Athlete, Actually

About Athlete, Actually

Athlete, Actually is a women’s sports podcast hosted by 9x National Champion water skier and marketing strategist Elizabeth Montavon, featuring candid conversations with professional women athletes across dozens of sports. In each episode, Elizabeth sits down with a professional woman athlete — from Olympians and Paralympians to national champions, record holders, and MVPs across more than 85 sports — for a conversation that goes beyond their highlight reel. On Athlete, Actually, we move past the press conference questions and into the ones athletes actually want to answer, about identity, ambition, money, motherhood, sponsorship, pressure, performance, and what it really takes to compete at the highest level. These are layered stories about women in sport whose lives don’t fit into one mold. Produced by Parity, a sports marketing consultancy representing over 1,500 professional women athletes, the podcast draws from one of the most diverse rosters in sports. Each episode offers a deeper understanding of who these athletes are, not just how they perform. For sports fans, industry leaders, and brands who want to understand the real women behind the jersey, Athlete, Actually delivers conversations that are thoughtful, unscripted, and impossible to reduce to a headline. There is no default woman athlete. This is Athlete, Actually.

Publisher

Parity

Category

society & culture · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Apr 2026

Latest episode

27 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Oct 2026

   Ep. #12 Group Chat: How Many Jobs Does a Woman Athlete Have to Be Good At?

   Be an elite athlete. Build an audience. Find sponsors. Make content. Maybe get another job so you can afford to keep doing the first one. When did being good at your sport become only part of the job description? In this episode of Athlete, Actually Group Chat, Elizabeth looks at the expanding résumé of the modern woman athlete. From A’ja Wilson’s signature Nike collection (https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/aja-wilson-a-two-second-signature-nike-shoe-and-apparel-collection) to Gabby Thomas’s public health degree (https://harvardonline.harvard.edu/blog/building-resilience-life-track), Naomi Girma’s graduate coursework (https://gostanford.com/news/2024/07/23/faster-higher-stronger), Ilona Maher’s impact on rugby (https://www.thepwr.com/news/ilona-mahers-debut-inside-a-historic-day-for-the-pwr) and Sarah Nurse’s creator career (https://digiday.com/media/how-women-athletes-are-betting-on-the-creator-playbook/), there are plenty of reasons to celebrate athletes having lives beyond competition. But there’s a difference between choosing more opportunities and needing five jobs to sustain one athletic career. With Parity’s athlete research (https://www.paritynow.com/resources/research/spotlight/24q4-athlete-survey) as context, Elizabeth gets into the work behind personal branding, the second jobs that help fund training, and what brands and leagues owe athletes when their stories help grow the business. Women athletes should get to be multidimensional. They should also get to be great at their sport and put their phones down. Follow @ParityNow (https://www.instagram.com/paritynow/) and @ElizabethMontavon (https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmontavon/) on Instagram, and send us the story you want in the next Group Chat. Athlete, Actually is a Parity production. Athlete, Actually Group Chat is your catch-up on the business, culture and stories shaping women’s sports. Hosted by Elizabeth Montavon, these episodes go deeper than the headline to ask why it matters and what comes next, alongside Athlete, Actually’s athlete interview seasons.

2. 

   20 Oct 2026

   Ep. #11 Group Chat: Why Does Everyone Get Weird When Women Athletes Love Fashion?

   Why do we act like caring about fashion means a woman athlete cares less about winning? In this episode of Athlete, Actually Group Chat, Elizabeth starts with Naomi Osaka’s court entrances and follows the conversation through Serena Williams, Flo-Jo, Allen Iverson, Caitlin Clark and Keely Hodgkinson. From couture gowns to signature collections and a custom racing suit, she explores how clothing connects competition, self-expression, personal branding and the business of sports. There are real questions about fair timing rules and consistent standards. There’s also a difference between enforcing those rules and treating an athlete’s style as evidence that she isn’t serious. As brands invest in women athletes and fans ask for more merchandise, who gets to decide what a serious competitor looks like? Whether an athlete chooses couture, sweatpants or no fashion identity at all, this conversation comes back to having that choice. Follow @ParityNow (https://www.instagram.com/paritynow/) and @ElizabethMontavon (https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmontavon/) on Instagram for more women’s sports stories and to send us a topic for the next Group Chat. Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/athlete-actually/id1893498453) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/4MjY1rXYAn7V0K9l9O6Slw). Explore more episodes at Parity (https://www.paritynow.com/resources/podcasts). Athlete, Actually is a Parity production. Athlete, Actually Group Chat is your catch-up on the business, culture and stories shaping women’s sports. Hosted by Elizabeth Montavon, these episodes go deeper than the headline to ask why it matters and what comes next, alongside Athlete, Actually’s athlete interview seasons.

3. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Ep. #10 Group Chat: Who Is Actually the Capital of Women’s Sports?

   Everybody wants to be the capital of women’s sports. But what does that title actually mean? In the first Athlete, Actually Group Chat, Elizabeth puts Portland, the Bay Area and Indianapolis at the center of a completely unofficial debate, with challenges from Kansas City, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis and New York. Her test considers five things: fans who keep showing up, a range of sports, investment in women athletes, history and a place in the city’s culture. From dedicated training facilities to neighborhood sports bars, this episode looks at what it takes to build a city around women’s sports, and why so many places now want that distinction. Elizabeth picks her winner, but the bigger story is the competition itself. Which cities are turning enthusiasm into lasting investment, and who deserves the crown? Join the Group Chat. Athlete, Actually Group Chat is your catch-up on the business, culture and stories shaping women’s sports. Hosted by Elizabeth Montavon, these episodes go deeper than the headline to ask why it matters and what comes next, alongside Athlete, Actually’s athlete interview seasons. Follow @ParityNow (https://www.instagram.com/paritynow/) and @ElizabethMontavon (https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmontavon/) on Instagram for more women’s sports stories and to send us a topic for the next Group Chat. Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/athlete-actually/id1893498453) or Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/4MjY1rXYAn7V0K9l9O6Slw). Explore more episodes at Parity (https://www.paritynow.com/resources/podcasts). Athlete, Actually is a Parity production.

4. 

   5 Aug 2026

   Ep. #9 Live from WNBA All-Star Weekend 2026

   For this special edition of Athlete, Actually, Elizabeth Montavon takes the show on the road to Parity’s Precovery Party at Babe’s Sports Bar in Chicago during WNBA All-Star Weekend. Against the backdrop of the WNBA’s 30th season and unprecedented momentum across women’s basketball, Elizabeth sits down with athletes, industry leaders and members of the women’s sports community to uncover the stories that cannot be found on a scoreboard. Caroline Fitzgerald shares the childhood baseball experience that shaped her commitment to women’s sports and explains why brand investment is essential to the industry’s continued growth. Other guests reflect on the generosity of the volunteers who make competition possible and the challenge of balancing elite athletics with demanding academics. Former professional basketball player Toccara Ross shares her remarkable path from playing on a team that could not win a game to a 15-year professional career, and how she is now helping create more opportunities for the next generation. Together, their stories celebrate the athletes, coaches, volunteers, fans, brands and advocates building the future of women’s basketball. This episode is presented in partnership with DNA Vibe. DNA Vibe is leading the way in recovery and performance technology, helping athletes stay ready to perform at their highest level. Learn more: (https://dnavibe.com)https://dnavibe.com/recovery (https://dnavibe.com/recovery) If you want to support Athlete, Actually, supporting the brands that make these conversations possible is a great place to start. Follow along @ParityNow for more stories, clips, and insights from women athletes. https://www.instagram.com/paritynow (https://www.instagram.com/paritynow) https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmontavon (https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmontavon) https://www.paritynow.com (https://www.paritynow.com) Listen wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailer-athlete-actually-a-new-kind-of-womens/id1893498453?i=1000761422362 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailer-athlete-actually-a-new-kind-of-womens/id1893498453?i=1000761422362) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MjY1rXYAn7V0K9l9O6Slw?si=972814f905904d22 (https://open.spotify.com/show/4MjY1rXYAn7V0K9l9O6Slw?si=972814f905904d22) Athlete, Actually is a Parity production. #AthleteActually #WNBAAllStar #WNBA #WomensBasketball #WomensSports #WomenInSports #AthleteStories #SportsBusiness #WomenInBusiness #BrandPartnerships

5. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Ep. #8 Elana Meyers Taylor: Motherhood, Gold Medals, and What Matters Most

   Host Elizabeth Montavon interviews Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor about her pursuit of personal excellence, motherhood, and advocacy.

6. 

   2 Jun 2026

   Ep. #7 Marissa Papaconstantinou: The Pressure of Growing Up in Sport

   Host Elizabeth Montavon interviews Paralympian Marissa Papaconstantinou about navigating the emotional challenges of growing up in elite sport and redefining identity beyond performance.

7. 

   26 May 2026

   Ep. #6 Amber Balcaen: The $5 Million Reality of Motorsport

   Most people think racing is about speed. Amber Balcaen says it’s really about survival. In this episode, the NASCAR driver opens up about the part of motorsports most fans never see: the constant pressure to fundraise, secure sponsorships, and financially earn your place on the track. Amber has raised more than $5 million in sponsorships since she was 10 years old. Not because she wanted to build a business, but because without sponsorship, she doesn’t race. As a Canadian competing in an American sport, her path has also meant navigating visas, immigration lawyers, and the pressure of proving herself on and off the track. At times, the stakes have felt bigger than racing itself. She also reflects on the realities of being a woman in motorsports, learning to show up authentically in a hyper-male environment, and why confidence has become one of her greatest competitive advantages. From terrifying crashes to building a personal brand beyond racing, Amber’s story reveals what it actually costs to chase a dream at 200 miles per hour. This episode is presented in partnership with DNA Vibe and Sport Certified, powered by iHerb. DNA Vibe is leading the way in recovery and performance technology, helping athletes stay ready to perform at their highest level. Learn more: (https://dnavibe.com)https://dnavibe.com/recovery (https://dnavibe.com/recovery) Sport Certified, powered by iHerb, gives athletes access to high-quality, trusted supplements designed to support performance, recovery, and overall health. Shop Sport Certified: https://sportcertified.com (https://sportcertified.com) If you want to support Athlete, Actually, supporting the brands that make these conversations possible is a great place to start. New episodes of Athlete, Actually drop every Tuesday. Follow along @ParityNow for more stories, clips, and insights from women athletes. https://www.instagram.com/paritynow (https://www.instagram.com/paritynow) https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmontavon (https://www.instagram.com/elizabethmontavon) https://www.paritynow.com (https://www.paritynow.com) Listen wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailer-athlete-actually-a-new-kind-of-womens/id1893498453?i=1000761422362 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trailer-athlete-actually-a-new-kind-of-womens/id1893498453?i=1000761422362) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MjY1rXYAn7V0K9l9O6Slw?si=972814f905904d22 (https://open.spotify.com/show/4MjY1rXYAn7V0K9l9O6Slw?si=972814f905904d22) Athlete, Actually is a Parity production. #AthleteActually #womenssports #NASCAR #motorsports #womeninmotorsports #racing #sportsbusiness #athletestory #sportsmarketing #womeninsports #highperformance #sportsstories #femaleathlete #racecar driver #motorsportlife

8. 

   19 May 2026

   Ep. #5 Nicole Heavirland: Built to Compete

   Three-time Olympian Nicole Heavirland shares how early challenges and mental resilience forge an athlete's competitive edge in this interview.

9. 

   12 May 2026

   Ep. #4 Kate Brim: Everything That Went Wrong Before Gold

   Host Elizabeth Montavon interviews Paralympian Kate Brim about overcoming severe injury and numerous setbacks to achieve athletic gold.

10. 

    5 May 2026

    Ep. #3 Nicole Mendes: The Reality Behind the Olympic Dream

    Host Elizabeth Montavon interviews Olympic softball player Nicole Mendes about the complex realities and post-Olympic transition beyond the dream.

11. 

    28 Apr 2026

    Ep. #2 Taylor Heise: Cut in 2022, Gold in 2026

    Host Elizabeth Montavon interviews Olympic gold medalist Taylor Heise about overcoming a pivotal 2022 Olympic cut to achieve ultimate success.

12. 

    21 Apr 2026

    Ep. #1 Dara Mabrey: The Injury That Changed Women’s Sports

    Dara Mabrey shares her journey through a career-altering injury and unexpected blood clot, revealing crucial insights into women's health in sports.

13. 

    15 Apr 2026

    Trailer | Athlete, Actually: A New Kind of Women’s Sports Stories

    Host Elizabeth Montavon interviews athletes about their unseen decisions, pressures, and identities beyond performance, revealing the true stories shaping women in sports.

Who has been a guest on Athlete, Actually

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Elana Meyers Taylor
• Marissa Papaconstantinou
• Nicole Heavirland
• Kate Brim
• Nicole Mendes

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Contact Athlete, Actually

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.