• Loading stock data...
Friday, March 29, 2024
2024 Best Venues nominations are open now through April 8! Submit Now

Fundamentals: Kerri Walsh Jennings

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings joined Fundamentals with Ian Thomas on May 12. 

Walsh Jennings chatted about beach volleyball, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics postponment and her preperation, and platform1440, a beach volleyball digital platform she co-founded.

On preparations for the 2020 Olympics being interrupted:

Walsh Jennings – 2:05: The Friday night before we were set to leave for our first tournament, we, you know, the plug got pulled. … for me it was just relief because I can handle anything when I know what I’m dealing with. But to not know for that long was really gnarly. So how did you kind of, you know, once that cancellation, the postpartum, I should say, was, was made, how do you, to your point, how do you move forward on this?

On preparing for 2021: 

Walsh Jennings – 3:27: We’re such adaptable, resilient people, and I think athletes are trained to focus on the positive and to focus on stepping up to the challenges. This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever lived through and so I’m really grateful for the way I’m wired, because I’ve adapted, it happened quickly.

The mental adaptation and the emotional adaptation was the hardest. And I’m still a roller coaster. This is not easy, but my goal went from gold on August 7, 2020 to gold in 2021, nothing’s changed. I just have another year to get great. 

On training with her partner in a pandemic: 

Walsh Jennings – 6:03: We trust each other. We love each other, Before all this happened, we’re like, ‘We need to be together when it’s not always stressful. When it’s not always gnarly training or gnarly competition, we need to go and be girlfriends.’ 

And then this happened and I want to say we’re Zooming every day and FaceTiming everyday, but we’re not. We’re staying connected. We check in once a week about, and it’s like a good friend from high school that you haven’t seen for 20 years.

On platform1440:

Walsh Jennings – 9:24: platform1440 is a digital media company that was founded to service, to elevate, and to unite the sport of volleyball.

Because 800 million play international or around the world, that’s gnarly. 40 million here in the U.S. and they are so underserved. So if we can start really servicing and having a give and take relationship with the community, our sport can be relevant for always. And so 1440, we service every part of the sport, juniors on up to the elite.

On fans supporting volleyball digital media or potential professional league:

Walsh Jennings – 15:50: If you want to grow, if you want these athletes to thrive, if you want team USA to keep stepping up and winning, you need to support.

It’s not charity. It’s a give and take. We need to have a reciprocal relationship. That’s the most powerful relationships. And that’s how you go deep.

On women’s support momentum: 

Walsh Jennings – 17:45: I feel like I’m an advocate in my own way. I have a tough time with kind of the modern day advocacy cause I feel like it’s railing against instead of rallying for, and I don’t want to do that.

You know, I believe light wins and I believe one powerful thought outweighs kind of the toxic culture. 

On if the pandemic changes Olympic structures moving forward: 

Walsh Jennings – 23:40: This is a time to look at our structures and these athletes need support all year round, not eight months out of the year, not 10 minutes out of the year.

They really do need support because we’re representing our country and we don’t want to put out C-level material. And if athletes are having to have nine-to-five job, which a vast majority of them have two and three jobs just to follow their dreams. And that’s really hard.

And I know that NGBs do their best, but I know there’s a better way to do things. I’m wondering if we just need to get almost a GoFund me, you know, and just support these athletes.

On youth sports moving forward: 

Walsh Jennings – 27:11: The fall is happening right now because kids are more sedentary. Their programs have been taken away and the programs are vital. … The hard part is right now, but what I know about children one billion percent is that they’re resilient. And as a parent, it’s my job to advocate for movement, for getting my kids to experience what I want them to experience in life.

And they can make their own decision after that. But everyone is so resourceful and they’re nimble and adaptable. And again, I think if I’m feeling this hungry for what has been taken away from me. I know everyone’s feeling that hungry.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Are the Olympics Getting Too Big? Pushback in Brisbane Sparks Debate

Australian officials move forward with stadium renovations instead of building a new facility.

Paris Games Gain Momentum With $2B Completion of Olympic Village

The $2.2 billion housing project finished on time and was essentially on budget.

Mr. Universal: Comcast CEO on Olympics, NFL Streaming, NBA Rights

NBCUniversal parent also eyes resurgence in fan interest in the Olympics.
Peter Thiel

An Olympics With Doping? Big Money Is Backing a Controversial Sports Start-Up

Billionaire Peter Thiel backs new competition openly encouraging PED use.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

Why the Timberwolves Sale was Called Off

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) and Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) react in overtime against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.
March 27, 2024

‘An Expensive Game’: March Madness and NIL Collectives Are Intertwined

At schools nationwide, collectives are fueling NCAA tournament runs and vice versa.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) waits to be announced in the starting lineup against West Virginia in a NCAA Tournament round of 32 game Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
March 26, 2024

The Women’s Trading Card Market Is Overlooked. Can Caitlin Clark Change That?

Traditionally, women’s sports cards have been a marginal part of collectibles.
The Sports Illustrated cover signed by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, February 27, 2019, at Don & Charlie's, 7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. Don Charlie S
March 24, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About the Ongoing ‘Sports Illustrated’ Saga

Understanding the strange state of affairs for the nearly 70-year-old publication.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Adidas
Multiple - USA Careers
Spotify
Multiple - USA Careers

Fundamentals: Andrea Williams (Women In Sports)

Welcome to the latest episode of Fundamentals, a Front Office Sports interview…
November 17, 2020

Fundamentals: Women In Esports

On this episode of Fundamentals, three guests join the show to discuss the opportunities for women in the gaming industry, as well as the challenges they face.
February 24, 2021

Fundamentals: Women in Sports

Welcome to the latest episode of Fundamentals, a Front Office Sports interview…
Sponsored

How Daily Fantasy Sports Solved NBA Fantasy

The remarkable growth of the #1 Discord sports server in the world.
September 22, 2020

Fundamentals: USTA CEO Michael Dowse

Dowse, the CEO and executive director of the national governing body for tennis, discussed the unique challenges of a fan-less US Open and growing the sport in the U.S.
July 28, 2020

Fundamentals: RISE CEO Diahann Billings-Burford

Diahann Billings-Burford is the CEO of RISE, a national nonprofit whose mission is to use sports as a means of eliminating racial discrimination and acting as a vehicle for social justice and societal equality.
July 24, 2020

Fundamentals: MLL Commissioner Sandy Brown

Sandy Brown — commissioner of Major League Lacrosse — discusses the logistics and realities of the league’s return to play with a single-location tournament format, along with the growth of the sport as a whole.
July 17, 2020

Fundamentals: Evil Geniuses CEO Nicole LaPointe Jameson

Nicole LaPointe Jameson, CEO of professional esports team Evil Geniuses, discusses the state of esports and what is next for the organization.