9LIST STORI3S | BEA KIM

Read the FEB ISSUE #122 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Bea Kim in mag.

DUSTIN JOHNSON | CHAMPION LEGACY

This month’s cover star is a golf legend who has 24 PGA Tour wins, has won the US Open as well as the Masters and has dominated in the sport. At LIV Golf, he is an Owner/Captain of the 4Aces and has achieved success here as well! Dustin Johnson is passionate about the game of golf and with the season kicking off in Riyadh on Feb 4th, we wanted to know more about how he came to this game, how he trains for it to optimize himself for his game, and to know more about why he joined LIV Golf and to understand what it is like for him to be in this role. We also talk with 4Aces GM, Chris Rosaasen to know more about this team, its vision, sponsor brands, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with golf and when did you realize that you wanted to play it professionally?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I fell in love with golf as a kid when I was 6 years old. I always wanted to play professionally since I started playing. I knew I was going to play on tour when I was a Junior in college.

AM: In terms of optimizing yourself to hit the course, what is an average week like in terms of fitness or workouts that you do?

DJ: After dropping my kids off at school in the morning, I head straight to the gym. My personal trainer’s name is Joey D, and I have been working with him for a long time. After the gym I head straight to the golf course. When I am on the road during tournament weeks, I am in the gym every day, whether it’s at the gym at the golf course or the hotel. Working out is in my DNA.

AM: You have had a number of accolades in your career, from 24 total PGA wins, being ranked number 1 for 135 weeks, winning the US Open in 2016, winning the 2020 Masters and winning all 4 World Golf Championship events, just as the topline notes. What do those achievements mean to you?

DJ: [Laughs] It means I am pretty good and I won a lot of tournaments.

AM: Why did you want to join LIV Golf as you have done this for 4 seasons, you won the inaugural 2022 LIV Golf Team Championship, and you are about to start your 5th!

DJ: I appreciate and enjoyed my long career on the PGA Tour, and LIV offered me a new opportunity I really believe in. I get to travel the world growing the game that I love, while building one of the first sports franchises in professional golf.

AM: You just signed a 3-year extension to continue playing with LIV. Why are you invested in this League and how are you going to continue to build off your team’s success?

DJ: Similar to my answer above, I feel LIV is the best place for me, and I truly believe in its vision and growth and the 4Aces.

AM: For those that may not be familiar with LIV Golf in terms of its season and its team play, can you tell me more about this?

DJ + CHRIS ROSAASEN: On LIV we play a 14 event global schedule. We play in nine different countries and incredible countries/cities. We are like the Formula 1 of golf, putting on the biggest events in the most exciting places across the world.

AM: You’re the Captain as well as the Co-Owner of 4Aces. Can you tell us about how teams are created?

DJ: In 2022, we started the league with a draft. We’ve continued to evolve and mature as a league, as we welcome new players to the Aces and across all of our teams. I always have my eye on new & young up & coming stars to continue to carry the legacy of the 4Aces.

AM: Chris, you were previously the CEO of TravisMatthew before becoming the GM of 4Aces. Can you tell me about your background, how you came to this team, and what your role entails here?

CR: I originally was introduced to LIV through a handful of players that decided to make the switch from the PGA Tour. I attended the first US event in Portland, Oregon in July of 2022. While attending, I saw team golf apparel being sold for the first time and approached LIV about getting the contract to do apparel for all the teams at the time. That got my foot in the door to understand what LIV was all about. I started sponsoring the 4Aces in 2023 with an apparel company I founded called Extracurricular, and midway through the 2023 season, Dustin approached me about becoming GM of the 4Aces. I have been running the team ever since.

AM: What is your relationship like in working together in this Captain/Co-Owner and GM dynamic?

CR: It’s been great. Dustin has given me the freedom and his trust to run the team. I still see Dustin as my boss, and I run all important decisions by him before they are made, as we are running this business together.

AM: From a back of house perspective, what are the kinds of things that you worked on in the off-season to prepare for the upcoming season?

CR: I work with Max Russell (Our 4Aces Head of Sponsorship) on sponsor pipeline and getting deals to the finish line for the season. Also, strategizing on our team roster for the upcoming 2026 season is always top of mind. Lastly, from a brand building standpoint, we are investing in a new YouTube Series Behind the Aces which will be making its official debut later this year.

AM: How would you define the 4Aces brand?

CR: Our tagline is Primetime. We are the aspirational team on LIV that always gets noticed first when we show up at events. We model our brand off of the winningest, most prestigious brands in professional sports a la Lakers, Yankees, and Mercedes Benz of Formula 1.

AM: Tell us about your fellow teammates and what are your goals for the upcoming season?

DJ: Really excited to add Thomas Detry to the team, our newest team member. He is a proven winner on the PGA Tour and is hungry to continue getting better. I am also pumped to have Thomas Pieters back for this season. He is one of the most talented players on LIV and has so much upside. I am expecting big things from everyone and am optimistic this will be the best roster the 4Aces have ever fielded on LIV.

AM: Throughout the season, you play all around the globe in a number of amazing destinations. What are your favorite destinations and why?

DJ: Love Australia and the energy and atmosphere that crowd brings. Hong Kong is really special and is a great city to play and stay in. Lastly, I am thrilled to be playing in South Africa for the first time and have heard really exciting things. It’s honestly hard to choose, we go to so many great places...

CR: Australia is always top of mind for me and on top of the great crowds and city, the music LIV brings is always top notch and full of energy. Mexico City is the best if you love a food energy on top of a really unique challenging golf course. Finally, my favorite is Valderamma, Spain, an iconic golf course set on one of the most beautiful coastlines of the Mediterranean.

AM: As someone who is always on the go, what are 3 items that you like to bring with you so it feels like you have a sense of home with you?

CR: [Laughs] The road feels like home more than being at home sometimes. We are living out of suitcases 24/7.

AM: You just played at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and you’re about to begin the 2026 LIV Golf season at Riyadh. What are you looking forward to as 2026 seems exciting with going to a 72-hole format.

DJ: I am excited about the 72 hole format. It goes back to the type of golf and format I grew up playing. Also, I think it favors the better players, which I believe benefits my game out here on LIV.

AM: For fans who come to watch you play, what is that experience like as the blend between golf, entertainment, and culture must be such an immersive experience.

CR: LIV Golf’s format is unique in the sense that there is an individual and team competition occurring simultaneously. The shotgun start with everyone teeing off at the same time lends to fans having a 5 hour window on the golf course which allows them to see more of the action in a condensed period. I think LIV does a tremendous job bringing in local food and sourcing world class musical acts, making the experience something that is new and unique to golf. We have artists like Calvin Harris, John Summit, etc playing at tournaments. These are some of the biggest names in Music.

AM: What is the 4Aces Social Club and how does this take attendees enjoyment to the next level?

CR: The 4Aces Social Club is something we are really excited about ramping up in 2026 and beyond. We use it as our moniker to activate exclusive hospitality events both on and off the golf course. In 2025, we had our own private structure in Miami where we hosted friends and family of the team, sponsors, and VIP’s, and threw a couple amazing off-course activations – one being at a private car museum in Indy and a private dinner in Dallas. We have more events planned in 2026 and are continuing to invest in the success of the programming.

AM: From a brand perspective, you have a number of partnerships including your recent Under Armour contract, Santo Studio, Celsius, FlyHouse, SWAG Golf to name a few, You are the first team to have a men’s jewelry partnership via JAXXON and your brands reflect an incredible intersection between culture, luxury, and performance! What is the thought process you implement in terms of determining those brands that you feel best fits 4Aces ecosystem?

CR: Everything with our partners starts with authenticity. Our partners reflect our players and team ethos. Having new partners such as Under Armour – a leader in performance athletic wear and footwear – exemplify those premium brands who are coming on board because of our shared vision for the future of the sport. Frankly, all of our partners fit categories that are important to us as a team, whether that’s Celsius and their Live Fit mantra, which is core to us or FlyHouse, as our Private Aviation Partner and a standard of excellency and innovation in private travel, to DAOU Vineyards which is a world class wine California Wine Brand.

AM: You have a phenomenal career and you’re an owner of this franchise. Who have been mentors of yours as you have navigated your career?

DJ: I have had a some really important mentors in my life. Most important have been my dad, Wayne (Gretzky, my FIL) and Coach Terrell, my college golf coach.

AM: Why do you love this game so much and what do you want your legacy to be known as in this sport?

DJ: I love the challenge of golf. You are never going to be perfect at it. There’s always something you need to work on.

IG @dustinjohnsongolf

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | LIV Golf

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see DUSTIN JOHNSON | Champion Legacy in mag.

THE ICE PRINCE | JACK HUGHES

We’re in the New Year, and whether it’s wrapping up things from 2025 or beginning the marathon of the months ahead, we have all got into the flow. With the holiday season behind us, we tend to countdown to the Spring. Part of that process is navigating Cold & Flu season. We took some time to sit down with NHL New Jersey Devils Center, Jack Hughes to talk about his love for the game of hockey, playing on this team, his Olympic debut, and his partnership with Mucinex Kickstart!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you fell in love with hockey?

JACK HUGHES: Like honestly, super young I would say! Like, my older brother played (Editor’s Note: Quinn plays for the Minnesota Wild and his younger brother Luke plays for the Devils - they are the first trio of brothers to all be top-7 NHL draft picks and are cover athletes for EA Sports’ NHL 25), both of my parents played, and growing up, hockey was always around! I always had a stick in my hand. It was probably when I was extremely young and we were on the ice skating. My brother did it so I would say that I would have been 2 or 3.

AM: That is pretty crazy and amazing!

At what point did you realize that you wanted to go pro?

JH: I mean, I don’t think that you really realize that, I think that when you’re 8 years old, you’re playing to have fun and then it’s the same when you’re 12 and then 14. But maybe, when I was 16, that’s when I started to realize that maybe that would be realistic, you know? That’s when hockey gets more serious and the pyramid starts to shrink a little bit! Just growing up, that was always a dream of mine! I just wanted to play – to play in the NHL, but it just seemed so far fetched at the time.

AM: You got drafted in 2019 and you play for the New Jersey Devils, what does it mean to you to be on this team?

JH: Yeah, it’s good! I enjoy playing on the team and also living there. It’s the only team that I have played for in my career and I really enjoy it. It’s a place that I call home now and I love it, and I have really loved my time here.

AM: Clearly playing this sport is a total body workout! What are 3 workouts that you do to get ready for GAM3DAY?

JH: Well, workouts that I do, it’s kind of hard because you’re playing every night! You’re kind of just warming up and activating and you’re trying to keep your body feeling good and staying loose. But you also want to be kept strong and to keep it that way throughout the year. It’s important to get your rest obviously and your cardio is at such a high level because of all of the games and all of the skating, so there is so much that goes into it. But you’re just trying to keep your body feeling good for when you do play.

AM: What are your foods that are you’re go-to’s that you enjoy eating?

JH: I obviously love desserts, but I can’t have those all of the time! But things that keep me going for Game Day are things like sweet potatoes, a lot of high protein things like steak and chicken – you have to do all of that! Eggs, a ton of eggs in the morning is another one. I don’t know, it’s kind of like, you don’t really eat for food or enjoyment, it’s for fuel so that you can fuel yourself, feel good, and you can feel energized.

AM: With the Olympics coming up, you’re going to be competing on that global stage, what does it mean to you to be able to do this?

JH: It’s just a huge dream of mine. You know, I grew up as a proud American so it’s a big dream to be able to play for your country in the Olympics and it’s the biggest stage in hockey. So to be able to be a part of it is something that I have dreamed of for my entire life and I’m excited to be able to go through that process.

AM: You’ve partnered with Mucinex and Athleisure Mag is based in NYC and we’ve had a mix of some mild days and some cold days, but you know this is the time of year where we are navigating Cold + Flu season. Why did you want to partner with Mucinex and what are you doing to make sure that you are staying cold and flu free?

JH: Honestly, you have a ton of late nights traveling and you’re always moving around going from city to city. You try to stay at your best, but obviously, you get sick sometimes! I feel like Mucinex is at every locker room. Players are taking Mucinex for multi-symptom relief so that they can feel better and feel ready to try to be able to perform at their best. You have to do that and you have to get your rest as well. You just try to feel as good as you can!

AM: Can you tell us about the Kickstart to Greatness Campaign that you launched as you have partnered with Mucinex Kickstart, which honors the real key heroes of youth hockey - the mentors and programs that have helped shape young hockey players?

JH: Yeah! They have partnered with USA Hockey Foundation and have donated $20,000 to help fund the young American kids that are playing hockey. It’s something that I am super passionate about because I was super young too and obviously, youth hockey is something that is close to my heart. I was grateful to help Mucinex host a youth clinic with USA Hockey and Hockey in New Jersey to help kickstart the next generation of hockey stars. It’s an easy thing for me to be involved in this, as they donated to something that I care about, and it is an easy merger with something that I really care about and it is an easy thing to support.

IG @jackhughes

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 52 - 59 + PG 62 NJ Devils | PG 60 Adam Hunger/AP Content Services for Mucinex Kickstart |

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ICE PRINCE | Jack Hughes in mag.

JAMIE ANDERSON | DEFYING GRAVITY

One of the most decorated women’s snowboarders is none other than 3X Team USA Snowboarding Olympic Medalist and 21X X Games Medalist, Jamie Anderson. With a number of accolades under her board, she owns the most X Games hardware of any female athlete and the second most Winter medals of any athlete! She’s a 5X ESPY Female Action Sports Award Winner, is an 11 career World Cup winner, has 8 career U.S. Open wins, and wins across every other major action sports series in the last 2 decades! She has even joined X Games League Winter Founder Athletes ahead of the Winter League debut in 2027.

We wanted to know more about this phenomenal athlete, her passion for the sport, how she approaches snowboarding, and competing at Rockstar Energy Open last year, as well as the X Games which took place this month.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Do you remember your first moment on a snowboard and when did you fall in love with it?

JAMIE ANDERSON: I fell in love with snowboarding when I was 9 years old. My two sisters had started the season or two before, and as soon as I fit into their hand me downs, my mom took me to Sierra Tahoe and I had a ski school lesson. I remember it being super difficult at first, but later that day or the following day, I remember it clicking and being able to kind of ride and do my turns and that’s the moment I really fell in love with snowboarding and just having that freedom being on the mountain, exploring, riding trails through the woods. It brought me so much joy and presentess - just being in the moment. And literally almost 30 years later, I still just absolutely love snowboarding.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to go pro?

JA: I would say relatively early, I think by 12 years old, I had a few years under my belt and I was starting to compete in amateur events right away. I really loved it and loved the whole industry. When I was 13, is when I qualified for my first X Games and I was definitely still an amateur at that point, and competing at Boardercross at the X Games, but I knew I really wanted to go Pro, travel, and have sponsorships. It was about two years later when I was 15, when I got to compete in freestyle and slopestyle, and I won my first medal. That really was the start of my professional snowboarding career.

AM: You are focused on Slopestyle and Big Air. What is it that you enjoy about competing in these 2 areas?

JA: I love Freestyle because it’s creative, it’s fun, it’s ever changing. I like going to different parks around the world and riding and figuring out my flow. It’s just fun. It’s playful. I kind of imagine it like a playground on the mountain for adults. 


AM: In order to perform at the most optimized level, what does an average week of training in terms of fitness routines/methods?

JA: Well, I’m a lot different than most athletes. I now am a busy mother of two, so my training program is a little bit all over the place. I like to do yoga. I try to snowboard as much as I can, but sometimes that is two or three days a week. And yeah, when I can, I like to do some weight training -- but I haven’t, to be honest in quite some time. For me, my kind of overall fitness and health routine is trying to get good sleep eating, nourishing, whole foods, exercising and staying as active and fit as I can without a gym -- the walking, the yoga, the carrying little babies around.

AM: How does nutrition play into that and what are 3 foods that you eat to assist you in your training goals?

JA: Nutrition is everything. I really believe we are what we eat and I love whole foods. I don’t have any necessary diets, but I try to eat as much grass-fed or wild meat.
My fiancée hunts, so we eat a lot of venison. I do a lot of pasture eggs, I like milk and apples and I also love my carbs. I eat a lot of pasta. I like making lasagna. I like Mexican food. I like anything as long as it’s fresh and good ingredients. 


AM: How important is recovery in this sport?

JA: For instance, at the Rockstar Energy Open event, we had a nanny come in and help me with the kids during practice. But when I got home, I would hang with the girls, maybe take them for a walk or go swimming, do a little stretching and a recovery, and then try to look at footage and make a game plan for my run. Then have dinner, maybe take a bath and go to bed. It’s very busy with the two kids because I really love momming and it’s my number one priority. We’re trying to kind of balance a lot, but it’s fun.

Recovering in this sport is huge. I think you have to feel good to perform good, so I think being strong and flexible is really key, and nutrition plays such a huge role in recovery as far as breaking up lactic acid, having your body and muscles hydrated. I often travel with a Bemer mat, which is like a PEMF, that really helps flush lactic acid and helps me recover. I’ve been using the Bemer mat for many years and I think it really, really helps me. It’s key. Taking care of my skin and letting it recover is also super important while spending so much time in the mountains. I love using First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream.


AM: You recently competed in the Rockstar Energy Open in Breckenridge and it seems different than other competitions, why did you want to participate in this event?

JA: Now we’re a little bit past the Rockstar event, I chose to support and compete in this event because it felt like a real core snowboard event. I like that it had a different format with the final round being head to head. I loved that the course was unique and creative and it had rails. It had a butter pad type of jump. It had a hip, a quarterpipe, which really showcased all over skill and talent, and I just thought it was so fun. I’m really stoked I landed a good run. I ended up in the finals. I ended up in the last final round and took second place, and I am so grateful and proud of that.

AM: This month, we have the X Games and you are one of the most decorated snowboarders to have competed! Why do you love being at this event and what’s that like?

JA: Oh, I love the X Games because honestly, it’s like the mecca of action sports. I feel the X Games has done so much for snowboarding and all action sports, and it’s just fun. They have a sick course and take good care of the riders. My sponsor Monster is a huge part of it. It’s just a really fun event that I look forward to every year. My career started there when I was just 13 years old. Here I am, 35, still doing it and still loving it more than ever.

AM: Of course, all eyes will be on Italy for the Olympics. As a hopeful, what is it like for you to compete on this global stage and are you excited to be going back?

JA: I am so excited to be hopefully going back to the Olympics. I’ve yet to lock in my spot, but I am doing my best to ensure I make the US Team. I feel nervous about the big world stage, but I feel honored and that it’s truly such a privilege to compete at an Olympic level event. And not even an Olympic level, just at the Olympics itself is really an honor and a privilege. I feel so stoked to represent the U.S and ride with our team. I think it’s going to be a really beautiful experience. And I’m so excited to soak up the Italian culture. Eat a lot of pasta and just embrace the whole experience.

AM: You also love pushing boundaries in the Backcountry - why is this part of snowboarding so important to you?

JA: Backcountry snowboarding is kind of like it’s riding for your soul, you know? Backcountry snowboarding is just so fun. I feel like it really fills my spirit with joy and there’s nothing like riding the powder, riding Alaska, riding big lines or even just writing the resort with all your friends after it’s blanketed with beautiful, fresh snow. Yeah, backcountry snowboarding is a gift from God.

AM: As someone who has been in this career for awhile, who has had many success and is a mom of 2, how do you feel you’re approaching the sport now?

JA: Now I feel I have a way different approach to the sport. I’m kind of doing it for fun. I know the younger generation has progressed the sport so much, and I know I’m not going out there trying to do the most technical runs, but I just feel stoked to be getting out there at all and linking fun runs and just doing my best. My approach is way more relaxed in shell and I feel at peace with it.

AM: Tell us about the Jamie Anderson Foundation and what it does?

JA: So I started my foundation in 2013 to essentially give back to kids in the community. Growing up in a big family, I’m aware of how expensive it can be getting into snow sports ao I wanted to give back to kids in our community. We sponsor young athletes, peers and snowboarders, and give grants to help them with their careers, with travel expenses, accommodation, even snowboards and outerwear and things like that. It’s still pretty grassroots, but I want to see it grow more as time goes on, and hopefully help as many kids as possible.

AM: You have amassed a number of accolades and have competed at the highest levels! What do you want your legacy to be known as when people think about Jamie Anderson?

JA: I mean, I hope when people think back of me, I would like my legacy to be like spreading the love, having fun, embracing the journey, having a lot of gratitude and a full heart, and giving back to those around me.

IG @jamieanderson

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | X Games

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see Jamie Anderson | DEFYING GRAVITY in mag.

9LIST ROUTIN3S | JACK HUGHES

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST ROUTIN3S | Jack Hughes in mag.

9PLAYLIST MULTI | DUSTIN JOHNSON

Read the JAN ISSUE #121 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST MULTI | Dustin Johnson in mag.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN | QUARTER FINALS

In tennis, the year kicks off with the first Grand Slam of the season at the Australian Open which started on Jan 12th and ends on Feb 1st! We are now in the quarterfinals and are looking forward to see who will take it all! We can’t wait to see the athletes and stories that will dominate this season as well as how it culminates when it hits the final Grand Slam of the year here in NYC for the US Open.

TEAM USA WINTER OLYMPICS 2026 OUTIFTS

The Winter Olympics 2026 takes place from Feb 6 - 22nd in Milano Cortina (these games will be co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo)! It’s a time to see your favorite athletes competing on a global stage from curling, snowboarding, alpine skiing and more. As we get closer to these games, we also enjoy seeing when each country unveils the looks for the teams from Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and for competition looks. Ralph Lauren who has Team USA Olympic and Paralympic athletes for nearly 20 years unveiled their uniforms.

As we watch the Opening Ceremony, you’ll see Team USA arriving in a white wool coat with wooden toggles, a turtleneck sweater and wool trousers that are tailored. For the Closing Ceremony, they will have a color-block puffer jacket, wool turtleneck sweater, and white utility pants. Accessories will include knit mittens in red, white, and blue as well as a leather belt and suede alpine boots.

Via a release, David Lauren, Ralph Lauren’s Chief Branding and Innovation Officer shared that, “Ralph Lauren has had the immense privilege of outfitting Team USA for nearly 20 years, and the significance and sheer magnitude of dressing our nation’s incredible athletes—on the most dramatic stage in sport as they pursue their lifelong dreams—is an honor that never fades. Our design philosophy has always been about creating dreams and telling stories through style, and these uniforms, both timeless and modern, reflect the passion, optimism, and relentless pursuit of excellence that embody the American spirit.”

Each time they present the looks, the brand also features athletes who will be participating in the games.

PHOTO CREDIT | Ralph Lauren | Team USA Closing Ceremony Snowboarder Red Gerard (1G)

“I’ve been doing a lot of training, spending a lot of time over in Europe pretty close to where we’ll be competing in Milan,” says Red Gerard. “Trying to get better snowboarding but in a safe way without getting hurt before the Olympics! I’m stoked to represent Team USA with Ralph Lauren and to be a part of the unveiling of my personal favorite Opening and Closing Ceremony Uniforms!!”

PHOTO CREDIT | Ralph Lauren | Team USA Closing Ceremony Looks | Ice Dancers Maia Shibutani (2B) and Alex Shibutani (2B)

In addition to the looks that are worn by the athletes, Ralph Lauren also creates a collection that allows us to purchase them to support the team as well as the Winter Games. Ralph Lauren’s 2026 Team USA is available now and can be purchased online, at select Ralph Lauren stores, select department stores, and if you will be at the Winter Games this year, you can purchase pieces at their pop-up shop at the Rosapetra Hotel in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

PHOTO CREDIT | Ralph Lauren | Ralph Lauren Team USA Collection

X GAMES 2026

As we look ahead to the weekend, we’re excited that the X Games will bring us our favorite Winter sports from Aspen, Jan 23 - Jan 25th. With a number of phenomenal athletes including our DEC ISSUE #120 cover Mark McMorris who is the most decorated Winter athlete in the history of the X Games with 24 medals (11 G, 10 S, 3 B) and is a Winter X Games Founder Athlete for the X Games League! In addition, there are a number of athletes that will be hitting the snow that we can’t wait to see! If you won’t be in Aspen to catch all the action, you can tune in on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, Hulu+, and streaming on The Roku Channel and XGames.com.

KEEPING COLD + FLU SEASON ON ICE

We’re in the New Year and whether it’s wrapping up things from 2025 or beginning the marathon of the months ahead, we have all got into the flow. With the holiday season behind us, we tend to countdown to the Spring. Part of that process is navigating Cold & Flu season. We took some time to sit down with NHL New Jersey Devils Center, Jack Hughes to talk about his love for the game of hockey, playing on this team, his Olympic debut, and his partnership with Mucinex Kickstart!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you fell in love with hockey?

JACK HUGHES: Like honestly, super young I would say! Like, my older brother played (Editor’s Note: Quinn plays for the Minnesota Wild and his younger brother Luke plays for the Devils - they are the first trio of brothers to all be top-7 NHL draft picks and are cover athletes for EA Sports' NHL 25), both of my parents played, and growing up, hockey was always around! I always had a stick in my hand. It was probably when I was extremely young and we were on the ice skating. My brother did it so I would say that I would have been 2 or 3.

AM: That is pretty crazy and amazing!

At what point did you realize that you wanted to go pro?

JH: I mean, I don’t think that you really realize that, I think that when you’re 8 years old, you’re playing to have fun and then it’s the same when you’re 12 and then 14. But maybe, when I was 16, that’s when I started to realize that maybe that would be realistic, you know? That’s when hockey gets more serious and the pyramid starts to shrink a little bit! Just growing up, that was always a dream of mine! I just wanted to play – to play in the NHL, but it just seemed so far fetched at the time.

AM: You got drafted in 2019 and you play for the New Jersey Devils, what does it mean to you to be on this team?

JH: Yeah, it’s good! I enjoy playing on the team and also living there. It’s the only team that I have played for in my career and I really enjoy it. It’s a place that I call home now and I love it and I have really loved my time here.

AM: Clearly playing this sport is a total body workout! What are 3 workouts that you do to get ready for Game Day?

JH: Well, workouts that I do, it’s kind of hard because you’re playing every night! You’re kind of just warming up and activating and you’re trying to keep your body feeling good and staying loose. But you also want to be kept strong and to keep it that way throughout the year. It’s important to get your rest obviously and your cardio is at such a high level because of all of the games and all of the skating, so there is so much that goes into it. But you’re just trying to keep your body feeling good for when you do play.

AM: What are your foods that are you’re go-to’s that you enjoy eating?

JH: I obviously love desserts, but I can’t have those all of the time! But things that keep me going for Game Day are things like sweet potatoes, a lot of high protein things like steak and chicken – you have to do all of that! Eggs, a ton of eggs in the morning is another one. I don’t know, it’s kind of like, you don’t really eat for food or enjoyment, it’s for fuel so that you can fuel yourself so that you can feel good and you can feel energized.

AM: With the Olympics coming up, you’re going to be competing on that global stage, what does it mean to you to be able to do this?

JH: It’s just a huge dream of mine. You know, I grew up as a proud American so it’s a big dream to be able to play for your country in the Olympics and it’s the biggest stage in hockey. So to be able to be a part of it is something that I have dreamed of for my entire life and I’m excited to be able to go through that process.

AM: You’ve partnered with Mucinex and Athleisure Mag is based in NYC and we’ve had a mix of some mild days and some cold days but you know this is the time of year where we are navigating Cold + Flu season. Why did you want to partner with Mucinex and what are you doing to make sure that you are staying cold and flu free?

JH: Honestly, you have a ton of late nights traveling and you’re always moving around going from city to city. You try to stay at your best, but obviously, you get sick sometimes! I feel like Mucinex is at every locker room. Players are taking Mucinex for multi-symptom relief so that they can feel better and feel ready to try to be able to perform at their best. You have to do that and you have to get your rest as well. You just try to feel as good as you can!

AM: Can you tell us about the Kickstart to Greatness Campaign that you launched as you have partnered with Mucinex Kickstart which honors the real key heroes of youth hockey - the mentors and programs that have helped shape young hockey players?

JH: Yeah! They have partnered with USA Hockey Foundation and have donated $20,000 to help fund the young American kids that are playing hockey. It’s something that I am super passionate about because I was super young too and obviously, youth hockey is something that is close to my heart. I was grateful to help Mucinex host a youth clinic with USA Hockey and Hockey in New Jersey to help kickstart the next generation of hockey stars. It’s an easy thing for me to be involved in this as they donated to something that I care about and it is an easy merger with something that I really care about and it is an easy thing to support.

PUSHING THE LIMITS | MARK MCMORRIS

This month, we end the year with a cover star that we are very excited about who is the most decorated snowboarder in X Games history, with 24 medals (G11, S10, B3) as well as being a 3X Bronze Olympic Team Canada Snowboarding medalist - Mark McMorris! He is known for taking to the snow in Slopestyle, Big Air and Backcountry as he truly has a passion for his sport! His love for it has taken him all over the world, whether he’s competing or doing stunning films such as his latest PAVED in collaboration with Red Bull and Burton, that are both sponsors of his! He has additional coveted list of sponsors as well as including Oakley, Dove Men + Care, KLM Airlines, and Toyota to name a few.

We caught up with him ahead of some phenomenal competitions including Rockstar Energy Open that took place this month, X Games next month, and the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milano Cortina, Italy - for his 4th appearance - just for starters. We wanted to know more about how skateboarding led to snowboarding, the styles of snowboarding that he enjoys doing, the importance of competitions, how he approaches training, the upcoming season, and how he gives back through the McMorris Foundation!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We know that you enjoy skateboarding. What took you from that sport and drew you to snowboarding?

MARK MCMORRIS: Honestly, we went on a family trip and my brother and I are 2 years a part and my mom was about to have us go on a ski lesson and we saw snowboards for the first time! They were on the wall in the rental zone where you would sign up and get your gear for your lesson. I had skateboarded the entire Summer before and I thought, “I want to stand sideways, I want to be able to skateboard on the snow.”

Thank God our neighbors on our street were skateboarders and kind of got me into that and hooked on that! If not, I might have went into ski lessons! I’m very thankful that I became a boarder and it is a huge kudos and thank you to skateboarding!

AM: At what point did you think that you wanted to go pro and really do this as a career?

MM: I think when I was 12 or 13. I knew that I had potential and that I loved nothing more than being able to snowboard and to be up in the mountains with my friends. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I was definitely plotting that I would be able to stay in the mountains and to enjoy this and to do it for the rest of my life! I didn’t know what avenue I was going to go, but I did have my mind made up that I wanted to snowboard for the rest of my life.

To do so professionally was the dream. I mean, when you’re super passionate about something, it’s crazy how hard the human can work towards it!

AM: 100%!

You’re known for Slopestyle and also Big Air, can you tell us about these disciplines and why you are drawn to them?

MM: Slopestyle is a combination of rails and jumps – kind of what you would see around every single snow park. Most resorts will have a couple of jumps and a couple of rails. That’s what a lot of kids grow up doing in that freestyle of things of riding. There’s less and less half pipes nowadays. Where we grew up in Western Canada, there wasn’t many half pipes if any! So, that’s kind of what I was drawn to and obviously, I liked catching big jumps.

So, catching Big Air, is just one single jump. Slopestyle is a combination of jumps and rails which we really love and are drawn to. That’s kind of what you would see in the movies and things like that. So, I have always had a big love for it, and still do!

AM: Clearly, snowboarding is a full body sport, but do you find yourself doing other fitness methods or workouts that help to optimize you when you are doing this?

MM: For sure! Having mobility and strength in those deep ranges will keep you less injury prone, will make you be able to stay on the mountain longer – so strength and mobility are kind of the 2 bigaboos and I work on those daily. Especially as I get older, it’s always been very important to me and I came up during a time where my elders were like, “you have to stretch and you have to do gym work.” If you want to be a pro, you have to be a pro athlete and you have to have fitness and that kind of strength to be able to do it at the level that we are doing it and to of course have that kind of longevity! You want to try to stay out of that rehab zone!

AM: From what you can tell as we’re talking to you as you’re preparing for the Rockstar Energy Open in Breckenridge – how is it different than other competitions that you have been in as I know this is their first debut in snow.

MM: Yeah. I think it is really exciting that there is a different kind of contest that is happening in an Olympic year where it’s usually very regimented. It’s nice to be able to switch it up and kudos to them to get a unique group of riders together and to have a very unorthodox, fun, creative course that we would normally not see and to have a fun twist on things! I’m really stoked to be here and it’s nice to have this break in the season. You’re still competing and you still want do well and you’re making a plan and trying to do a run. At the same time, it feels a little more laid back and you’re not chasing points to qualify for the Olympics or going for broke on some 80’ jump – it’s all fun sized and extremely creative.

AM: You have the X Games coming up as well as the Winter Olympics. What’s a week of training look like when you are focused on competitions like that. Are you doing anything different?

MM: A week of training during a major competition like the X Games or the Olympics, is a lot of planning around when the practice sessions are. You’re trying to peak at the right times, trying to get the rest you need – when you have a day off, maybe you’re going to do a lift then. Most of the time, it’s a lot of recovery and mobility, breathwork, thoracic spine, and things like that – trying to just keep the chassis in tip top shape. Trying to eat clean and prioritizing a good 8 hour rest, things like that.

I would say that on non-competition weeks, you’re lifting more weights and doing harder gym sessions. But the practice sessions are a ton of impact and a ton of mental stress. So when you get off the hill, you’re in the gym, but it’s more about spinning, recovery, mobility, eating clean, and sleeping.

AM: Wow!

You’re one of the most decorated snowboarders and with the X Games being a few weeks away, what do you love about competing there and what are you looking forward to?

MM: The X Games has been so amazing for my career! I have had great success in Aspen and I love the town – it’s a special place. I can’t say enough good things about X Games and Aspen – it has truly built my career to what it is. I’m just thankful that I am still doing it and my first X Games was in 2011 in Aspen –

AM: Which is crazy because that’s veteran status there!

MM: Yeah, 15 years now! I’m thankful to still be going out there, I’m thankful to still be able to have a shot at winning. I’m feeling healthy and happy and I’m really excited to be able to get back there!

AM: This will be your 4th Olympic appearance. What does it mean to you to represent your country, participate in the opening and closing ceremonies, and to compete on that kind of global stage?

MM: It’s an honor to represent your country! Like you said, it will be my 4th time around which I am extremely proud of. There’s not a single male that I competed with in 2014 at the Sochi Olympics that will be at the Olympics in Italy. I am proud of that longevity and I am proud of the hard work that I have put in. I am really looking forward to going out there and doing my best and riding to the best of my ability. I really feel like that if I do that, I have a good shot at some hardware. I’m excited for family and friends to be around because the last one in 2022, it was quite COVID’d out. It wasn’t a ton of spectators.

When I go to an Olympics, it’s always been pretty focused mode – horse blinders on. Not really like taking in a ton – you’re just kind of focused on what you’re doing. I actually went to Paris for the last Summer Games and it was a lot of fun to be able to take in an Olympics and not to compete! I could just be a fan and I really enjoyed that! So I’m excited for friends and family to come to get that experience and obviously, as I get older and mature more, I know that there is a lot more to life than that, but I will definitely be locked in and focused and I will try to enjoy it as well as the pizza and pasta as well!

AM: Pizza and pasta – that’s our language right there!

MM: Yup! If we’re going to get a big work in, you get to have a carb load!

AM: As someone who has competed all over the world, you have filmed all over the world, are there 3 places that are your top destinations to snowboard in that you can share?

MM: It’s really hard for me and I guess I’m biased, but I will say that Western Canada has got to be in my top 2 if not 1! I think Japan is a place that if you love to ski or snowboard, it’s a must! Anytime after the New Year to late Feb, it’s really hard not to score there. It’s a really special place and it’s neat to go there and to experience that culture. I spend a lot of time on the glaciers in Europe during the Fall for training and I like spending time in Switzerland, Austria – places like that! I really like Italy – their mountains are amazing and the people and the culture are also amazing there. I think that the Alps, Japan and Canada are my 3 favorite places to go.

AM: Because you do travel so much, are there 3 items that you like to take with you that make you feel like you’re at home?

MM: Yeah! You know I return to the same spots a lot over the last 15 years. Something that always comes with me is this little portable blender and then I have juicers all around the world at the places that I stay! Then, there’s my roller! Like I bring that in my carry-on because sometimes I get off the plane and when I am waiting for the next flight, I can just roll my back out and it’s such a good feeling – I love it! I would say that those are obviously my essentials – I mean clearly there’s my passport and things like that.

But the things that I bring that I like, my portable smoothie, I have juicers everywhere and my roller!

AM: What do you think has allowed you to have such longevity in this sport?

MM: I think what has helped me to have such longevity in this sport is keeping a good circle of people around me. Keeping friends, family, agents, and managers that keep it fun for me. That’s really important and people that want to work hard and succeed, you need to surround yourself with people that have like minded goals for sure! Then there’s my overall passion for snowboarding, my love for snowboarding has been something that has definitely pushed me and helped me to elevate my career. My love for the community of snowboarding, and how thankful that I am that it has given me the life that I couldn’t have even dreamed of. It has literally been something that I couldn’t have even dreamed of. It’s really important for me to try and to give back. We do that with the McMorris Foundation and things like that. We just try to break down the barriers of entry. I think that giving back to a community that has given you everything is really important with longevity. Also not just competing my whole career – it’s also breaking off and doing some films and just not doing the same thing constantly – it has kept it fun for me!

AM: You mentioned the McMorris Foundation that you started with your brother, Craig, did you think that it would be where it is at today?

MM: No! Honestly, I’m so thankful that we did it as far back as we did. It kind of seemed like we weren’t big enough to have a foundation when we started it, but that’s not true. We got to meet some incredible people and some generous people and have had quite a big outreach. We’ve had connections to other athletes, we’ve got to do some amazing things and to raise tons of money and I feel like we’re so lucky and have been able to play hockey, to play baseball, to snowboard and to do this and to do that. It taught us a lot in life. You can learn a lot through sport and I want every kid to have that experience and it is something that is near and dear to my heart.

AM: When you’re not competing, how do you take time for yourself?

MM: Um, I am a huge sports person so even when I have time off, I’m engaging in sports whether it’s surfing, playing hockey, skateboarding, going to sporting events! Obviously, spending time with my family – we all like to golf. I like to chill with my friends really and just doing normal stuff. I definitely like to try and experience some of the places that I have been lucky enough to go to, but it is so work focused. So I prioritize that more by going on trips to see places and really immersing myself in the culture which I quite enjoy. It can be like I said, like horse blinders sometimes when you are going to these places and you have such a goal and it’s like work – well it is work because you’re grinding. So, I want to experience these places and more things and those places that I love. I’m a huge food guy, I love food from different places around the world. So I really indulge in that when I can!

AM: You’re also known for snowboarding in the backcountry and last night, we watched PAVED.

MM: Nice!

AM: Yeah, it was the best 42 mins of our time last night watching this in prep for this interview!

MM: Sick! That’s really cool to hear – thank you!

AM: We’ve snowboarded and we are nowhere near your level, but we do like doing it to go out a bit and then to have drinks after.

But watching you and the other athletes in the backcountry at locales around the world was really great to see as we are fans of theirs as well. Tell us about this movie as we know it was done in partnership with Red Bull and Burton and why did you want to participate in this?

MM: I mean, it was a little tricky timing in terms of being in such a big year coming up. It was something that is so important to me in being able to have such a presence in the backcountry and the film world. It was really cool to hear that you watched it because you see how cinematic it is in the backcountry and how it looks. Of course it can look a little scary sometimes.

AM: Oh it was terrifying to see the ones in Alaska – couldn’t imagine it!

MM: Yeah it’s like wow! Snowboarding on these untouched slopes it’s just so majextic and picturesque and honestly, it’s a ton of fun to be out there for me. I love pushing myself like that as well and it’s such a team effort filming. You’re all helping each other and you have each other’s backs! That’s a nice change sometimes – I mean we all have each other’s backs, but we’re also competing. So being in the backcountry with Zeb Powell (X Games G1 + S1) for the first time and long time friends with Danny Davis (X Games G2), Brock Crouch, and Ben Ferguson (X Games S1 + B1) – to have that crew together and just making an awesome film! Thank you to Red Bull and Burton for giving us that rad opportunity! It was something that I definitely couldn’t pass up and I think that they did an awesome job on the movie!

AM: It was beautiful and what came to mind was in watching surfing for years and specifically things like the big waves in thinking about HBO’s 100 Foot Wave, you know about the tow in for surfers. The film illustrated this with drops ins from the helicopter as well as the Ski-Doos - not sure if that is correct...

MM: Oh yeah the Ski-Doo, you’re right – you nailed it! It’s crazy what you can access on those things and that’s a big part of it. Of course, as you saw, the triangle has the Helli on top which is the top mode of transportation! But Ski-Doo, they’re amazing what you can get to. I loved being back there and being able to enjoy that with friends, it’s freaking special and you don’t have that kind of instant gratification. Like if you’re doing a competition and you do well, you’re on that podium. But when you do this and you get clips and you see it all come together, and it’s such a team effort – that’s comparable, if not more gratifying at times.

AM: The film was awesome and the music – everything was just produced and came so well together. It was very cool!

MM: Thank you! I’m happy that you enjoyed it.

AM: You have 24 medals from the X Games, 3 from the Olympics, you’ve won US Opens, you have coveted brands that are sponsoring you, you’ve been in a number of films, and you have left your fingerprint on the sport. What do you want your legacy to be known as when they are looking at Mark McMorris and this incredible career?

MM: Ooo. Someone that pushed the limits. Someone that had a love for the sport and really focused on all sides of the sport and wasn’t just kind of like a one lane kind of guy. Someone who gave back to the community. That would be something that I would be truly proud of!

AM: We appreciate you taking the time, we didn’t realize that you will be training tomorrow in prep for the competition that is taking place this weekend!

MM: No problem! I’m so excited for this cover and it’s so neat that I will be on the cover as there have been some very impressive people that have been in it!

IG @markmcmorris

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | FRONT COVER/BACK COVER Chris Singer/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 16, 27 Frederik Kalbermatten | PG 19, 20, 28, 30, 34, BACK COVER Aaron Blatt | PG 23, 24 Emily Tidwell/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 33, 40, 44 - 51 X Games | PG 36 Christian Pondella | PG 38 Cole Giordano/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 42 Rock Star Energy Open |

Read the DEC ISSUE #120 of Athleisure Mag and see PUSHING THE LIMITS | Mark McMorris in mag.

NEW YEAR, N3W YOU

Read the DEC ISSUE #120 of Athleisure Mag and see NEW YEAR, N3W YOU in mag.

ROSE BOWL GAME

We’re looking forward to kicking off the New Year with the iconic 112th Rose Bowl Game with Alabama Crimson Tide (9) against Indiana Hoosiers (1) as they go against each other for this Playoff Quarterfinal. We’re already looking forward to this game on Jan 1st at 4pm ET!

Indiana won the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1967 in their game against Ohio State. Although the Hoosiers started ranked 20th, after winning the Big Ten title the university is the only undefeated team in the Football Bowl Subdivision. They are the overall No 1 seed. Their all-time bowl record is 3-10.

Alabama defeated Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP playoffs. This is their 9th appearance at the Rose Bowl Game with a record of 5-2-1 and an all-time bowl record of 42-27-3.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY OPEN 2025

We’re looking forward to the Rockstar Energy Open at the Breckenridge Ski Resort that takes place from Dec 19-21st in Breckenridge, Colorado. This 3 day festival is free and open to the public and showcases world-class snowboarding competitions, live music, art, installations and an interactive fan village with Breck’s 5 iconic peaks in the background. You’ll enjoy elite pros as well as rising stars!

The inaugural snowboarding edition of the Rockstar Energy Open will include both men’s and women’s divisions and spotlight a star-studded roster of Rockstar Energy athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Red Gerard, Colorado native Nik Baden, and fan-favorite Iris Pham.

The Rockstar Energy Open will also debut a new world-class rider-designed course created in partnership with Snow Park Technologies and the Breck Terrain Park Crew. The competition venue will feature a unique muli-terrain setup unlike traditional slopestyle, halfpipe or big air formats. 

Read the latest issue of Athleisure 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.

ESPRESSO TIME | LAVAZZA DANIELE FOTI

The end of the Summer means that there are functions that take place that wraps the city up in the festivities - the US Open is one of them as everyone shares their love of their favorite athletes who play tennis. In addition to a number of activities that we attended during this time, we were guests of Lavazza at their US Open Suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium where we were not only able to catch Mixed Doubles with tennis’ biggest stars, but we got to know more about the brand, previewed a launch of their latest machine, and even got to see amazing partnerships that they are involved in! We got to hear about this and more from Daniele Foti, VP of Marketing at Lavazza North America. We sat down with Daniele to talk about many of the things we saw that we’re now able to share with our community.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into all things Lavazza, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you came to the brand?

DANIELE FOTI: My career began in finance after earning a degree from Bocconi University in Milan and a Master’s in Accounting from Sweden. Those early experiences at General Electric Capital and Coca-Cola HBC gave me a strong grounding in business fundamentals. Over time, I found myself increasingly drawn to roles where I could have a direct impact on the business and help drive growth — understanding consumers, shaping brands, and supporting organizations in their evolution. That led me to roles at Reckitt Benckiser and L’Oréal Italy, where I honed my expertise in sales, trade marketing, and overall brand strategy.

AM: For those that are not familiar with Lavazza, what can you tell us about it?

DF: Lavazza is, at its heart, a family story built on more than 130 years of dedication to coffee and to quality. From the very beginning, the brand has represented Italian craftsmanship and innovation, from the first espresso blends to today’s sustainable coffee solutions. We are not just about coffee as a product; we are about coffee as a moment of joy, connection, and pause. Whether at home, in the office, or out in the world, Lavazza exists to elevate the everyday ritual of coffee into something memorable and meaningful.

AM: You’re the VP of Marketing at Lavazza. What does this role entail?

DF: My mission is to shape how consumers experience Lavazza across North America. That includes building campaigns that bring our heritage and innovation to life, creating partnerships that amplify our presence, and ensuring every interaction, from packaging to experience, reflects our premium Italian DNA. At its core, my role is about storytelling and helping people see coffee not only as part of their day but as part of their lifestyle.

AM: We had the pleasure of attending your US Open Suite to watch Mixed Doubles matches as well as to learn more about the brand. You presented Flavia at the suite. What should we know about it?

DF: Flavia reflects Lavazza’s commitment to bringing premium beverage experiences anywhere, especially in workplaces and home offices. It delivers café-quality coffee, lattes, hot chocolate, and a full variety of drinks at the touch of a button. At the US Open, guests experienced the new Flavia Aroma Brewer firsthand, discovering how it transforms an everyday break into a moment of indulgence — not just for coffee, but for any beverage the platform can provide. Flavia embodies the concept of “Expect More” — it’s about elevating every pause; offering multi beverage versatility, and creating a premium, indulgent experience every time.

AM: You have partnered with Jannik Sinner (Winner: Australian Open - 2, Wimbledon - 1, US Open - 1) for a while now. What can you tell us about how the brand and this athlete connected and why is this partnership important to you?

DF: Our partnership with Jannik is a natural and long-standing one, spanning over 10 years. Coffee and tennis both require dedication, rhythm, and energy, and Jannik embodies those qualities beautifully. Over the years, we’ve celebrated this connection through activations like the US Open, where Lavazza brings fans closer to the sport and the rituals that fuel performance. His authenticity, drive, and joy in what he does perfectly mirror Lavazza’s values. Together, we highlight excellence, consistency, and the everyday rituals—on and off the court—that make great achievements possible, and we serve as ambassadors of Italian excellence in the world.

AM: While we were at the suite, we got to see about some upcoming partnerships that are taking place with Apple TV’s The Morning Show. What can you tell us about this?

DF: Lavazza is proud to be part of the upcoming fourth season of The Morning Show, now streaming on Apple TV+. This partnership highlights our commitment to bringing moments of calm, warmth, and connection to people’s mornings. Amid the chaos of daily life, Lavazza offers a ritual to reflect, reset, and reconnect—reminding viewers that mornings are an opportunity to “Make Your Morning a Show.”

AM: With the holiday season coming up, what can we expect to see from the brand that our community can be excited about?

DF: The holidays are about conection, and coffee often plays a role in those moments. This season, we want to inspire people to slow down, savor, and share joy over a great cup of coffee. Whether it is gifting, entertaining, or simply taking a quiet moment for yourself, Lavazza will be there to make it special.We’re also excited to bring a unique experience to Art Basel this year, where fans can engage with our brand in an immersive, creative way—celebrating both art and the pleasure of coffee.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that we should know about that are taking place this year or even early next year?

DF: Yes, there is a lot of momentum. We have recently partnered with American Airlines to bring Lavazza coffee into their premium cabins, giving us the opportunity to share our blends with travellers around the world. We are also expanding our footprint in the U.S. hospitality and entertainment sectors and continuing to bring Luigi, our beloved Lavazza coffee-robot, to new cities for more immersive brand experiences. Consumers should also look forward to our annual calendar and a special experience at Art Basel this year — we’ll have more to share soon! Looking ahead, Lavazza will continue to invest in exciting new initiatives in the market throughout 2026, making next year another thrilling chapter for the brand.

IG @lavazzausa

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Lavazza

Read the OCT ISSUE #118 of Athleisure Mag and see ESPRESSO TIME | Lavazza - Daniel Foti in mag.

WORLD SERIES 2025

We’re in the thick of the World Series with Game 5 taking place tonight at 8pm in LA with the Toronto Blue Jays vs the LA Dodgers. Both teams are 2-2 in the series. See the highlights from Game 4!

PAIN RECOVERY FOR ATHLETES & FANS

We caught Women’s Soccer Club Gotham FC X Washington Spirit at Sports Illustrated Stadium, NJ, to watch pre-game warm-ups and take in the game in the TYLENOL VIP Suite. It was a fun match to see, ending in a tie-score after some good scoring attempts and excellent defensive efforts.

We asked Jen Gow, US Head of Pain at Kenvue, and Dr. Chang, NWSL Chief Medical Officer, about TYLENOL’s multi-year collaboration with Gotham FC; supporting the team’s health, aid recovery and helping keep elite athletes at the top of their games.

We spoke about TYLENOL’s “Relief Zone,” where NWSL fans can receive branded

recovery kit giveaways, misting fans, and cool towels through the season. Also we explored activations they will have to support athletic trainers, celebrate recovery, and spotlight resilience of NWSL players and women’s sports.

ATHLEISURE MAG: TYLENOL has announced a multi-year collaboration with Women’s Soccer Club Gotham FC, how will it support the team’s elite athlete’s health, aid recovery and help keep them at the top of their game?

JEN GOW: As the Official Pain Reliever of the NWSL, TYLENOL® is so excited to support players throughout the season by equipping league trainers with the tools they need to aid recovery and help keep athletes in the game. We are stocking each trainer’s bag with TYLENOL® products for use with athletes on and off the field, pending their pain relief needs.

AM: Tell us more about the slogan “#TylenolPartner I can love the game without the pain,” and how it promotes pain relief goals for athletes and fans.

JG: We know a tackle can hurt, but also know those stadium seats can cause many aches. As a brand, we’re here for all types of minor aches and pains so that everyone can focus on cheering, supporting and playing the game.

Athletes are constantly undergoing stress on their body during training and performance, often resulting in minor aches and pains. TYLENOL® offers a portfolio of products that can meet each athletes’ individual pain needs, so the result is a personalized recovery routine to help them feel their best on and off the field.

AM: From the TYLENOL PRECISE™ Pain Relieving Patches and Nighttime Cream, to TYLENOL 8HR Muscle Aches and Pain Caplets, Extra Strength TYLENOL Rapid Release Gels, and more, how does TYLENOL provide fast, effective pain relief to athletes to ensure they can stay active and competitive?

JG: The brand is continuously innovating to meet consumer needs when it comes to pain relief. Most recently, we launched TYLENOL® PRECISE™ Pain Relieving Patches. This innovation has 12-hour flexible adhesion technology to stick with you—and they are transparent so you can place them wherever pain hits!

AM: What is TYLENOL Proactive Support for Muscles and Joints and how does it help overall health and well-being? How does this move into reactive and proactive supplements help athletes, fans and consumers with health and pain management support?

JG: Proactive Support from the Makers of TYLENOL® is a new drug-free supplement powered by a blend of turmeric and tamarind to deliver improvement in joint flexibility and comfort. We made this step into the supplement space in partnership with medical professionals to offer an effective supplement for consumers to take a proactive approach in improving their joint comfort.

AM: The TYLENOL® FAN PAIN POINTS Survey with Wakefield Research indicated some very interesting results, including the majority of sports fans (52%) believe they are more active when attending a live sporting event than on a typical day; 43% of fans regularly pack an OTC pain reliever when attending live sporting events; and 70% say going to live sporting events is physically taxing, with nearly 7 in 10 (69%) stating they would go to more games if the experience were less demanding. What are some products, tools and tips to help reduce painful activities for fans attending and cheering on teams in live events?

JG: It’s always a good idea to come prepared to a game – who knows how many stairs you may need to climb to get to your seat or if you’ll be standing longer during overtime cheering on your team. Keep TYLENOL® PRECISE™ in your car for post-game muscle aches or add a travel-sized pack of TYLENOL® Extra Strength to your gameday bag, so you can be prepared should a minor ache or pain occur.

AM: What activations will TYLENOL have at Sports Illustrated Stadium to support athletic trainers, celebrate recovery, and spotlight resilience of NWSL players? What is TYLENOL’s “Relief Zone,” and how have NWSL fans reacted to branded recovery kit giveaways, misting fans, cool towels through the season?

JG: Our multi-faceted collaboration with Gotham FC features comprehensive on-site activations, including equipping the trainers with products they need to aid player recovery and season-long representation at Gotham FC’s pregame Fan Fest. Our branded giveaways have been a huge hit with fans, and the continued growth of the NWSL alongside the amazing fandom at Sports Illustrated Stadium is incredible to see! I took my kiddos a few weeks ago...my 5 year old loved the ball pit and my 3 year old held the “Tylenol #1 Doc Recommended” foam finger the entire game!

AM: Beginning in 2026, what will Gotham FC match theme nights and community programs presented by TYLENOL entail?

JG: We’re actively collaborating with the Gotham FC team to determine how we can continue to meaningfully engage with the fans and support the team in even more ways next season!

AM: How does TYLENOL elevate opportunities in women’s sports and go beyond the medicine cabinet?

JG: Through our sponsorships with the NWSL and Gotham FC, alongside our commitment to the Women’s Sports Foundation with our Athlete Recovery and Care Commitment Grant, TYLENOL® is going beyond our product to meet women athletes with direct support and critical funding so they can continue the game they love.

AM: What are some products and tips for executives and business travelers to stay productive and at the top of their work on long days, commutes and big travel itineraries?

JG: It’s incredibly important to me to get outside and be active after work. I have recently embraced the Pickleball trend and wow, it can cause some pain! My wife and I both take a Proactive Support from the Makers of TYLENOL® supplement every day and it truly has helped our joint comfort after exercise.

AM: TYLENOL recognizes that pursuing greatness hurts. What is The Care Commitment by TYLENOL? How does this fund and $1M pledge with the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) help injured athletes and their painful physical and financial setbacks on the road to recovery?

JG: This grant was established by TYLENOL® in partnership with the Women’s Sports Foundation® (WSF®) to provide a much-needed recovery fund for injured women athletes who are on their road to recovery post-injury. To date, we’ve awarded grants to 20 deserving athletes, providing financial support as they rehab to get back into the game and continue their pursuit of greatness.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What does it mean for TYLENOL to have a strategic collaboration with Gotham FC, after being named Official Pain Relief multi-year sponsor of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) earlier this year?

DR. CHANG: After being named the Official Pain Reliver of the National Women’s Soccer League this year, TYLENOL® wanted to expand their support of the league and engage more directly with a local team and its fan base. This collaboration also includes on-site activations at Gotham FC’s pregame Fan Fest, where the brand will provide TYLENOL® product giveaways, merchandise and more to prepare fans as they head into the game. The fans have loved it!

AM: How is this collaboration meaningful for supporting player health and women’s sports?

DR. C: As a League, our top priority is protecting the health and well-being of our athletes. The growth of women’s professional soccer has brought greater demands on our Players’ bodies, making recovery resources and medical support more important than ever. Collaborations like this one with Tylenol provide additional support for our medical teams and athletes, and we value partners who share our commitment to Player care.

AM: How can equipping league trainers with TYLENOL products and tools help aid performance, recovery and keep athletes in the game?

DR. C: Athletic trainers are on the front lines of Player health, and having access to reliable tools that support their recovery including safe pain management helps them do their jobs more effectively. While no one product can replace the core fundamentals of injury prevention, training, and rehabilitation, we appreciate having a resource like Tylenol available as part of a broader toolkit for Player care.

AM: How does the partnership with TYLENOL help women athletes and fans embrace the love of the game?

DR. C: Our fan base is the heart of our league, and TYLENOL® recognizes that they deserve care just as much as the players do. By hosting product giveaways for fans during pre-game events and offering product discounts, TYLENOL® is helping ensure that our tremendous fans can be on the sidelines to cheer on the team, without any minor aches and pains slowing them down.

AM: What are the types and how often are there injuries in women’s soccer matches? Are there specific injuries that occur more frequently for female soccer players?

DR. C: In women’s professional soccer, we most often see lower extremity injuries such as ankle sprains, muscle strains, and knee joint injuries. Female soccer players, in particular, face a higher risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears compared with their male counterparts, and that remains an important area of ongoing research and prevention eborts. We also recognize that overuse injuries such as stress fractures, tendinopathies, and muscle strains can occur during our season especially with the competitive balance across our League. Our focus is always on prevention, early recognition and optimal management, and safe return to play.

AM: What are some tips for soccer players and fans for injury prevention in training and playing soccer; promoting resilience; and optimizing recovery?

DR. C: For elite soccer players, injury prevention starts with evidence-based programs that emphasize neuromuscular control and strength training, especially of the core/hips and lower extremities. Monitoring training loads can also help to prevent overuse injuries. Good sleep, adequate hydration, and proper nutrition are essential cornerstones to promote resilience and optimize recovery. Resilience also involves building strong support networks, such as a positive team environment and dedicated medical teams. Recovery also means listening to your body and recognizing early warning signs in order to seek timely professional medical care.

For recreational players or even fans inspired to learn how to play soccer (it’s never too late!), many of the same principles apply: warm up before activity, gradually progress the duration and intensity of play at the beginning of the season, and maintain a fitness routine during the week (especially if you only play one game a week). Injury prevention and recovery strategies are not limited to professional athletes—they can help anyone stay active and enjoy the game for years to come.

AM: We’ve now learned fans can exert themselves too by walking, sitting and intensely cheering on their favorite team and players at the game! Go Gotham FC! How can fans aim to reduce pain themselves before, during and after the big game?

DR. C: Attending an NWSL soccer match can be demanding—standing in lines, climbing stairs, and sitting and standing for long periods cheering. Fans can reduce discomfort by starting adequate hydration and food intake 24 hours before the game and getting a good night’s rest, and then staying hydrated and well fed, and wearing supportive footwear and appropriate clothing and headwear for the weather conditions. Even standing up and stretching and taking breaks to walk around the stadium is beneficial. If minor aches or soreness do occur, over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol’s topical relief or its traditional oral options can also help.

IG @tylenol

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 42 - 45, 49, 51 Gotham FC/Megan Santaniello | PG 46 Getty Images/Tylenol |

Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see PAIN RECOVERY FOR ATHLETES & FANS in mag.

GUMMIES & ZZZ | TYSON APOSTOL

We connected with Tyson Apostol, winner of Survivor Blood vs. Water; 4X Survivor competitor. He related to us that a main reason for winning was maintaining strength and endurance in life skills and needs. From endurance swimming in college, then professionally cycling, and later finding love in Pickleball, Tyson likes unbounded sports and activities.

For some sleep and ache and pain issues, he discovered cannabis gummies, and partnered with Trulieve as an ambassador. We ask him about when and how he integrates gummies into his routines; if he uses cannabis with training or playing Pickleballl; touring the Trulieve grow rooms and facility, and also ask about what he’s looking forward to seeing, with the upcoming season of Survivor 49.

ATHLEISURE MAG: So, so what led you to go to become a pro cyclist?

TYSON APOSTOL: Honestly, you know, I just was having a conversation recently about this, because everybody’s like oh that was your passion - I was like, no, it wasn’t, my passion was avoiding a cubicle. After college, I was good at cycling and enjoyed it but I don’t think it was a love of my life, but I found a way to avoid [the office]. I just was never like a work guy, just the feel and I know that people are going to read this and be lik, oh he’s so spoiled. No, I found a way to avoid that thing I didn’t like, which was going to college, getting a career afterwards. And so cycling for me was a way to continue playing, maybe longer than other adults were able to.

AM: Sure, but then with all the weather and the endurance I mean it sounds like it was brutal each leg of the race is tough right?

TA: Yeah, and it was brutal because I’m sitting out there pedaling in the rain convincing myself that the motivation for continuing to train in the rain and the snow and the sleet, the hail, whatever it is. It’s better than being in a cubicle, but now that I’m 46 I’m looking back, I’m like those guys in the cubicle we’re looking out the window at me riding my bike in the rain thinking I’m an idiot. So, we probably all found our thing.

AM: Yeah it’s a mixed bag now the cubicle people are riding too!

TA: That’s right even writing in the office these days right they are writing in the office with their pedal desk.

AM: And you swam in college?

TA: I swam in college. I swam through high school into college. And as soon as I decided that, I didn’t want to be there. I spent one year at college, so distance freestyle endurance was my thing, like that was the thing I was good at, so that didn’t really matter the sport as much as endurance, like I can run forever, I could ride forever, I could swim forever, you give me something long slog, and I’ll be able to do that.

AM: And then at some point you found and fell in love with pickleball?

TA: Yes, I’m the same way I saw it. And then when I went there and got to enjoy and experience it with just taking it all in, I was just like, this is, this is magic. This is a magical combination of excitement, skill and intensity.

AM: So how was your story with how you found it?

TA: I moved to Arizona to get away from the snow from Utah. And I was just like I’ve been grinding my whole life for physical activity, like riding a bike for hours on end, jogging for a few hours, going and swimming laps - like all of those are grinds, none of those are really that exciting.

And I just was like, I only want to do exercise now that I enjoy, because I’ve done so much unenjoyable exercise to me. And when I moved to Arizona in 2017, the neighborhood I moved into had some pickleball courts, and I was like I don’t know what those are, we googled it and did a little research. I took my 70 year-old neighbor who wasn’t working, and we would go over and figure out the game just by googling the rules in the middle of the day so we figured out how to play pickleball. And we both were immediately hooked.

So, we started, we joined the little neighborhood meetup on the mornings, and just kind of went from there. And, and then when COVID happened, I had to kind of readjust my business format of what I’d been doing, because I wasn’t able to go out and make appearances and this and that, and I was like I love pickleball. And now we’re kind of like in this little slow moment of time, let’s see if we can parlay my love for pickleball into being present in the community and in the sport and just the right timing, like it took off. Like if I could have had this timing with Bitcoin, I’d be like a trillionaire right now, maybe, maybe..

AM: Yeah, maybe.. because people go up, but they never say what they’d cash out, or that they lost their USB or keys, maybe that they sold at a low because they were desperate or whatever.. there’s lots of examples. People don’t factor if they’d sell on the upswings and cashed some out.

How is it working with the Pickleball leagues?

TA: I like it. The Carvana PPA Tour has had me do some interviews to get to know their players as people. Like that’s kind of been a little bit of a disconnect for them is getting the fan base to really know the players, rather than just see people playing pickleball on screen. So I’ve been fortunate to run some interviews with some of their players delving deeper into what makes them tick, who they are as people, and where they came from before pickleball. And so yeah, that has been fun and interesting.

AM: That’s super important. And so there’s so many stars and rising stars in the leagues. You know, what teams are you looking for? Who are some of your favorite players?

TA: I mean, I like the fiery ones. I don’t know if they’re my favorite people, but I like to watch them on the court the most because they get people amped and going and create a little controversy and stuff. But other than that, you know, I love, honestly, I’ve been working with Franklin pickleball now for six months, and they have a couple of my favorite players. Paris Todd. She’s comes from a tennis background. And and then Hayden Patrick Quinn, who’s like, yeah, he’s this young fire kid who’s like kind of getting under the skin of some of the older guys, which I love.

AM: Yeah, we just had a recent cover interview with Tyson McGuffin, who’s great on and off the court.

TA: Oh, yeah. Yeah, fiery.

AM: Right. But you have to you have to bring the receipts, at least -

TA: That’s right. You know, I mean, you don’t have to bring the receipts, but people respect you more if you do. Well, I mean, why I say that is like, if you stay fiery, I mean, you have to earn being fiery. Yes, I would hope. I think so. Unless it’s like, all right, we’ll leave it there. Yeah, no, I like Tyson, too. I told my daughters I was named after him, even though I’m probably 15 years older than. That’s good.

AM: Did they believe you?

TA: Just for half a second. Yeah, they were like, what? No.

AM: How many kids do you have?

TA: Two daughters. Ten and seven.

AM: So when did you first start using cannabis? Was it was it recreationally, medicinal, some combination or other?

TA: It was medicinal. I was having a lot of back pain. This is maybe 2000. Yeah, then in 2017/2018, kind of when I started playing pickleball. But it was mostly from picking up my kids so much, lifting them out of the crib. Like cribs are designed for you too, like, to hurt your back. It’s not like you can bend your legs and lift a kid out of a crib. You have to, like, hunch over the bar and then lift up. And so for some reason, I had this debilitating back pain, like bedridden. There were days I couldn’t walk. And I had, you know, taken handfuls of aspirin or whatever. And also I found some expired opioids from when my wife was pregnant going through her stuff after pregnancy, and tried those and was like, there’s a better way. I’ve only heard so many negatives about these medicines as bad for your liver bad and stomach lining, all of that stuff. And opioids are super addictive and terrible for you as well. And I said, I grew up raised Mormon.

And so it was like, you don’t do anything that is questionable in any capacity. But at 36/37, I was like, I have to try something better than what is available to me. And that’s the first time that I have tried cannabis. And it, for me, it worked so much better. It helped me sleep better, which is like the number one thing I needed was to be able to sleep well enough to recover and to heal. And so, yeah, big believer from there. It worked for me perfectly. And that’s what I mostly use it for still is sleep and recovery.

AM: And you’re working with Trulieve now as an ambassador?

TA: Yes, as an ambassador. They’re in the Pickleball game too. You know, I actually, Ethan Zahn, I don’t know if you know who he is. He won Survivor Africa, and he used cannabis products for during his fights with cancer. And so I knew that he had been working with Trulieve. So I heard of the name a lot, and they got into the Pickleball space, and reached out to me and were like, hey, we’d love to have you as a VIP, our guest at one of the Pickleball events. And I was like, oh, I already am in the pickleball space, but I would love to get to know you better because I already use your products to help me stay on top of my game in my life. That’s always the best scenario. Perfect. It was so cool.

AM: So what products were you using?

TA: I use their Sweet Talk gummies, and I’m mostly an edibles guy. And so I use those mostly for sleep. But once in a while, if I get invited to a real early game of Pickleball, a lot of these guys in Arizona, these old guys, they like to play like five in the morning before the heat kicks in.

And then I use some of their other stuff.

AM: So now for sleep, how long do you allow for when you take it before your target time to go to bed or do you look at it that way?

TA: Yeah, I do. I usually do half an hour to an hour, is when I like to be in bed after I take it and I’ll usually get home from Pickleball. I don’t take it every day. I don’t need it every day. But when I do, it’s definitely a much better option for me than anything else. And so when I do take it, it’s usually from late Pickleball and I’m too amped to fall asleep. So I take it as soon as I walk in the door, I take it, then I get my hydration, take a shower, go lay down and have a good night’s rest. When you take it, do you take it with the little fatty foods or substance or do you take it just by itself? I just take it plain by itself.

A lot of their products already have the CBD in it and stuff. So that’s terrific. Yeah. The CBD and seems to be a really nice effect with some products I’ve had.

AM: Yeah, I use cannabis actually in work and play and medicinal. So as a Celebrity Photographer, before every shoot, I smoke a little, get loose and to be creative. Yeah. I also have Gout and RA. So I use the products as I have some pain and imflamation and have to be very quick, flexible and steady.

What would you recommend for people who might not be so open minded towards cannabis use to think about? Are there some benefits or ways to think about it that might make some people reconsider it?

TA: I think you look at the side effects and the possible side effects of taking something else. That’s how I came to terms with it was when look[ing] at aspirin, all these over-the-counter medicines taken every day or multiple times a week, that’s going to take its toll on me, as well as opioids, which we know are highly addictive and very, very dangerous. And so for me, I was like, I don’t want to even have to deal with this, whether it’s months down the road, years down the road. All of that stuff adds up. And for me, I was like, a cannabis product that’s all natural for me is a much better solution.

And I went in and was like, if this works, this is what my path will be, because I already know that for me, this is better for my body.

AM: That’s terrific. And it seems like at least with edibles or gummies, there’s a way to take baby steps to see if you might like it comfortably at home. You could gradually increase your dose or the different things you use to maybe decide it without being overbearing, right?

TA: Yeah, exactly. And it tastes like candy. So it’s essentially, you know, you get like a little sweet treat, sweet top gummies, you get a little bit right before bed. It’s kind of a nice little taste and flavor. And yeah, like you said, like my wife uses them when she needs to fall asleep. She cuts them in half or in quarters. I take a whole 10mg gummy. And then if I go out early to play Pickleball, like I said, like in the mornings, my hamstrings or lower back will be really tight sometimes. And I take the Chilax. They’re only one milligram of THC and 20mg of CBD.

AM: Yeah, that’s a low dose. Yeah.

TA: So I’ll take two of those before I go play pickleball in the morning. And that kind of helps me loosen up so that I feel like I can move around normally.

AM: See, that’s great. Because we talked with some athletes that do incorporate cannabis use in their training, while they’re playing or competing, and then in their recovery. So it’s interesting to see the different persona types. You know, I think there’s some athletes that would not think to do that and have it just for recovery. And then other athletes would train with it and maybe participate with it. So have you found the game super enjoyable to or the competition a little more exciting? Or it’s just it’s such a low dose. It’s more just for aches and pains?

TA: It’s a low dose. It’s for aches and pains. I do notice that I play better Pickleball when I’m focused on playing Pickleball. And so I know when I take some cannabis, I kind of focus more on what I’m doing rather than let my mind wander off into like, did I get these bills paid? Do I have this meeting coming? And so I do naturally probably play a little bit better when I have done that, especially in the morning, for sure in the morning. Because I would be too tight and tired to get going at five or six in the morning when all these old guys like to play.

AM: Do you have any favorite strains, do you lean Indica or Sativa?

TA: I mean indica for sure if I’m sleeping or need to chill at night, and sativa in the day and just in low doses. So to sleep, I take 10mg of Indica and I use mostly I use this slumber. Okay. You can see that. And then the Chillax one, which is Sativa, but it’s only, you know, 1mg. So, and I have others. They have a whole line of them, you know, Hybrids, everything else. I’m not a sensitive person though, like it doesn’t matter what it is. You give me racing bikes as a pro cyclist, people be like, oh, this frame is so stiff. I can’t hardly. And I was like, I can’t tell the difference. So if there’s big differences, I can tell. But if there’s smaller differences..

AM: I’m a super Indica guy. OK, even when I’m using it when out and socializing, or being creative and productive, I still would be Indica. And in the last couple of years, I’m experimenting with Sativa and kind of pushing myself, because I feel a little hazy tension cerebrally at first with Sativa, but then I get through it and I really like the energy and the bright buzz aspect of some strains and Hybrids.

TA: And I was invited and went to their grow operation here in Phoenix. And they had you see all of the rooms with all the different strains lined up.

AM: Yeah, it’s a science. Yeah. Yeah.

TA: It’s always fun to be in those big rooms.

AM: It’s just ridiculous. And, you know, it just feels like a Mecca. Right.

So every time everyone talks to you, I guess Survivor always comes up. So, you know, our community definitely knows you from there. And we’d love to hear any key takeaways you have, or thoughts you had on the different seasons, or what your biggest takeaway was overall.

TA: My biggest takeaway overall from Survivor? I mean, honestly, I think the thing that is I hear a lot from people, from fans is, oh, I could never do that. You know, people are like, oh, I love Survivor. I love seeing you on there. I love the show, but I could never do that. And that’s not true. Anybody, almost anybody could do it.

Like you get out there, you rely on a group, you’re put in this stressful situation that you have to figure out, you’ll figure it out. And it’s like I didn’t do any special training to be out there. A lot of these people didn’t. You see a lot of people that are kind of incompetent out there. Like if you truly want to be on Survivor and are thinking you can’t do it because it’s too difficult, that’s absolutely not true. You can get out there and do it. But is there something, training or skills you could build up before getting on there? Yeah, there is. I mean, the part that’s hardest to train for is the lack of sleep, the lack of food, the discomfort. Like you can’t train for that.

Otherwise, the game is primarily a social game. And if you can operate civilly while under the stresses of no sleep, no food, no cleanliness, extreme conditions, then you’ve got it. That’s the name of the game is keeping your wits when you have nothing else around you. But it’s also why the show’s been on so long because so many people can’t do that.

Like you get out there, you rely on a group, you’re put in this stressful situation that you have to figure out, you’ll figure it out. And it’s like, I didn’t do any special training to be out there. A lot of these people didn’t. You see a lot of people that are kind of incompetent out there. Like if you truly want to be on Survivor and are thinking you can’t do it because it’s too difficult, that’s absolutely not true. You can get out there and do it. But is there something, training or skills you could build up before getting on there? Yeah, there is. I mean, the part that’s hardest to train for is the lack of sleep, the lack of food, the discomfort. Like you can’t train for that.

Otherwise, the game is primarily a social game. And if you can operate civilly, while under the stresses of no sleep, no food, no cleanliness, extreme conditions, then you’ve got it. That’s the name of the game - keeping your wits when you have nothing else around you. But it’s also why the

show’s been on so long because so many people can’t do that. So they lose their minds. Like you watch the show and you’re like, that wasn’t very smart gameplay. And you’re like, yeah, that person’s not thinking clearly. They haven’t eaten in two weeks. So, yeah, preparation-wise, I think the best thing you can do is steer away from anything like real people, and quitting coffee because it’s like they want their coffee every single morning. You don’t get coffee every morning on Survivor. So something like that. And then building up your endurance and grip strength, work on puzzles, that type of thing. But in the end, it’s social and political. So whatever you can do to get in the right headspace to be chill, even when everything around you is maybe not, that’s where you got to be.

AM: What should we look for in the upcoming season? Are there things you’re looking out for?

TA: The things I’m looking out for most are there’s two players on season 49 that will be on season 50, the major all-star season after 2020. And so I’m watching those two players. Why did they get selected for 50? Why are they playing two times in a row? What did they do on season 49 that’s so impressive that they’re back again for another season without any of the fans’ reaction to them? The production just figured that those two would be good enough to come back for another season.

AM: So this time we’ll both be watching and maybe having a gummy and enjoying how it unfolds, huh?

TA: That’s right. I love it. Every season, it’s always different. That’s the beauty of it. I like to watch it for the strategy. Everyone has their own thing. My kids like to watch the challenges. They love the little games and stuff like that. I like how the strategy unfolds, thinking what I would do in that situation. If there’s something out of the box you could do that might be even stronger, that type of thing.

IG @tysonapostol

PHOTOGRAHY COURTESY | Tyson Apostol

Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see GUMMIES & ZZZ | Tyson Apostol in mag.

HITTING THE WAVES | NATE FLUELLEN

We’ve covered a number of top surfers as well as competitions. In this month’s issue, we wanted to find out more about A Great Day in the Stoke which focuses on championing Black surfers to ensure that they are recognized at an elite level. For the last 5 years this competition has done exactly that with partnerships by Lexus and Complex. Because of this event and those partnerships, it assisted Julian Williams the wild card at US Open of Surfing!

We wanted to take some time ahead of this year’s event to talk with AGDITS founder, Nate Fluellen who is also a surfer and traveler. We wanted to know more about his passion for surfing, why he loves it, and creating this event!

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

NATE FLUELLEN: While I was preparing for my award-winning adventure travel TV show, World Wide Nate: African Adventures, is when I fell in love with surfing. That show was all about demystifying travel to Africa to the average American millennial. I started taking lessons at Venice Beach Pier on a wave storm and loved being in the water, finally learning how to surf. I always wanted to learn since I was a pre-teen.

But the moment I truly fell in love with surfing happened in Durban, South Africa, when I surfed with the Zulu boys & girls from the youth organization called Surfers Not Street Children while filming my TV show. That experience added so much depth because the joy those kids had was contagious; it was euphoric, like I was in utopia. I marveled at their surf vibes mixed with African culture, and hearing them speak Zulu or Xhosa while being free of any worry in the world is the spirit I live to be in daily.

AM: What is it that you love about this sport?

NF: When I’m in the ocean, I feel I’m closest to God. It is my saltwater therapy, and the days I see a pod of dolphins, which is often, the day is always magical. I love how each wave is different, and in a split second, you have to make a decision on how to catch the wave, put yourself in position, battle the next surfer for position, and pop up. It keeps the mind sharp and the body active.

AM: Why did you want to launch AGDITS and why is it held in Surf City USA?

NF: During the pandemic, the surf community came together in solidarity in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Tayler, and Ahmaud Aubrey. After the 3rd paddle out, I was exhausted from reacting to a tragedy and believed it shouldn’t be the continuous reason we come together. I’m an HBCU graduate of Tennessee State University, and we come together during homecoming to celebrate our love for higher education and each other. I wanted to take inspiration from that joy and just celebrate our lives, love for the ocean, and surfing. And to meet each other, we discovered each other through social media, but didn’t have the chance to connect in real life.

AM: Now that you are in the 4th year of this event, what can we keep our eyes out for?

NF: During the 4th year, you can keep your eyes out for great competitors with Julian Williams defending his title, Cherif Fall and Brandon Benjamin are back, and a lot of new talented faces. The ladies are showing up strong! We have Monik Santos back to defend her title from Brazil, and ladies from Senegal.

AM: Tell us about the kinds of events that will take place during AGDITS?

NF: We’re excited and proud to have Lexus as our presenting sponsor, and they will have their Surf LX on display. Lululemon is powering a 5k fun run/walk, which starts at their store at Pacific City Mall to the beach. They’re also hosting our beach yoga sessions and wellness zone. The Nickelodeon Kids Zone will be packed with kid activities, and Bones Loves Milk will have an arts & craft surfboard station. Yeti will have water stations to keep everyone hydrated, and Red Bull will keep everyone’s energy high. Melanated Jump Squad will lead our Double-Dutch competition, Organic Gorilla will showcase their products, Eco by Ry will glass two surfboards and donate them to our drawing and Black Surfers Association, founded by Tony Corely, will celebrate their 50th anniversary.

AM: You have great partners involved in this year’s event from Lexus to Lululemon - what does that mean to you to have them involved?

NF: Having them on board makes me proud of the event that has been built and honored how they’re showing up to support diversity in the line-up. We say it takes a village to raise a child, and we are a human community, and when we focus on a common goal, nothing is impossible. I’m thankful for all the partners involved.

AM: Will you have AGDITS in other cities?

NF: Of course, the Chocolate Tide is Rising around the world, and pretty soon I will make an announcement, but for now I will keep that information classified.

AM: Are there any other events that we can keep our eye out for?

NF: You can keep a lookout for the 5th annual AGDITS. However, if some announcements pop up before next September you will be the first to know!

IG @agreatdayinthestoke

@worldwidenate

In addition, we connected with another surfer who not only participates in AGDITS, but also runs events for this organization here in NYC! Farmy Dia enjoys surfing in Far Rockaway and getting her perspective on this event and why she loves this sport allows us to see it from the competing athletes perspective as well.

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

FARMY DIA: I first fell in love with surfing from the moment that I tried it. But, I really started to fall in love with it when I was able to share that passion and love for the water with the community around me. And for me, surfing expanded my life in so many ways that I could never imagine. I continued to grow as a person and my capacity to love also grew.

AM: What made you realize that you wanted this sport into your life and what do you love about it?

FD: Honestly, I knew that I wanted to keep surfing that very first summer. Just because it was so much fun. I was a junior in high school and it’s the first thing that really excited me and was so different from what I’m used to. So I knew I wanted to keep doing it. Then I think when I realized I could actually make a career out of this and build off of this and do more than just enjoy surfing, it was kind of a wrap from there.

AM: You were born and raised in Rockaway NY which is a surf town! What do you love about being able to surf in this community?

FD: My surf community in Rockaway is in my opinion one of the most special in the world. It is super diverse, it’s a reflection of what the city is. But in the water, you get to meet people from all different walks of life, you get to learn so many different personal stories and it’s cool because you also get so many opportunities from it. In New York, they always say “this is where you come to chase your dreams” and the last thing you expect us to do is surfing also, but it just makes anything possible really. The world is your oyster when you’re out here. I’ve met so many Black people in the water, people that are from different parts of Asia, people that you just wouldn’t expect or even think about meeting in the water. So that for me is the coolest part of this community.

AM: Why are you excited to be participating in AGDITS?

FD: I love AGDITS. I think that what Nate is doing with this is so amazing and honestly really inspiring for me personally. He’s created a space for us in the surfing world that is just that next step. We have Black surfers on tour, but we didn’t have our own competition, our own platform and that’s what Nate created for us. It’s so exciting to meet different surfers and Black surfers from all over the world, hear their stories, see how they surf, because all the styles are different depending on where you come from also depending on the waves you ride and so, yeah I’m just really excited to be a part of this. Even if I win or I don’t win, it’s always just like a blessing to take part in AGDITS.

AM: You were the Champion and runner up in the last 2 years of AGDITS, what does that mean to you?

FD: The year that I won the competition was insane for me. I couldn’t believe it and then, it was kind of a happy and a sad thing. It made me really happy because I couldn’t believe I won, but it made me a little sad because I had so little like --- I just didn’t believe in myself to even imagine myself winning. The fact that I was able to do it anyways even though I didn’t think I could was awesome, but it was like a wakeup call for me. And so it is just is really empowering. I come to our office and I’ll look at the trophy and I’m reminded of what I was able to do and how I was able to achieve something even though I didn’t think I could. And, for me, I’m just a stepping stone in the journey of Black surfing and so if this is one stone that I can step on, this means there will be so many more steps for future generations and future surfers to climb.

AM: Do you run events from this event here in NY and if so, tell us about them!

FD: I do run some events out here in New York. I do Salty Sisters with my best friend Autumn and I also am an organizer at Laru Beya Collective. Salty Sisters is pretty much our monthly surf and wellness meetups that we open to POC women all over the state. We actually have people coming from Connecticut and people coming from Jersey and so, it’s been really cool to just be able to build this community. The collective is based on our friendship and our sisterhood that we developed over the last few years, and seeing it happen in real time for other people is a dream come true. And then we have Laru Beya Collective which is a 501 (c)(3) non profit and our mission is to empower the youth of New York through surfing. So, I always like to say sometimes I’m just a result of what’s important to me, and I’m seeing more and more results as we continue to take in more and more generations of kids.

AM: When you’re not surfing, what can we fInd you doing?

FD: When I’m not surfing, I’m usually working, spending time with friends, going on an adventure. Recently I really got into dancing a lot more, and so that’s been really fun. Also, a lot of community organizing and partnerships. I’m all about bonding with other people even if I’m not in the water.

AM: Are there any upcoming projects that we can keep our eye out for?

FD: I do have a few fun projects coming up actually. We did our Africa project where we sent a container with two barrels and 20 surfboards and so our recap will be coming out soon - keep an eye out for that. And then, I’ll be heading to Portugal a few days after AGDITS to take part in the Gliding Barnacles, which is a surf festival taking place out there. I’m really excited. It’s surfing, art, photography and shaping. It kind of again redefines what surfing is, because it’s not a competition, it’s a place for many professionals to gather.

IG @farmydia_

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | A Good Day in the Stoke

Read the SEP ISSUE #117 of Athleisure Mag and see HITTING THE WAVES | Nate Fluellen in mag.