaboration with Sebago and I had a line of their boat shoes and we sold it on HSN, Bloomingdale's and a few select retailers and I was so excited. But my background at that time was in apparel and jewelry as opposed to shoes. I remember reading an article about you and your work when I was on my flight heading to the factory in the Dominican Republic. After reading it, I felt that in hearing your story, how you approached your work etc, that if I could take that same approach and focus on the materials and create another way to highlight this style of shoe much as you do with sneakers that I could do it! So reading about you and just thinking about it in a different way saved me from freaking out on my flight I just wanted to say thank you for that!

DC: That’s awesome!

AM: Why do you call yourself The Surgeon?

DC: I was 18 years old in a hotel in NYC for the first time trying to figure out what to call myself, the brand, and what I was doing. I just wrote down a bunch of things and I was just trying to figure out what do I do to sneakers? What do I do to the shoes? I was like, “surgery,” and that’s where it got birthed – The Surgeon. Now that we're expanding the business, we've taken "Shoe" out of the name and go by SURGEON. Our creativity isn't limited to sneakers and you're going to see that more and more next year.

AM: When you’re customizing shoes, where do you start in that creative process when you’re making sneakers?

DC: I mean it changes. I don’t have one set process. For me, I have always been able to build something to life straight from an idea. I love sourcing materials, I’m really big into materials, I think that I’m mostly a materials person. I mostly just love it so much. You can turn something into a product and that’s a beautiful thing.

AM: I’m also a fashion stylist and an accessory expert, so I’m constantly talking about and believe that when someone is purchasing a handbag, jewelry, or shoes, you’re buying what the designer intended in making that item as well as what the wearer puts into it after wearing it and wanting it. Ultimately, that connection between the person who purchased it and the product creates its own history and meaning. When people are buying your shoes, what are they getting?

DC: I mean, ha – they get a piece of my soul. They get a piece of something that’s my entire life and they get a piece of shoemaking history that dates back all the way to Ancient Egypt! I mean, there’s those hieroglyphics on the wall that I looked at recently and some of the oldest ones have people making shoes!

AM: You have been worn and collected by so many people from LeBron James, Justin Bieber, Drake and more. What’s it like when you’re collaborating with them on specific ideas and incorporating your concepts together?

DC: Sometimes they give me the full range to do what I want and then there’s some that have a couple of ideas and I help bring their ideas to life where they will give a little bit of direction and I’m able to go back and forth. I think that a true collaboration is a very beautiful thing. You have 2 energies that are coming together to create something magical.

AM: You’ve also worked with so many brands whether it’s Gucci or Lanvin or Nike or Reese’s, what does it feel like to be able to work with these types of brands and to bring your creativity and artistry into what their lexicon is?

DC: I mean, it’s a beautiful thing. At the end of the day, I just – a friend of mine told me that I’m making commercial cool right? So a lot of the stuff that I get to do is that I get to make cool commercials and I didn’t look at it that way. People just reached out to me for my craft and my artistry and what I have been able to build from my Instagram to just a true foundation where I hold a high value on my quality and my artisanal work with the team so it’s really cool to be able to be part of it.

AM: You’re SURGEON X Bentley partnership last year where you had the limited edition shoes as well as Surgeon-ifying their car, what did it mean to you to work with this brand and to create in this way?

DC: Bentley is one of, if not the most, prestigious car company in the world. So, to be able to fly to Crewe, England and sit with the makers there and to see how they produced one of the highest quality cars in the world was a very humbling experience and it was so amazing to be able to do that because that car is the top of the top!

AM: Oh yeah!

The materials that you use – the leathers, the exotics are amazing. Have you also used sustainable materials like banana leathers, mycelium and things like that?

DC: Oh yeah, I’ve been using different ideas of sustainability whether it’s even recycled materials. I actually flew to Brazil, developed an Elephant Ear plant material and we have used that on shoes and right now, I have a shoe that is launching that the sole is dyed with turmeric, the swoosh is mushroom, pineapple leather, grape leaf leather – I mean, it’s a really cool shoe.

AM: What has been your favorite project that you have worked on?

DC: I don’t really have favorites …

AM: You’re like me – I don’t have favorites, but there are a lot of things that I vibe with!

DC: I think it’s myself – really working on myself is beauty and I never looked at it that way until recently. So to be able to work on myself and to be able to translate that to my children, the work will speak for itself. myself is beauty and I never looked at it that way until recently. So to be able to work on myself and to be able to translate that to my children, the work will speak for itself.

AM: When you started, this industry and the market didn’t really exist in this way and you definitely have left a mark on it. Where do you see the industry in the next 15/20 years?

DC: That’s a great question. I don’t know. I don’t think like that because shoes and the custom industry was something that I think that I really helped pioneer and now for me, it’s way bigger than that. I’m working on architecture, interiors, car design, and so many other things. So just for custom shoes as an industry, I think that more people will respect the process more. I think that some will try it and most won’t like it because it’s a lot of work. I do think that a lot of things will be going to automation and easy to do things.

AM: Tell me about SRGN Academy which you have in LA, Las Vegas and at the Seaport here in NY.

DC: The SRGN Academy was started 8 or 9 years ago now. Growing up, I didn’t have a class or a school that I wanted to go to so I wanted to offer a trade school that you learn how to make a pair of shoes from scratch and at the same time, it’s not just about the shoes. It’s about going through something for yourself and doing something positive for yourself.

AM: Then there’s SRGN Studios, why did you want to launch this and what does it entail?

DC: SRGN Studios and even SURGEON Worldwide, is just a company that I have been able to build. The studio is like my fantasy factory where we have sports and all things under one roof. Not until you’re able to come into the studio do you really get a feel for it. You can only see so much through social media and online. So it's just a way for people to be able to have fun and live life. Life’s too short. I wanted to create a safe and fun place for people.

AM: Tell me about The League.

DC: The League started out of – well my business partner Dallas Imbimbo, he plays basketball and I play soccer. So once we got into our newer space, we just started playing pickup games and then we were like, “oh, let’s do more.” So we turned it into a league and it’s been very competitive, and fun, and a great outlet for me to not just be creative – but athletic and to compete in a healthy way.

AM: It seems like you have a full schedule. Will you ever have versions where you go to other cities like here in NY or in Miami.

DC: Yeah, we’re working on it.

AM: A few minutes ago, you were talking about how your passion extends beyond just shoes as you’re working in architecture, interiors, and cars. Will you have a clothing line, will we ever see a hotel that you do?

DC: Yeah exactly! I’m working on all of those things. I think that the hotel is definitely something that I love. I’m passionate about traveling and experience is something that is very meaningful to me so a hotel is definitely ideating.

AM: Here at Athleisure Mag, we love talking about food, it’s a great love that we’re constantly covering. You have the Canevari’s Ravioli Factory & Delicatessen – tell us more about this.

DC: My dad took over this deli 12-15 years ago and growing up my whole life, my dad was a chef. My mom cooked and my dad, when I was going into my freshman year of high school, they opened a restaurant and I got to see them live out their passions by just opening up a restaurant. At the time, I took it for granted and I didn’t understand it. I thought that it was normal and it was just my normal. Now that they have the deli, I have helped them remodel it, help brand it, and to get the right eyeballs on it to continue to grow it. It’s helped my dad and I to become closer.

“They get a piece of my soul. They get a piece of something that’s my entire life and they get a piece of shoemaking history that dates back all the way to Ancient Egypt! I mean, there’s those hieroglyphics on the wall that I looked at recently and some of the oldest ones have people making shoes!”

— Dominic Ciambrone "The Surgeon"

AM: What do you do in terms of working out as we like to know. So what are 3 workouts that you do that we should consider to add into our routines?

DC: Play soccer! Play soccer! It’s such a good workout. I mean and then, steam room, sauna, and I also meditate which is a workout for the mind to relax and physical therapy. I think a lot of people don’t realize how important physical therapy is. We wait until we’re hurt or we need to recover to get to it. But it’s like, if you can be preventative, then you’ll always be good. Mobility workouts are great. It’s less about weight and going crazy, it’s about the body and being really kind to your body and figuring out how to open it up so that you can have it for the longevity of your life.

AM: Totally agree. I turned 40 a few years ago and prior to that I wasn’t as focused on recovering the body post workout and mobility. When I started adding it in, I wondered why I had never done that because your body needs it and you can feel it over time.

When you’re not working, how do you take time for yourself?

DC: How do I take time for myself? I have a life coach that I work with every week. You know, I would say that playing soccer is time for myself even though it is in the studio. It’s really the only time that I ever shut off unless I’m in a meditation or workout. Hiking, traveling, and then working on myself for my children.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that you would like to share?

DC: Ha! I’d have to ask my team! I can’t even keep up. We’re moving into the new studio, another 20,000 sq ft. We have a collaboration with Allen Iverson that launches next month. I mean, there are so many, I can’t even keep up anymore.

AM: You have so many projects going on and dropping. When a project comes to your attention, how do you decide if that is something that you want to add to your schedule?

DC: We have built such a great team to help manage this stuff so that we can continue to grow and that for me as a creative, I can continue to explore new things. So, it just depends. There are so many great things that we’re working on and a lot of the things that I’m working on is the stuff for the future.

AM: You’re also an advocate and you speak about the importance of mental health which is something we believe in. Why is it so important to you and what do you feel is the connection between mental health and physical health?

DC: As a kid, I went through a lot of mental health challenges, and I don’t think that I knew of it that way. At 24, I ended up jumping out of a window when I was making shoes for Justin Bieber, and I was diagnosed bipolar and I didn’t really know what that meant. Then when I started doing more self-research and figuring more things out, it’s so important – mental health and physical health are one in the same and you need to do both. When you take care of your physical health, your mental health will be better. It’s just true in the same and so it’s very important to physically take care of yourself for your mental purposes and with mindful workouts which is meditation, positive self-talk, it's mindfulness and so many things. And yeah, there’s so many people with how the world is going where people are pushing you know, different types of medicines. There’s something so much more easier about being able to get up and going for a walk, being in the sun, and taking care of your mind, body, and soul.

AM: I heard you like to rap in the office!

DC: HAHA I like to make people laugh! Growing up, my dad always rhymed, more like Dr. Seuss than a rapper, but I do it for myself and also to help people around to laugh. My kids pick it up to and it’s so funny because if I try to start rhyming and rapping, my daughter’s like, “dad, stop!”

AM: I could see you dropping a mix tape!

DC: I mean, I’m working on music more for exploring it. It’s less about rapping and more about just creating!

IG @ciambrone

@thesurgeon

@srgnstudio

@srgnacademy

@srgnnyc

@canevarisdeli

PHOTO CREDITS | FRONT/BACK COVER, PG 20 + 9DRIP 42-45 Bryam Heredia/SRGN Studios + Grooming/Stefanie Guerra | PG 16-19, 22-41 SRGN Studios |

Read the NOV ISSUE #95 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ARTISAN | Dominic Ciambrone “The Surgeon” in mag.

THE SKILL OF IT ALL | ELIZABETH BEISEL

As we're less than a year away from Paris 2024, avid readers know that we enjoy chatting with Olympic athletes whether they're still competing or have retired from competing, but are still in the community. We caught up with 3X Olympian (Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016), 2X Team USA Swimming Medalist, and Team US Olympic Team Captain, Elizabeth Beisel. Known for the individual medley as well as the backstroke, we wanted to find out about her Olympic experience, the importance that surfing has as a sport as well as a skill that has served her, how she works with USA Swimming Foundation to ensure that the next generation is able to swim and potentially be able to become athletes in the sport as well! She also talks about the importance of representation and inclusivity in the sport. In addition, we find out what she has been up to, her partnership with Dermasport, embracing her second passion as a violinist, and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: I’m so excited to be able to talk to you as I enjoyed watching you during your Olympic journey and watching you compete and I know our readers are going to love to know more about your passion for the sport, competing, and what you’re up to now!

ELIZABETH BEISEL: Thank you for having me and I just want to say that it’s an honor to talk with you as you’re a bad ass!

AM: Amazing and thank you!

When did you first fall in love with the water?

EB: Honestly, 6 months old! I went to the Mommy and Me classes at the YMCA. I grew up in Rhode Island which is the Ocean State. So luckily, my mom and dad had the means to put me into the YMCA Mommy and Me classes and introduced me to the water at an early age. I swear that I was the only baby there that wasn’t screaming bloody murder! I love the water! I would only sleep if I was in the water that day. Like it became a thing. I think from the beginning, I was in love with the water and that never left me. I did other sports and other activities growing up, but I think that stuff happening in the water was where I was most comfortable and passionate. So, that was pretty much my entire life!

AM: I love hearing that!

EB: It’s great!

AM: You specialized in the backstroke and are known for your individual medley. What was it about these specialties that you wanted to compete in them?

EB: So, a lot of swimming, you don’t necessarily get to choose the event, the event chooses you. What you're good at is what you morph into. For me, I was one of those swimmers with the individual medley which is all 4 strokes in one race (Editors Note: the medley includes the backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle). So I had pretty solid strokes across the board. But backstroke is definitely the one that I excelled in the most. So, since a young age, I kind of always swam all 4 strokes and then I really of honed in on the middle distances which is where my body thrives. I’m not necessarily a long distance swimmer, but I definitely have no sprint fibers in me. Like, I cannot run fast in a sprint, I can’t swim fast, it’s just who I am. I really found that happy medium in the 400m races and it really was just a matter of, “oh wow, I’m really good at these strokes,” in these events compared to everybody else. Why don’t I start focusing on these in practice and swimming on them more in meets. It’s kind of a snowball effect.

AM: I love hearing that as we have interviewed a number of Olympic swimmers and I have never asked how they chose that particular one. But I like that you’re saying that it kind of finds you.

EB: Yeah, trust me, if I had my choice, I’d be swimming a 50 free and be done in 20 seconds, but my body is not made for that!

AM: You’re a 3X Olympian, you have 2 Olympic medals, you’ve served as the Olympic Swimming Captain. What was your Olympic experience like for you and what did you love so much about it?

EB: I think that each Olympic experience was super different and for many different reasons. You know, my first one I was 15 and my last one I was 23. So that’s a completely different human! It was such an honor to be able to reach the pinnacle of the sport that I loved so much and be able to compete in it at that highest level for our country. I remember watching the Olympics when I was 7 years old on TV and having that be the first moment where I really grasped what the Olympics were and how monumental they were in my sport. I knew that I wanted to do that one day. That was my goal and I knew that I was going to make it happen. I’m just a small town kid from Rhode Island, I didn’t grow up in a family of Olympians and swimmers. I’m just like a lot of us where you have a dream. Maybe the fact that I was 7 years old and that kids have that beautiful way of just thinking nothing is impossible, I kind of went for it. I was like, “yeah, why not me? Of course!” It ended up being such an incredible experience and standing up on the podium, winning Olympic medals for your country and doing it alongside your teammates is so special. I have met the best people through my life in the sport of swimming. I think we’re forced to be pretty humble because, well, swimming is not an A-list sport. It’s not football, it’s not soccer, it’s not baseball. So we have once every 4 years to kind of shine at the Olympics and then nobody really cares about what we’re doing. We don’t make any money so it’s really a group of people that do it because they love it. I think that breeds a certain type of person and archetype. It’s just like the blue collar hardworking type of people that are really in it because you love it, not for the money, or the fame, or any thing like that. It’s just, “yeah, we love to swim.” Longwinded answer – Olympics are amazing!

AM: So, we always love knowing how athletes stay fit and obviously, you’re in the water which is a huge part of it. What are the workouts that you do in and out of the water when you’re training or even now when you’re doing what you do?

EB: I try to lift weights twice a week. I know that that doesn’t sound like much. When I was swimming, I was lifting 2-3-4 times a week depending on where we were at in the season. Towards the end of my competitive swimming career, I started implementing yoga and I’m now a certified yoga instructor, I love it that much. What I found while I was an athlete and now, and I still consider myself an athlete even though I am not actively competing, is that I leave yoga feeling so calm and like it’s almost like it’s opened up my body obviously, and my mind as well. I see things clearer, I think clearer, and it’s super relaxing. I’m kind of a 1 million miles a minute type of person so I need an outlet and something to force me. Because I’m not going to do it at home. I know myself. I’m not going to put on the meditation and do it at home. I wish I could. But I need to go somewhere and have somebody leading me and once I discovered yoga, not only did it help me athletically because you need to be stretching and you need to be opening your body and your muscle tissue. It helps with recovery a lot, but my mind too. It helps me slow down and shut off and just give myself that parasympathetic nervous system a break. So I would say yoga, lifting, and then I try to walk. It sounds simple, but I think that walking is good and I like to multitask and if I have calls, I will do it when I’m walking. So just nothing crazy to be honest and I think that’s the thing about Olympians, people probably think that we’re doing this out of the box really fancy stuff and it’s like, “no, we do the exact same thing that you guys do, we just do it 40 hours a week.” Instead of you doing it on the weekend or an hour here or there. But yeah, it’s just taking care of my body or anybody’s body is when you’re going to feel better. So that’s why I move now, because it makes me feel good.

AM: It’s so funny because I have probably been doing yoga for the last 15/20 years or so and once I went to my 40’s I went from a love/hate relationship to desperately needing it because like you said, it’s calming your mind down and having someone else stopping me and forcing me to do the things that I do. Hot yoga is my jam!

EB: Same! Oh my God! Give me a hot power vinyasa and I’m good!

AM: Same! I get so happy with it, it breaks me down, and I can quiet everything around me and I so appreciate it now versus in my 20’s I was like this is something to do for my mobility and flexibility. Now it’s like, no I need it.

EB: Exactly, this is like water and I need it.

AM: So you partnered with Dermasport. Can you tell me about the brand and why it was synergistic with you to work for them?

EB: Ok. So Dermasport is a skincare brand so it’s face wash, moisturizer, eye cream, and SPF. It’s designed by swimmers for swimmers. Right off the bat, synergy. Throughout my entire swimming career, I was always struggling to find – especially sunscreen, I was swimming at the University of Florida and I ended up swimming there for 8 years.

That’s 8 years of swimming under the sun outside and I really struggled finding a sunscreen that wouldn’t smudge my goggles and I know that that sounds crazy, that would stay on during the entire practice, would protect my skin, and on top of that, the chlorine itself is so bad for your skin. It strips away every good oil and thing that you have on your face. So I was struggling to find a post swim face wash that really felt like it got everything off. Not only the residue of the sunscreen, but also the chlorine that had seeped into my skin. Once Dermasport came out and approached me, and sent me samples for me to try out, I tried it out for a good 2 months indoor and outdoor swimming. I knew that this was the stuff. It was like I was the one going to them asking them that if they wanted me to do anything, to let me know. I think another thing is that element of protecting your skin. I lost my dad to cancer 2 years ago, although it wasn’t skin cancer, it was a huge wake up call for me being like, you’re healthy until you’re not. You’re cancer free until you’re not so what am I actively doing that’s preventative and ways that I can alleviate the possibility that I don’t ever end up having cancer. So sunscreen has been like, it doesn’t matter if it’s a cloudy day, if it’s the dead of winter, it’s part of my morning routine now. So it just really hit a lot of the elements that I am really passionate about in my life and so it was kind of one of those things where I was like the universe just bestowed this upon me and I thought it was beautiful.

Of course, since retiring from competitive swimming, I really started to surf a lot now that I have time in my life to do things. It’s mineral based, the packaging is either recyclable aluminum or post consumer recycled bottles so I feel good about it across the board. It’s the best!

AM: That’s amazing!

What’s your discipline in surfing? What are you doing in surfing? Are you doing wake boarding or looking for the ultimate big wave?

EB: Well, I interviewed Carissa Moore once so you and I have that in common!

AM: Yup!

EB: I’m sure you had the same experience, she was the nicest person in the world!

AM: She was our FEB ISSUE #85 this year and it was on Super Bowl Sunday and we had a huge tie zone difference and she was the loveliest person.

EB: Exactly and I was in Tokyo for the Olympics 2 summers ago and I was working with NBC and of course it was surfing’s first time in the Olympics. Carissa wins and part of my job was interviewing the athletes after they won. Carissa was not in a rush, she never made me feel like I was annoying her and trust me, the amount of press that she did on that day, like she did not need to talk to me. She was just phenomenal and she was beautiful and lovely as a human!

I have been doing it for a few years now and it’s been really awesome because I love learning new things. I took to surfing easily because of my paddle strength and my arms. So I’m getting better I did a surf trip in the Maldives for a month in April and the thing is with anything, if you’re not doing it consistently, you’re not going to be better. Here where I am in Rhode Island, we get Hurricane Season waves in the fall and then nothing for 10 months. So, I’m trying to go on more trips to get better, but the camaraderie, the culture, I just love it! It’s amazing.

AM: Do you think that you’ll go to Nazaré?

EB: Ha! I’ll watch! Listen, I love to live my life and be alive! Like you know what’s even crazier Kimmie? The tow people with the jet ski! They have to be equally trained, if not more! You know, it’s unreal!

AM: HBO's 100 Foot Wave, but you see it and you’re like, holy shit!

EB: I know right?

AM: What does your partnership look like with Dermasport? Are there events coming up or is it just organic integration?

EB: A lot of it is organic. Obviously I have been sent the product as I need to use it in order to talk about it. We’re going to do some appearances at a lot of Masters meets so that is basically older swimmers just because I feel that those are really the people that are tuned into taking care of their skin and their health whereas kids may be a little harder. Mom says use your sunscreen and the kids are like, “but I’m invincible, why do I need that?” And then, just like genuinely and organically posting about it. I’m at the point in my life that if something doesn’t align with me, I don’t give it my time. We have too many things going on in our lives and so this is one of those things like I said earlier where it just hits every pain point in my life that I am genuinely passionate about – swimming, being in the ocean, surfing, and being in the sun. I’m a lifeguard too and I sit in the sun for hours throughout the day. My connection to cancer and so it’s a really genuine partnership. I’m so excited to be involved.

AM: So tell me about Block Cancer. Why did you want to launch this, what is this lifestyle brand, and what can we expect to see from it?

EB: I’m so excited! It launched July 19th. So I’ll give a quick backstory. When my dad was going through his diagnosis and treatment, I was going through all of the books and cancer had never touched my family. I didn’t know what to do and I was super green in that world and all the things I read said to give something to your loved ones to look forward to. So I thought that I had this amazing swimming platform and there’s an island off the coast of Rhode Island, that only 2 people have ever swum to and no female had ever done it. So I was like, “this could be something cool.” I could share my updates with dad and we called it Block Cancer because the island is called Block Island. It’s like a play on words.

Unfortunately, I did the swim, but my dad passed away before I could complete the swim. I know that he knows that I did it because I fully believe that he was there that day. But after the swim, we were like we had this modest and humble goal of raising $5,000-$10,000 and we raised $665,000 all going to in lab cancer research. That was my thing.

I didn’t want to be funding the renaming of a hospital wing, that’s not my jam. If there's no funding there's no research, no research, there’s no cure. So how can I bridge the gap between the oncologist and the researchers and actually making some progress. So after completing the swim, sitting on it for a little bit, digesting what had happened with my dad and all that stuff – I was really looking to relaunch it and I didn’t really know what that looked like. What it turned into being organically was this collaboration of creatives all designing really cool designs for Block Cancer and selling the merch and donating 90% of the net profits to a non-profit that I have worked with my entire life that funds lab research. It is 100% going to in lab research and I get to be apart of the vetting process and the grant writing process so it’s really really awesome. It’s not just hoodies, hats, and bracelets, but it’s also chemo hats, scarves, port shirts, and cancer care packages. I wanted to do something that really put the cancer patient first. I have also compiled resources like cancer diagnosis resources, grief resources, and when you get a cancer diagnosis, what the hell do you do? What questions do you ask, who do you go to and what do you do when you lose somebody?

For the past year and a half, I’ve been compiling all of that, putting it together and it’s just been this real passion project. It’s never felt like work. It’s a way for me to stay connected to my dad. Actually, Dermasport to bring it back in, we’ve been in talks to have the sunscreen be sold on Block Cancer and maybe a portion of the net-profits go to the Block Cancer Fund. It makes sense right? You use sunscreen and it protects you in skin cancer. Again, Dermasport fit in seamlessly to this beautiful passion project that I am working on and it felt like this beautiful symbiotic relationship. It’s all good stuff and I’m so excited! I have literally, my eyes are all over the place the place – I’m not a website builder, but I have done all this work myself because I don’t have an investor. I don’t have 15 grand to pay for a website developer. So it’s been actually great because I have learned a ton. I've learned skills that I otherwise wouldn't have had.

AM: That’s great, because when you do all of the stuff, as you bring people on, you know exactly how long it takes, what it is – because when you can do it yourself, the person who you bring on who definitely has the skills to be able to do that should be above and beyond what you can do.

EB: Of course! Yes, absolutely. I think that the website came along great.

AM: What other projects are you working on beyond Dermasport and Block Cancer? Are there other things that we should keep an eye out for?

EB: Actually, super exciting news! So I mentioned earlier that I did other activities growing up. So I grew up playing the violin. That was actually my equal love to swimming. But it always had to take a backseat to swimming because I would always choose swimming. So violin is beautiful because it is something that you can always do for the rest of your life. So I’m in a band called Laden Valley and we’re developmental, super early in our stages. But we got asked to play Newport Folk Fest – we’re a folk band.

AM: That’s huge!

EB: Yeah! Huge like Brandi Carlile, Paul Simon, we’re the opener on Fri of Newport Folk Fest and this is like – if this goes well, in the folk world if you’re playing Folk Fest in Newport, you’re doing well!

AM: Oh I’m well aware, that’s why I perked up!

EB: Yeah and we’re very excited, I got all of my outfits planned and I’m like, what are we wearing? So it’s me and 3 other guys and so I’m picking the outfits and the color scheme and they all have can match me.

AM: That is so exciting congratulations!

EB: Yeah and it’s one of those things where this – I don’t want to jinx it. But I truly believe that maybe it could be something, but we will see! It’s by far the biggest crowd that anyone of us have performed in front of. I think it’s 8,000-10,000 people, but for us, it’s like huge and it’s so exciting!

AM: That’s exciting! The Newport Folk Festival is amazing and I knew what it was as soon as you said it as they don’t let just anyone play it. This year it’s Lana Del Rey, Jon Batiste, Maggie Rogers, that’s amazing.

You do so much! How do you give back to the sport that you originated in and how do you give back to the youth that is coming up?

EB: Yeah, so I’m an ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation and that’s the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming so what we are trying to do is save lives and impact communities. Saving lives is – ok we know that swimming is a fun sport and we get to win Olympic medals and stuff, but at the end of the day, nobody gets into the sport of swimming to become an Olympian. They get into the sport because it’s purely a skill. It’s a life saving skill, but if you come from a socioeconomic background, culture, or city where swimming isn’t really a part of your life or the people that you’re surrounded with – you’re not going to learn. Formal swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning by 88%.

So it’s like, I don’t know if you heard the story of the quarterback a couple of weeks ago that drowned in the NFL. But what I try to tell people is listen, the water does not discriminate, it doesn’t care if you’re an Olympian, it doesn’t care if you’re an NFL quarterback, it doesn’t care if you’re a 5-year-old. You can drown. So what we do is basically go around the country on a tour and it’s every May. We provide grants to local Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA’s and we’re like, “here’s $15,000. We ask that in the next year you provide transportation to kids that cannot afford swimming lessons. You bring them from school to the YMCA or the Boys & Girls Club whatever it is and you get them in the water and you teach them how to swim.” I kind of call myself the out of town hero right? We go there and it’s inner city kids in Detroit or in Chicago. They have never seen a pool before, we make it all shiny and fun for them, but it’s like there’s some follow up here. We’re kind of the catalyst and you just have to continue it. So that’s been really rewarding to give back to the sport. At the end of the day, those Mommy and Me Classes that I took with my mom, they’re weren’t about me winning medals. Not at all! They were for me to learn how to swim and to be safer around the water.

That's been the way that I have given back in the past few years since being done.

It’s awesome because it’s also a diversity thing. You watch the Olympics, there is 1 Black person on the Olympic Swim Team. There’s 1.

AM: Yup.

EB: Like, what a microcosm of society right? Because that is what swimming looks like. So, it’s like, we’re trying to come in and we have Cullen Jones – have you ever met Cullen Jones (2G, 2S)?

AM: No, I have not, but I want to!

EB: He was literally my first friend on the National Team. He’s my big brother. I cannot say enough good things about him. Cullen, the first Black person to win an Olympic Gold medal in swimming, to break a world record, the first of everything! He’s kind of like the face of this tour. To be able to do this on the road with him and to watch, because I can say something, but I’m white. It’s not going to resonate as much as when he does it. Watching I get chills, watching him talk to an entire auditorium of kids who honestly may not even know what the Olympics are, but he gets through to them because he can relate to them and they go into a pool and they’re inspired to learn how to swim. That’s what it’s all about. It’s so incredible! So, I mean that this is a 100 year project!

AM: Oh yeah! That’s why representation is so important you have to have what needs to be reflected and if you have 1 maybe you get 4 and then 10. Like you said, it’s going to be 100 years for sure.

EB: Yeah, it’s always safer around the water. It’s never completely safe as I said earlier, you, me – no one is completely safe. Being around and having that impact on the sport and who it is accessible to is like – that is way more than any Olympic medal – it’s saving lives.

AM: Can you tell me about the Lead Sports Summit and what your involvement is with them?

EB: So Lead Sports Summit was founded by one of my best friends on the Olympic Swim Team, Kara Lynn Joyce (4S). She saw a need for a summit for just women and female young teenage athletes. So 13-18 and she gets the all-star team from the Olympic Team. The heavy hitter names that you watch on NBC at the Olympics come to Lead Sport Summit and we have breakout groups, we have panels, we have really open and honest discussions and we give these teenage girls a safe place to talk about stuff that maybe they are dealing with on their team, in school, with relationships at home, it’s a judgement free zone. It’s cool because I think there is an element of humanizing Olympians and what we do. Maybe it’s inspiring because of what we do. It’s like, “oh wow, I was putting Katie Ledecky (7G, 3S) on this pedestal and I thought that she was untouchable, but now that I have met her, spent time with her, and I know she has dealt with the same issues that I have dealt with – now this scary thing that felt impossible is possible! It is something that I say to Kara all the time that she needs to have one just for adults because I would go. I tell her too that by the end of the weekend, I have cried 48 times and I feel that I have gotten more out of it then the actual teenage girls did! Also, I’m not in the social media world that they are in. You and I did not grow up with those same pressures.

AM: Exactly.

EB: So it’s super eye opening to hear them talk openly about the pressures that they feel from social media and society. It gives me chills and makes me say, how can we help? It’s an incredible event and it’s over Labor Day Weekend every single year. Kara is opening it up to other sports now and it’s taking on a life of its own which is really beautiful and I will be at the one in DC which is over Labor Day Weekend this year.

AM: That's fantastic!

EB: Yeah and I think that it’s sold out. Which doesn’t surprise me as it’s done that every single year. It really is worth every single penny. It’s the best!

AM: I love that when people empower and infuse people. Even if something is for a lower age group, I always say that I feel like we’re adulting while we are dealing with our own traumas that are unresolved.

EB: Yes! There’s some stuff that happened to me 15 years ago that I should probably figure out!

AM: Without a doubt!

IG @ebeisel34

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Elizabeth Beisel

Read the AUG ISSUE #92 of Athleisure Mag and see THE SKILL OF IT ALL | Elizabeth Beisel in mag.

CREATING SPACES | ELAINE WELTEROTH

When we hear the name Elaine Welteroth, we think of someone who continues to place herself in spaces where she leaves the door open for others that also want to have a presence in. When she took the position of Editor in Chief at Teen Vogue in 2016, she was the 2nd Black person to have held this position in the 107 years of Condé Nast's history! This journalist, editor, New York Times Bestselling Author of More Than Enough: Claiming Space For Who You Are (No Matter What They Say), BRAVO's Project Runway host continues to inspire others. We connected with her right after the Big Game to find out about hosting CÎROC Stands For Black Excellence which was held at the NFL House, the importance of representation and upcoming projects that she has coming up.

ATHLEISURE MAG: You just came off of a panel for CÎROC Stands For Black Excellence which took place during Super Bowl Weekend at the NFL House. Can you tell me about this event and why you wanted to be part of it?

ELAINE WELTEROTH: The event was amazing! For me, it was an easy yes! Being able to go and spend time with some influential Black women in sports media during Super Bowl Weekend in Phoenix where the sun was always shining – we were surrounded by the local chapter of National Association of Black Journalists. I just felt like I was around my people. I didn’t know any of the people prior to being there, but it felt like a homecoming in a sense because we have all walked similar paths professionally and we all in some way, shape or form understand what it means to be what I say in my book, first, only and different. So FOD which is a Shonda Rhimes term from her book, but I really felt this kinship and I think everyone did. It was really necessary because we’re all doing this work and in different spaces as journalists and it can be isolating to be the only one that looks like you and navigating those worlds. I think that it was very nourishing and energizing for everyone that was there. I have to give a lot of credit to the panelists because they brought it! I can bring my juicy and hard-hitting questions, but if I’m not met with openness, vulnerability, and transparency, it can just be a run of the mill event. This was anything but, I went really deep and there were tears. I joked that people came for the Super Bowl, but they got Super Soul conversations instead. It was like testimony time, it was incredible.

AM: You were also able to highlight the next generation of Black sports journalists, what was your biggest takeaway from the event as a whole?

EW: My biggest takeaway is that we all share so much in common no matter where we’re working or what side of the business we are in. There are some commonalities to our struggles and our triumphs. I think that the major takeaways were how important community is along the journey and I think that we definitely cultivated a deeper sense of community with at least 1 other person. My charge to them before they left, because the last question that came up from somebody in the audience which by the way I have to say, ain’t no Q+A session like a Q+A session with NABJ folks in the audience because every single question that came up was hard-hitting, thought provoking, complex or even beautifully simplistic! The last question was that – how is your heart? It left us in this really kind of reflective and heart filled space. My charge to everybody was to find somebody at that event that they did not know walking in and ask them, how is their heart?

We’re trained to ask the right questions and to be really buttoned up and to be focused on being very professional, but I think that when we’re with each other and in a safe space, we need to gear shift and learn how to ask the questions that open up our humanity and allow us the safe space to be just human and to show ourselves the softer side of each other. We need to cultivate that sense of community. That felt really good and I would say that that was a standout moment from the event.

AM: It’s great that this took place obviously during Black History Month, how can we continue to support and celebrate these objectives not only this month, but year around?

EW: Absolutely! Well one of the things that I loved about partnering with CÎROC is that they have made a financial commitment to NABJ to help fund the important work throughout the year. I know that NABJ is such a worthwhile organization that we rely on their work in terms of scholarship, mentorship, career advancement opportunities to keep the pipeline alive for the next generation of Black journalists. I just really love that CÎROC is taking a stand and making sure that they are supporting an organization like NABJ which is keeping Black journalists in the jobs. NABJ really does place young or emerging journalists in jobs. So we need them to stay funded, to stay supported and for me that was the most important connection. It’s not that Cîroc was just doing that one off event, they’re putting their support where their mouths are by really investing in NABJ in this way.

AM: What’s your go-to CÎROC cocktail?

EW: Ok so, I’m a terrible bartender, I don’t know how to make a cocktail myself, full transparency. I know how to do a lot of other things ok?

AM: You do all the things! But there is that one.

EW: Exactly! I wear a lot of hats, I do a lot of jobs – bartending ain’t one! But I will say that I do love a minty, cucumbery, light refreshing drink.

AM: Oh, the CÎROC Thyme Spritz.

EW: Yes, they had them at the event and it was so refreshing! It was perfect for a sweltering day in Phoenix right before the Super Bowl. I think most of us, but I definitely descended from a much colder climate so I was still thawing out and needed some refreshment! It was bomb and you should get the recipe because it was great.

AM: I have been a fan of yours of years. I remember when you became the Editor in Chief of Teen Vogue, my mouth literally dropped open and all the barriers that you have broken as a co-host on BRAVOS’s Project Runway, your best selling book and all of these accomplishments. What does it mean to you to not only be able to break barriers, but to unapologetically be you in these different spaces that we’re still making our presence known in those places?

EW: Well thank you first of all, I appreciate that so much. I think that it means nothing to break a barrier if you’re not doing so as your authentic self. I think that that’s what keeps the door open for the next Black woman to come through those doors as herself. We are not a monolith and I think that while we do represent for our community, we also represent the individuality of our community. I think that it’s important that we understand. You can feel the pressure as someone who is the first to blaze a certain trail. You might feel the pressure to be a certain way and to fit a mold or to break it in some kind of radical way. It’s important for you to be able to figure out how to be authentically you and how to tell the stories, those stories, if you’re journalist in only the way that you can tell. I think that by doing that, you are giving the permission to others to do the same.

AM: You are always so busy doing a number of projects. I know that you have an advice column with The Washington Post. What are things that we should keep an eye out for that you’re doing? I know that every time I see you taking on something that it will be amazing.

EW: That’s so nice! I am shooting a new show that I can’t fully talk about yet, but that’s why I’m in NY this month. But it’s going to be really good in terms of the conversations that it’s bringing to the table proverbial and literally. I’ll leave it at that, but I am excited about that. I feel that everything that I do, it may seem like I am doing a lot of things, but to me it is the same mission and the same spirit that I bring to everything. I always say that purpose can be multiplatform. You can find a way to work in your purpose across many mediums, especially as a journalist and storyteller in this era. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be able to explore different mediums and going deeper into television. Also, finding a way to use my skill set as a journalist to raise awareness to issues that matter to our community and to me a lot as well personally.

Recently, I have been getting very involved with raising awareness and working towards hopefully, reform around the Black Maternal Mortality Crisis and trying to recontextualize that conversation because it can be so heavy. It’s just hearing that term, Black Maternal Mortality Crisis sometimes people just turn off. There’s so much going on in the world and there’s so much trauma, I can’t handle one more thing. But I think that if we reframe the conversation around celebrating the joy around childbirth and reminding us that we deserve to have joyful, safe births, then it opens up the conversation to how we go about achieving that! What are the different options that we have that we didn’t even know about? I want to come at it with this kind of fix it spirit; with this optimistic lens that’s very much so solution oriented and it’s really about showcasing these choices that we have along this birth journey that we really don’t know about and sometimes when it’s too late. So before we become another sad statistic, how do we get the right information to the right people and especially to Black women who are disproportionally affected by this crisis in this country. So that's my passion project in the non-profit space. I think that because it’s Black History Month, it’s worth mentioning!

You can support NABJ as well as Black owned business in a number of ways!

• To stay informed on all NABJ related news you can register for their newsletter here.

• Making a habit of supporting Black owned businesses all the time.

• Share information online/engage in conversation surrounding pro-black efforts.

• Finding your local NABJ chapter online to become a mentor, get involved and more.

• Making a donation to NABJ through their website to help further their mission.

• Registering for the NABJ newsletter to stay informed on all NABJ related news and future events.

CÎROC THYME SPRITZ

INGREDIENTS

1.2 oz CÎROC Vodka

1 oz Fresh Lime Juice

.5 oz Thyme Syrup

1 oz Fresh-Pressed Cucumber Juice

GLASSWARE

Footed Spritz Glass

GARNISH

Cucumber Ribbon and Thyme Sprig

PREPARATION

Add CÎROC Vodka, fresh lime juice, thyme syrup, and fresh-pressed cucumber juice into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Serve in a footed spritz glass. Garnish with cucumber ribbon and thyme sprig.

IG @elainewelteroth

PHOTGRAPHY CREDITS | Bre Johnson

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see CREATING SPACES | Elaine Welteroth in mag.

THE POWER OF FOOD | CHEF RICHARD INGRAHAM

We took some time to chat with Chef Richard Ingraham. We wanted to find out how he took his talents in the kitchen to a career that has led him to being the private chef to power couple, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and creating a private chef network whose clients are those in the NBA, NFL and entertainment industries. We also talk with him about Grown Southern, his upcoming projects and his partnership with CIROC.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF RICHARD INGRAHAM: I’ve always loved cooking. I started making omelets, cookies, and milkshakes at the age of 10. During that time, I had no desire to become a chef. I was doing it because I loved creating. My family cooked all the time and it just rubbed off on me. It wasn’t until my mid to late 20’s that I decided that I wanted to become a Chef.

AM: Where did you train and what has your culinary journey been?

CHEF RI: I received my formal training at The Art Institute of Atlanta. My first job was at the Buckhead Diner where I was a line cook. I worked at the diner while I was in culinary school. As if I didn’t have enough on my plate, I got a second job working across the street at the Corner Café, where I learned all about pastries.

After I graduated, I became a Sous Chef at a restaurant called the Bubble Room. I left the Bubble Room and moved on to Insigna where I was a Sous Chef and Executive Pastry Chef.

AM: How would you define your style of cooking, and have you always been focused on sports nutrition?

CHEF RI: That has always been a difficult question to answer. Difficult because I'm influenced by so many different cuisines. If I were backed into a corner, I’d call my style “Eclectic American.” I really didn’t become focused on nutrition, until I started cooking for Dwyane Wade and other athletes.

AM: What led you to becoming Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union’s private chef?

CHEF RI: A friend of mine who just happens to be Dwayne’s Business Manager, Lisa Joseph Metelus, asked if I would like to cook for a NBA Rookie that was just drafted. I asked her who it was. She said that it was Dwyane Wade. After I did my research on who he was (I wasn’t a big basketball fan, so I didn’t know who he was) I told Lisa I’d like the opportunity. The day of the tasting, I arrived at his home with 10 prepared items. I made him everything I could think of, from smothered turkey wings with mashed potatoes to my grandmother’s lemon pound cake. Even though I’d prepared all this food, Lisa wanted me to prepare something fresh so that Dwyane could see that it was me preparing these dishes. He liked it and the rest is history.

AM: Can you share 3 go to meals that they enjoy eating?

CHEF RI: Gabrielle: Bhindi Masala; Pasta Alla Checca; Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes over Heirloom Tomato; and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette.

Dwyane: Blistered Cherry Tomato and Shrimp over Angel Hair Pasta; Pan Roasted Sea Bass Sweet Potato Puree; Sauteed Spinach and Ponzu Ginger Sauce; Stewed Chicken Thighs with Chickpeas.

AM: What are 3 ingredients that you always like to have on hand that are versatile to use in several dishes?

CHEF RI: Creole Seasoning, Five Spice, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes and Smoked Paprika. I know you said three, but I couldn’t help myself. lol

AM: When you’re a private chef to a celebrity or a family, what are the challenges that you're navigating when creating meals?

CHEF RI: In my case, I have 7 individuals who all eat differently. So, I must create meals for each of them that are creative, flavorful, and still help each person achieve their goals. If you’re a Chef who cooks in a restaurant you have a set menu that you execute daily. You may create daily specials which would give you some variety. Whereas I must come up with something different each day for each meal - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Not only do I think about the food, I also pride myself on maintaining an elite level of service for my clients. I do everything from making sure their glasses are never empty to inquiring about personal health issues, to preparing and executing a menu for 75 guests on Christmas.

AM: You created Chef RLI, a network of Private Chefs that work with celebrity clientele. How did that venture come about?

CHEF RI: One day Dwyane and Gabrielle came in the kitchen and mentioned that Chris Bosh was looking for a private chef. They told him that I had a company that had chefs for hire. When they told me that, I couldn’t believe it because I had no such company at the time. I just had a few chefs helping me with the meal prep service. Well, they told me that I needed to figure it out because they had already put me out there. So, my business partner and I created Chef RLI, and began placing some of the chefs who were helping with the meal prep as private chefs.

AM: You partnered with Michelle Bernstein and Michael Schwartz during former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move to Schools White House Initiative. Tell us why you wanted to be involved?

CHEF RI: The First Lady’s Initiative was such an important one because it helped spotlight the problem we are having as a nation bring healthier food options into our schools. As a former educator, I’ve seen first hand how the lack of nutrition stunts the scholastic growth of our children, especially in our lower income communities. So, when I was asked to join this initiative in support of Miami Dade County Public Schools, I jumped at the opportunity. The Chefs worked with Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and cafeteria managers to create healthier dishes using what was already in the school’s inventory. Of course, we had to take into consideration the differences in culture and eating habits of each school. As an alumnus of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, it was incredibly rewarding to support my community.

AM: You released Eating Well to Win. Tell me more about it and why you wrote it.

CHEF RI: Eating Well to Win is a cookbook for everyone. I found that when we talk about eating better or healthier, we seem to think that the only thing we can eat is food that is bland or out of reach for us. This book shows that you can take some of your favorite foods and by just changing a few ingredients make it better.

Because I’ve had so many different careers, I feel that I can speak on the importance of eating healthier and better. Whether you're a teacher standing in front of a class full of students, a sanitation worker running your routes, or a 3-time NBA World Champion, what we put in our bodies helps us perform better.

AM: Will you release another cookbook?

CHEF RI: Yes, I’m currently working on my second book.

AM: Tell me about Grown Southern!

CHEF RI: Grown Southern is a restaurant concept we developed in collaboration with Grown Restaurant, owned by Shannon Allen. It features organic southern inspired soul food prepared with passion and care. We have great menu items like our Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, Old School Mac & Cheese, and Red Velvet Cake with Rich Cream Cheese Frosting.

AM: You're constantly working as a chef as well as giving back to others – why is this important to you?

CHEF RI: When I started working with Dwyane, I was still teaching culinary arts at a high school as well. My classes were held at a homeless shelter called the HAC (Homeless Assistance Center). The student demographic of my classes consisted of the homeless population of the center, as well as students that were bussed from various high schools. So, every day I would see both sides of the spectrum.

I would go to work in the morning and see broken people trying to put themselves and their families back together. Then in the afternoon, I would drive to this massive estate, where life couldn’t be better. Seeing this each day made me realize that we are all one mistake from our lives becoming entirely different. That experience keeps me honest with myself. It keeps me hungry. It has made me more compassionate towards others and their struggles and instrumental in motivating me, to find a way to help them.

AM: Tell us about your partnership with CIROC and how you became involved.

CHEF RI: I’ve been working with CIROC for about a year. I was featured in their CIROC Stands Black Excellence campaign in 2021. They profiled my story through a mural in Wynwood, FL. painted by local Miami artist Mojo. Then in November, I collaborated with them to create delicious Friendsgiving recipes and cocktail pairings with their CIROC Pomegranate. Now, I’m excited to be back with CIROC Pomegranate as part of the Love Squad. Our goal is to give one lucky winner a one-of-a-kind experience for them and their loved ones.

AM: We enjoy CIROC when we're celebrating or relaxing at home. We have a feeling that you may have a recipe that you can share and how we can pair it!

CHEF RI: Of course, I have recipes!!!! One of the cocktails that I created using CIROC Pomegranate is called “The Ingraham.” It’s my take on the classic sidecar. It consists of CIROC Pomegranate, Orange Liquor, Lemon Juice, and Cinnamon Simple Syrup. It’s the perfect cocktail for my Asiago and Herb Crusted Rib Eye Roast.

AM: Are there upcoming projects that we should keep an eye out for?

CHEF RI: I’m going to be in Miami for the South Beach Food and Wine Festival from February 24-27. I’ll be hosting a brunch at Grown in Miami Beach on February 27. I'm also working on potential show ideas as well.

AM: We love your statement eyewear! What do you look for when it comes to your frames of choice?

CHEF RI: Listen, I said to myself a long time ago 'If I’ve got to wear them, they have to be FLY!!!' When looking for my frames I look for a statement piece that evokes conversation. I love large frames with color or interesting patterns. I use my glasses as a part of my total look. I would love to have my own eyewear line one day.

AM: Being on the move constantly, how do you take time for yourself?

CHEF RI: It’s difficult to carve out time for myself while taking care of my family, Dwyane and Gabrielle’s family, and Co-running my businesses. There aren't enough hours in the day. So, I give myself more hours by waking up around 4 each morning and working out. This allows me time to gather my thoughts and organize tasks for the day. It gives me a sense of accomplishment that helps me get the day started. Being in the kitchen all the time is murder on my hands and feet. So, I make it my business to get manicures and pedicure regularly.

IG @chefrli

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | CIROC

Read the FEB ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see THE POWER OF FOOD | Chef Richard Ingraham in mag.

HOW WE ALIGN | CHRISTINA OCHOA

This month, our cover story is with Christina Ochoa who plays Renn Randall in TNT's Animal Kingdom as well as Veronica Sandoval in ABC's Promised Land. We talk about what drives her when she is selecting projects In addition, we also talk about how she balances her love for acting and being creative with her passion for science with a focus on the oceans through marine biology. She shares how she continues to make an impact on the world with others through her work and staying stimulated in these efforts.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you loved acting and that you wanted to do it as a profession?

CHRISTINA OCHOA: I realized it really late in the game. I was probably in my mid 20’s compared to all of the wonderful child actors that already came and knew what they wanted to be! I realized when I took an amateur theater class in order to just help my public speaking engagements for science! It had nothing to do with having an ambition to be an actor. Then, I just had so much fun. I fell in love and that’s all she wrote!

AM: That’s awesome, you never know when something like that will happen! What’s your approach when you’re thinking about whether you want to take on a project? What are you looking for?

CO: The number one thing that I look for is the caliber of people involved. So for me, having a conversation with either a showrunner, director or producer prior to joining at this point just makes sure that creatively – that 1, I can bring in any added value, and 2 that we see eye to eye on how to go about a project which is really important.

When it comes to the character choices, I like admiring the characters that I play and being enamored with them and their complexities. High-level competence is a factor that all of my characters have one way or another regardless of the realm that they inhabit. They are all very competent women and also, they have real questions and doubts and concerns and color! They’re not just necessarily written in one specific way. I like that.

AM: We first saw you in Animal Kingdom which we are fans of this show. Your character Renn is one that we love to watch. We know our readers have so many questions going into this final season which comes back this summer – is she coming back and what’s it like to play this character?

CO: Oh come on! You didn’t think that that was all it would take to get rid of Renn did you?

AM: Haha we didn’t, but we know that there have to be people wondering out there!

CO: Craig and Renn are a very interesting dynamic that I think was one of the most fun things to play with. Ben Robson (Vikings, Emperor, The Boy) and I talked about it all of the time. They are just meant to be together and they have no idea how! In a weird way, they’re childish in their approaches and it’s so volatile. They act like they are going to explode or implode, you never know. I think that in the last season coming up soon, we get to see maybe what it’s like for them to really come together in a new way. Like for the first time, maybe not opponents, but teammates.

AM: Yeah! Being on the same side!

CO: Exactly!

AM: Another show that we love which you’re in is ABC's A Million Little Things. We love the storyline and we’re glad that it’s resumed it’s midseason break this month. Your character, Ashley was in the first season and we saw her working with Jon Dixon and got clues on what was going on with him. As they’re currently in their 4th season, will your character come back to this show?

CO: Well you know, conversations that I have had a lot with DJ Nash (Truth Be Told, Growing Up Fisher, Guys with Kids) have been ongoing for awhile for a couple of years. Where is Ashley and will she come back or not? I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to have joined some of my closest friends on this. At the end of the day, that was a job where being able to work with James Roday Rodriguez (Psych, Blood Drive) again which I had already worked on in a number of different capacities was just a chance that I just had to jump on.

I hope that there is still a space for Ashley to be there and to be able to pop in. But I do not have that information. If they want to give me a call, I’m here!

AM: Well seeing you on your latest show, Promised Land, it’s definitely a great show that we’re getting obsessed with. We love that we’re getting to learn about the wine industry and how a family is maintaining that power, which has that Succession vibe. We’d love to know more about Veronica which you play and what can we expect from this season as it continues to unfold?

CO: The thing about Veronica that I gravitated to the most from the get go, she was in this very male dominated environment – very muy macho - her father, her brothers and siblings - everyone around her. Yet, she managed to tap into a very powerful position without having to emulate the men or to compete with them on their turf and that was something that was really intriguing to me and there were a lot of conversations with Matt Lopez (Race to Witch Mountain, The Wild, The Sorcerer's Apprentice) and Adam Kolbrenner (Free Guy, The Tomorrow War, Slender Man) initially before the pilot in terms of how they wanted to see this character.

This is such an important milestone in the journey for real diversity on network television and ABC decided to take an entire Latin cast and infuse the show behind the camera with a lot of Latin crew as well. I think that for me, that was one of those things where how could I ever say no to doing something that was so meaningful? Human first, entertaining second.

It was really wonderful to jump on board and I think that for me, Veronica in particular, is just one more version of that diversity that I want to see within a certain ethnic group. So yes, they’re all Latin but that’s the number 10 on the list when you describe them. There is diversity of thought, diversity of perspective, diversity of political opinions within this Latin family and you get all of that and what a beautiful thing. That's a diversity that nobody ever talks about. That's one that is very close to my heart. Heteradox thinking is the number 1 thing that I want to see in a group of characters that are all defined by this one common denominator.

AM: In the months and weeks leading up to the show and seeing the previews for it. I was excited to see this on TV. I have to say that as a Black cofounder of Athleisure Media and doing all the things that I do, I’m always excited to see the depth of diversity across various racial groups and how they are portraying characters who work in fields that some who are viewing may not have thought that they would be there – but they are! So it’s amazing that your show is presenting this and you have an incredible cast.

What should we be looking for as we continue through this season?

CO: Oh I think that for Veronica in particular – how to do it her way is one of the most common things especially during the pandemic that we all went through this. We evaluated our life choices, figured out what we wanted and thought about whether we were fulfilled – did we want to make an impact where we could make things better?

I think that she is the personification of some of those journeys where she has done everything that she should do and she has done it right most of her life and suddenly, she has to be confronted with, what does she even want and how does she want it? And how is she going to get things done and do the ends justify the means? All these big questions, she is being faced with for the first time in her life. So going along that journey and seeing where in that fight for power, what’s going to happen with Michael and her and that relationship? Those worlds are in chaos and in limbo and that’s going to be so interesting. People will be able to see themselves in it.

AM: What are some upcoming projects that you have in film/TV that we should keep on our radar, that you’re able to share?

CO: Well, I have a movie coming out soon called Boon. It’s a western thriller – very different and very exciting. Then, another movie coming out called MVP about an NFL player who is also a veteran and it’s about his journey. That’s coming out soon and of course season 6 of Animal Kingdom that is coming back very soon.

AM: At Athleisure Mag, we love sharing great people with our readers and giving them insight on what they know about them as well as things they may not. In prep for this interview, we knew about a number of your shows and your work in them. In addition to your work in the arts, you’re all about the sciences as well and that was fun for us to learn about how you’re a badass in this area as a marine biologist and what you do for the community. When did you embrace your love for science and more specifically focusing on the oceans?

CO: For me, the ocean is the Alpha and the Omega, it’s the love of my life. If I fell in love with acting, the ocean is still the love of my life and it always will be. I try to maintain a bit of a balance. I find that having something, especially in the entertainment industry and any of its forms and I’m sure for you, it’s the same.

Having something that you believe in that’s greater than you and more important than anything in your immediate surroundings whether that be a family, religion or a cause – I think that that’s so fundamental! This way we don’t become myopic in our world and what matters to us as individuals. That’s kind of always been there and hopefully always will be.

I was very fortunate to be at James Cook University and a lot of wonderful friends that I am still in touch with – I get to still piggyback off of a lot of the amazing cool adventures that they’re having when I have time off. I get to go jump in the water and do expeditions and fieldwork and help out and go shark tagging. It’s definitely something that will never go away – maybe I should put that in the credits some how haha, “also come join her shark tagging!”

AM: Yeah the duality of someone who does both and their passions in both are just great to see that. I can appreciate this as someone who is just as comfortable coding as I am with my work in this magazine, styling a project or doing interviews. It’s always amazing to see other people especially those that are women who also like to embrace work in art, tech and science fields. What does it mean when you’re saying that you’re a marine biologist, tagging sharks and doing fieldwork – what are you doing?

CO: Because I’m not actively in the academia community anymore because I’m acting, what I’m doing is basically jumping on board to do the expeditions and projects that my friends and colleagues are doing. I come in and I try to collaborate and contribute in whatever ways that help them. So for shark tagging, I work with the American Shark Conservancy and a lot of researchers that are monitoring healthy communities of Great Whites, Hammerheads or Tiger Sharks and that kind of work that they are doing. If I’m with my friend who’s a primatologist, I’m working with the orangutans in Sumatra and I’m going on an expedition there and just trying to help gather information and samples for their research. So it kind of varies and like you, it’s like that “Jack of all trades” mentality which has always been a thing right?

I saw a video online once where they said that when people say, “A Jack of all trades is a master of none,” they leave it there – but there is a full saying that’s much longer than that –

AM: Yeah, the way many of us have learned that quote, it’s a “Jack of all trades, master of none” which definitely is not something that I would want to be associated as but when you have the full quote, “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” It really gives you that agency to explore multiple interests.

CO: Totally!

AM: It’s so great that you love the oceans and clearly you love protecting them. You’re involved in so many philanthropic efforts – Oceana, Earth’s Oceans, and CARE. Can you talk a little about what you do in those organizations and why you wanted to be involved?

CO: I mean, all of these organizations, for the most part, the reason why I like to be involved is that my personal motto is replacing condemnation with inspiration – right? Tapping into things that are uplifting and motivating and as an example, putting your efforts into places where they do have an impact and a reward. As opposed to just shaming societies in saying that everything that we do is wrong. These organizations, all of them Oceana, Earth's Oceans, CARE and Sustainable Ocean Alliance they are all solution-based as opposed to problem-focused. To me, that is fundamental in being able to catalyze movement and mobilize communities to do something whether it’s on an individual level or not. Most of them are policy based as they want to change legislation and they want to tackle things on the governmental level whether it's local or national. I think that for me, being able to do that in such a tangible way - partnering up with these organizations because they align so well with my personal philosophies is easy. I don’t feel that the work that I do with them or are on the board is effortful. I feel that the work I do is so rewarding and easy it aligns.

AM: I have always felt this way and it’s become the way that we go about our work on out team as well – if a lot of the things that you do are in the same vein, even it feels different or sounds different to other people, you're not really spreading yourself thin. You’re just doing what you’re really passionate about and you’re able to chop it up in different ways.

CO: Yeah, I like that – it’s the key right? It’s finding something that you align with so closely that it doesn’t feel separate to you. It doesn’t feel like, “oh I have to do philanthropic work. Let me go find an organization.” The philanthropic effort comes from you aligning your core values and then you can change your own surroundings.

So with Earth’s Oceans, for example, they have a big partnership with a lot of our shows including Animal Kingdom now. They take a lot of the recycled plastics that are not normally recyclable. Things that people don’t think about - lawn chairs, hair brushes from makeup trailers, everything in the film production – the production is now a green production. They take these plastics and they use it to make consumerable goods.

It’s just, changing your own environment is easier than just thinking about, “oh I have to go somewhere else to do it.”

AM: Wow that’s pretty amazing. You’re also a member of the Los Angeles Science for Society. What is that and how long have you been involved with them?

CO: They are fantastic! They host these incredible Intel International Science Engineering Fairs (ISEF) that are pre collegiate level! These children – these prodigies are so innovative and it celebrates them and it brings them from all across the world and from different areas of STEM and now it’s called STEAM because they include a lot of the arts into it. They bring them together and it’s a wonderful cause and something that I am very passionate about in catalyzing that kind of curiosity in children is fundamental. It's really amazing and I know that you interviewed the director of Science Fair?

AM: Yes! We interviewed Science Fair's filmmaker and director, Cristina Costantini, Dr. Serena McCalla and student Kashfia Rahrman. The film was amazing and it was so impressive to see these students and the teachers that worked with them being able to create these projects and to see the kinds of impacts they could make in the world!

CO: They are fantastic and I’m very lucky that I have been able to work with them for so long. I also just think it’s really wonderful because children are encumbered by a lot of the limitations that once you get into collegiate levels whether it’s someone that’s going on a tenure track or corporate side of things – a lot of the time, you start seeing limitations whether it’s funding, access and you see them. Children don’t have that. They’re imagination really reigns in this arena and it’s so beautiful to see that overlap between their imagination and the science that they are doing and the causes that they tackle. It’s all very personal as one will say that they want to improve the hospital energy supply in their local area because refrigeration is a big thing, so they invented solar cells that people can replace themselves. It’s just fascinating to see and of course, the awards are largely education based with grants and college scholarships.

AM: We were excited to share that with our readers to show how these students are making an impact and are being infused with these skills that will help them as they continue to navigate their careers.

In addition, thinking back to things that we have talked about, it’s great to hear that you’re the keynote speaker at these conferences, podcast guest for a number of these science shows, you’ve been a member of MENSA since 2009 and you are doing a number of fascinating projects –

CO: Oh thank you.

AM: Absolutely, I mean I think that the work you’re doing is incredible and when you look at it in the lens of being a woman who is doing this and owning her space it’s amazing how you are using your platform to showcase – why is it so important for you to do this and to have this mix of arts and sciences?

CO: Apathy is the devil to me. To me, everybody wants an intellectually stimulating life. Everyone wants a creatively stimulating life. I don’t care what arena or industry you’re in. That’s something that as human beings, we crave and to me, mixing those two helps to avoid that apathy. It’s so easy to become self-centered in an industry that encourages that because hey we are tools, our creativity, your imagination – all of these things. For me, mixing the two is just a way that I find balance in those things that I care about because I also think that creativity benefits from all of that. You were saying that you benefit from your knowledge and mastery of technology every single day. I feel that I benefit from mine too because – famous quote of course, “it’s not a body of knowledge, it’s a way of thinking.” To me, it’s about asking the right questions whether it’s for a role or one of these organizations working with them or in the field working with wildlife.

So, learning to ask the right questions and questioning yourself, that is so important. Asking ourselves, ”what if this did work and what if we did it this way?” What if we got it right, what if we did make an impact – what if whatever I did in the next hour mattered to somebody or to something? Learning to ask different questions depending on the circumstances is so fundamental to me and something that I use daily. I think that it helps stomps out apathy first and foremost for myself and other people around me and inspiring them to do the same. So for me, that has been the guiding force I guess.

AM: It’s been so fascinating to talk with you and to hear about what you’re involved in and how you continue to take on new things as an educator, author, being published in Vogue Spain etc. Are there still things that you wish to tackle that you have yet to do at this point?

CO: A social life – ha! I mean, I see myself as a storyteller so for me, that in general has come through acting, it has come through writing. It has come through writing research papers and it has come through podcasting, producing and things like that. To me, it’s not just one medium and I’m very fortunate, knock on wood that I have, like you, that true Jack of all trades gene. So anything that feels labeling and limiting is not going to satisfy that fluidity. I get energy from transitioning from podcasting to producing or from acting to writing a research paper or writing an article. I enjoy that fluidity and I assume you do too as you built your life around that structure.

AM: I do find that if I am only doing one thing, then I feel a little stuck, but if I can flow or see something that’s presented and even if it’s not a fit, pivot it so it leans back to things that I can execute on – then it makes sense to me. But if it’s constantly the same that’s really going to be a bit of a wall until we can put a twist on it because you want to be challenged! You to be a bit of a wall until we can put a twist on it because you want to be challenged! You don’t always want to feel like you can do it with your eyes closed all the time. I don’t like every bump that comes along but I can appreciate certain bumps – depending on time and place.

So when you’re not on set, and I assume you’re going to say the ocean, where can we find you in terms of getting back to yourself and making sure that your cup is replenished?

CO: I mean wildlife, water, nature – those things really replenish me. They don’t have to be grand scale – I don’t have to be at the Bimini Shark Lab free diving for Tiger Sharks - it's as easy as taking a walk with my dog or honestly, reading a book! I mean, to me, it’s the cheapest form of travel and cheapest form of escapism and I suffer the need for escapism constantly, I think! I like the idea of going away to a cabin on the cliff by the ocean is my dream in general! Books are a very easy and quick way for me to do that. It’s a go-to that definitely replenishes. Anything that’s creative and is not result-driven or process-driven – so painting – even when I know it might go in the trash 20 mins later – that is very replenishing for me! Not having to get something right is great – so anything in that vein.

IG @ochoachristina

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT COVER Rachael Porter | PG 16 - 27 ABC/Promised Land | PG 28 - 30 TNT Animal Kingdom/Eddy Chen | PG 33 + BACK COVER ROGUE EXPEDITIONS | PG 156 Still from video provided by Christina Ochoa |

Read the FEB ISSUE #74 of Athleisure Mag and see HOW WE ALIGN | Christina Ochoa in mag.