Avsnitt
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Alexis James is a freelance writer, journalist, and podcaster, focussing on human stories from the fringes of sport and society.
Used to asking the questions for countless pieces over a two-decade career, including several pieces for NPLH Magazine, he switches seats to answer a few.
From placements in local news as a teen to BBC features and much in between, Alexis shares some of the realities of a professional freelance career and the role 'bread and butter' writing plays in long-form creative pursuits such as his book Unsung, an anthology shining a spotlight on the men and women in the shadows of sport and Off-Field, a monthly newsletter featuring tales from the fringes of sport.
It hasn't always been easy, if ever, but his chosen path has scratched the dual itch of a career in journalism and a desire to connect with and share people's stories.
Enjoy!
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The football podcast that isn't about football will be back on Tuesday 12 November, 2024. I'm taking a little break to spend some time with my new family and get the boys on some drills and ready for West Ham's academy.
In the meantime, there's plenty of gold in this resource we've built, most recently with SEASON ZINE founder, Felicia Pennant.
See you on the other side.
JF
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Felicia Pennant is, in my friend Madison's words, the real deal. After speaking with her for an hour, I'm inclined to agree.
A self-confessed book worm as a kid, she shares her journey from hiding out in the library to leading the line with the seminal football and fashion platform SEASON zine.
Felicia highlights the importance of adding value through her work whilst providing a platform for others to share theirs, how knowledge and confidence go hand-in-hand and why the presence of ego in a creative isn't such a bad thing.
All that and more whilst sipping on a Diet Coke!
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A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. In New Hampshire, a movement to impact a thousand lives began with a simple Instagram post
Despite the lush green forests and quaint towns of the Granite State, the football scene is pretty barren. Well, it was until Chris Pinkham and Yusufu Juma set out to change that in the form of Beech Street FC.
Through a love for their community and a desire for change, they provided a platform unlike anything the state had seen, saving good players from falling through the system's cracks and giving them a sense of purpose and belonging in the process.
It started with football but it's already so much more than that, its impact and legacy setting a standard for all those that follow.
Enjoy!
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** Please excuse audio imperfections **
Mike Geddes has worn many hats throughout a varied career, from his beginnings as a BBC journalist to co-founding football club Oakland Roots and lots more in between.
But beyond the titles, his focus lies on the impact he can make.
His journey is a blend of passion and purpose, whilst searching for balance between the demands of his professional life with the importance of family.
Mike's story is one of intentionality, driven by the belief that the work we do, whether on a global or local scale, should matter.
Enjoy!
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Cody McCullough is a multi-faceted creative with a client list to make your eyes water – EA Sports, MLS, Adidas, Venezia, it goes on... and on. Incredible to think it all began with a basic camera and a speculative message to the SoccerBible socials!
He discusses his 'say yes now, figure it out later' approach, his experiences of the creative industry within the game, how they've impacted his enjoyment of it and the feelings this evokes, offering a view on where it all goes from here and what that looks like for him.
Pre-dating the career, traditional North American sports played a pivotal role in his youth before Danny Dyer's Football Factory exposed him to a world he instantly knew he wanted to live in – one that's ultimately about human connection and impacting others.
By his own admission, the landscape isn't perfect, but he loves it and he's in it for the long haul.
Enjoy!
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Eric Beard is, on paper, a Creative Director and the final co-Founder on my Where is Football, bingo card.
Off paper, he's a creative in the purest sense of the word, prioritising collaboration and connection which is not only at the root of the Where is Football platform, but his creative output across the board.
Whether working for global brands, such as EA or Nike, collaborating on freelance projects or simply just creating, his approach is consistent - finding the fun in it.
Eric shares how the practice of gratitude informs his view on both work and life and stresses the importance of creating space to exist for yourself before clocking in for the various roles we play in our lives.
Enjoy!
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Zito Madu is a man very much marching to the beat of his own drum.
Growing up in Nigeria, football played a prominent role in his life and nothing changed when moving to the US in 1998; A successful college career with the University of Detroit preceded signing for USL’s Detroit City before heading to Turkey’s second division.
It’s here it all gets interesting.
Wanting to learn about himself outside of the game, he walked away from it – in a professional capacity – to pursue a path of creativity and exploration of the self.
With writing his vehicle of choice, Zito has driven a road of unknowns since, embracing opportunities when he spots them and never fearing a pivot when the answer is ‘No’ to the question ‘Does this feel right?’
As he says, ultimately it’s about how you feel. What is the consequence of ignoring that?
Enjoy!
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EL Johnson is a multi-disciplined creative with a co-founders list as long as your arm: the 2 Cents FC podcast, Forty One Magazine and it's football-focussed creative studio and MLS Next Pro's The Town FC all wear his fingerprints.
A self-taught creative with an unorthodox route into the football space, EL discusses the entrepreneurial inspirations behind his stable pursuits, the challenges of juggling ambition and workload with parenthood and the importance of honouring his younger self throughout it all.
Enjoy!
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Ian Harkes is a professional footballer currently playing for New England Revolution in MLS.
Sarah Teegarden-Harkes enjoyed her own professional playing career with stints in the US, Sweden, France and Scotland before heading down a new path in 2022 with non-profit Boston Scores.
Sharing experiences of their respective professional landscapes, they walk through the realities of maintaining a relationship whilst living apart, Sarah's transition away from the game and how their individual and combined experiences led to the formation of Simply Sublime.
Through the platform, they're not only sharing their own stories but opening the door for others to do the same and building a community along the way.
Over to Ian and Sarah...
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Photographer Eduardo Villalobos' journey began in a way you're unlikely to guess: photographing a snowman on an iPhone 7!
It wasn't long before he picked up a 'real' camera in 2016 as a way of becoming closer to the game he loved and the trajectory remained sharp, first shooting local high school teams before skipping several steps on the experience ladder and answering an ad to shoot in MLS.
A sure sign of self-confidence in a young man who backs his ability and knows where he wants it to take him.
The smart money is on him getting there.
Over to Eduardo...
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Born in Bogotà, Colombia, Diego Hurtado grew up knowing two things; hustle and football. So it's no surprise he earned money in the playground and became an academy player in his teens.
Injury and an ultimatum from an impatient coach coincided with his Mum's move to the US and he had a decision to make: stay in Colombia, alone, and hopefully recover in time, or head to Miami for a fresh start.
He chose Miami and a journeyed career around the USL followed.
Despite hints his path lay elsewhere, with false starts at the NY Cosmos and Las Vegas Lights, his determination to play was in constant battle with the instability of the landscape.
But, opportunity knocked, awakened something in Diego and presented a new pathway to explore – sports apparel.
Diaza Football was born and, thanks to that same determination from his playing days and a little entrepreneurial magic, has not only grown but is flourishing, with designs worn by amateurs across the US and the likes of Ronaldinho and Kakà.
Diego's journey highlights the rewards that come not only with focus and discipline, but in taking risks and seizing opportunities when you see them.
He may be done playing, but life is still very much about all he ever knew; hustle and football.
Enjoy!
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Photographer Kaitlin Marold grew up wanting to be a Police officer, seeing it as an opportunity to connect with and help her local community.
A stop watch and one second kept that dream from turning into a reality and sent her down a path that would not only open up the game she loves but lead her to the top of the Rockefeller Centre and a shoot with USWNT's Emma Hayes.
It's been a quick climb but not an easy one with late nights, long drives and lots of steps outside of her comfort zone.
But through shooting and supporting her beloved NYCFC she's found all of the things she was looking for in the force; connection, community and the ability to be of service to that community – all with the added bonus of not having to polish her boots!
Enjoy!
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If you enjoy the podcast and think it's worth it, send caffeine or grab something from the store
Thanks for the support.
JF
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Ed Cowburn is Founder and Design Director of Acid FC, the brand with football undertones rooted in creative culture.
You're joining the conversation after some off the record catching up to learn of Ed's pathway from studying Law and Accounting and a career in insurance to designing this seasons kits for his beloved Leeds United.
It's quite the leap with Lance Armstrong and David Bellion playing supporting roles in a creative career now in it's twentieth year.
Ed walks us through that change of direction, the motivations driving his career longevity, his visions for the next stage of it and the weight of responsibility around those Leeds kits - especially the third!
Enjoy!
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You can support the podcast at nplhmag.com
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Zack Goldman is Co-Founder of the wonderful Where is Football platform and founder of Tiger 11, the agency working with football's most creative teams, leagues and brands to build their sporting, marketing, and operational strategies.
Needless to say we don't really talk about any of that in great detail.
Instead, Zack share's his learnings from a career that started at Oxford United in England and has since taken him around the world to collaborate with the likes of Adidas, Nike, MLS and Japan's J-League.
With a career built in alignment with his values and grown holistically through relationships, Zack's perspective offers an opportunity to reframe how we see football; not as the be all and end all, but as an accessory to what we're ultimately all looking for – community and connection.
Enjoy!
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You can support the podcast with caffeine here
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Sam Robles left Brazil for the United States as a teenager and went on to become one of the finest photographers in the world.
How? Falling in love with a camera at his friends house and chance meetings with an established photographer had something to do with it. But not everything...
Sam's journey highlights the rewards of hustle, risk taking and seizing opportunities when you see them. A little bit of 'immigrant mentality' didn't hurt either.
He walks us through the route from working 7 days a week at a car wash to shooting for Sports Illustrated and a literal locked door at Under Armour metaphorically opening one on the floor below that would take him around the world with The Players Tribune.
A dream job that doesn't come without great sacrifices. But he doesn't see any other option.
Over to Sam
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You can support the podcast as a subscriber or caffeine donor at nplhmag.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Artist, Emily Marrocco began painting just before the pandemic which, looking at her work, is both incredible and encouraging for anyone thinking about picking something up for the first time.
Emily shares the realities of living with ADHD, how it impacts her art and the work in progress of flipping the diagnosis on its head to see it as a super power to be harnessed.
Initially drawn to landscapes, Emily quickly shifted into portraiture and out of her comfort zone – something we learn she isn't averse to doing, be it international business trips at the age of 21, or swerving the home-from-home comfort of London in favour Manchester when leaving Australia two years ago.
That move and the complications that came with it temporarily pulled her away from the canvas. Passing time in a job unaligned with her heart she found herself in a 'Fuck this' moment, quit on the spot and did what she came here to do – pursue a career in painting.
Over to Emily...
Enjoy!
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You can support the podcast as a subscriber or caffeine donor at nplhmag.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Ali Williams is arguably one of the busiest folks in showbiz.
FootballCo's Brand Strategist walks us through a career taking in NWSL's Gotham FC, San Diego Wave and Angel City as well Adidas and MLS. But not before we meet her dog, Fester. Yes, that's him in the background not a motorbike passing by her apartment.
Growing up in football-loving Portland, it was perhaps inevitable the game would play some sort of role in her life but, over the course of this chat it's clear football IS her life.
It didn't quite work out on the pitch (more on that later), but a trip to Old Trafford reminded Ali there was more to the game than playing it. Returning home to her college paper, she assigned herself as beat writer for Real Salt Lake and hasn't looked back.
From then 'til now, Ali's storytelling has not only impacted the way she enjoys the game, but helped shape the experience of countless people throughout the stages of her career.
Over to Ali.... and Fester.
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You can support the podcast as a subscriber or caffeine donor at nplhmag.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Pablo Bayona Sapag is Editor-in-Chief and co-Founder of CLUBELEVEN, the digital media publication connecting football fans across North America.
Born in Peru to a Peruvian father and Chilean mother he was destined to be passionate about something. Unsurprisingly that was football.
Pablo shares his love of storytelling, the opportunistic origins of CLUBELEVEN, formed with brother Gabriel, and how it would ultimately lead him away from a career in medicine. Imagine having to tell your parents, who happen to be doctors!
But the heart wants what it wants and it's to our gain as the platform and it's talented nationwide roster of contributors continue to deliver untold and inspiring stories from the American game.
Enjoy!
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You can support the podcast as a subscriber or coffee donor at nplhmag.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Killian Page is a Boston born, San Francisco based Director, Photographer and Producer.
If you're not familiar with the name, don't worry he hadn't heard of me either. But you will have seen his work with San Francisco City FC.
Killian details his childhood discovery and love of photography before sports and all the other things that go with being a teen temporarily re routed his path until re-arming himself with a camera whilst studying Industrial Psychology on the West Coast.
Post college he continued shooting whilst working for sustainable footwear brand IndoSole. When the pandemic hit, rather than taking cover in the relative safety of the corporate environment, he took a shot at full-time photography.
He shares the roles of both building relationships within his community and the support of his network in his successes to date, how to add structure to the unstructured freelance landscape – including the odd semester at the University of Youtube, and the three main requirements of turning your creative skills into a sustainable, professional business.
At the heart of it all, collaboration, connection and community are the bedrock of everything he does.
Enjoy!
You can support the podcast at nplhmag.com
Show note: The documentary referenced at the tail end of the episode is titled 'They'll Love Me When I'm Dead', with the subsequent film titled 'The Other Side of the Wind'. Both are available to watch on Netflix
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- Visa fler
