FIERCE Athlete Podcast

Hosted by FIERCE Athlete

Religion Spirituality Christianity Sports

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Aug 2026

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About the show

The FIERCE Athlete Podcast is here to empower female athletes to thrive in their God given Identity and femininity. You are a Daughter of God. Fully feminine. Fully strong. We’re here to help you own that truth — and transform how you compete, lead, and live as a FIERCE athlete.

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August 10, 2026Episode 1932 min

Spiritual | Sport as Prayer

This episode of the FIERCE Athlete Podcast focuses on practically integrating our spiritual life into our athletic training and performance. Athletes spend hours training their bodies, but often far less time on their spiritual lives. What if you could do both at the same time? Sam and Julianna explore how sport itself is a path to prayer, allowing athletes to "pray without ceasing" by viewing their training and competition as an interaction with God. Through gratitude, intercession, and uniting personal pain with Christ's suffering, every sprint and every game becomes an act of worship. TakeawaysCreate a List of Intentions: Develop a list of people or causes to pray for and "offer up" specific workouts or drills for each intention. Call Upon a "Cloud of Witnesses": For each game or competition, choose specific spiritual or earthly supporters—such as a favorite saint, a guardian angel, or a parent—to be your "fans" and cheer you on from the spiritual stadium. Show NotesScripture References: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ("Pray without ceasing"), Hebrews 12:1-2 (the "cloud of witnesses"), Colossians 1:24 (filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions), and John 15:13 (“no greater love"). Father John Riccardo: The hosts borrowed an athlete comparison regarding the "cloud of witnesses" from this priest. The Passion of the Christ: The hosts recommended watching this Mel Gibson film to better understand the "gruesomeness" and reality of Christ's suffering. Support the show

August 3, 2026Episode 1828 min

Spiritual | Run So As To Win

What you do to the body affects the soul, and what you do to the soul affects the body. So it's time to talk about the spiritual! Hosts Sam Kelley and Julianna Dalton kick off a new month dedicated to the spiritual life of athletes, exploring how body, mind, and soul must integrate to achieve peak performance and true sanctity. Drawing inspiration from St. Paul's athletic analogies in scripture, they challenge listeners to channel the same discipline, sacrifice, and drive they bring to daily workouts into their relationship with God, running the ultimate race toward heaven. The hosts break down practical ways to build a spiritual "game plan," introducing the concepts of active prayer—like reading scripture and examining your day—and receptive prayer, which requires stepping into vulnerable silence to hear God's unique voice.Takeaway: Eliminate distractions, schedule dedicated time, and commit to 10 minutes of daily silence to let God facilitate a total spiritual rewiring.Show Notes:The 30-Day Prayer Prescription by Gina Witt https://a.co/d/0g51Bw9mSupport the show

July 27, 2026Episode 1720 min

Mental | Psychological PT with Darilyn Bixenman

Ready to turn your athletic drive into your ultimate psychological superpower? In this episode of the FIERCE Athlete Podcast, host Sam Kelley continues a powerhouse conversation with counseling psychologist Darilyn Bixenman to reveal how female athletes can crush anxiety, build unwavering confidence, and deepen their trust in God. The secret weapon? Self-efficacy—the unbreakable belief that you can tackle any obstacle and triumph on the other side. Darilyn breaks down how the grit you develop in training naturally prepares you for life's toughest moments, from injuries to unanswered prayers. Packed with quick, practical grounding exercises you can do anywhere, this episode gives you the mental playbook to reclaim your peace and stay rooted in your true identity.Takeaway: Practice daily "psychological PT" check-in exercise to stay connected with your internal sense of self.The Method: Connect with a grounding principle or an interior image that represents your true self (such as a pair of glasses, a basketball, a sacred heart or a deep memory like an image of yourself at seven years old).Frequency: You should practice this check-in skill multiple times throughout the day before you actually feel anxious, which makes it much easier to deploy when anxiety does strike.Practical Examples:While walking to practice, you can close your eyes for a quick two-second body scan to connect with your interior image.While lacing up your cleats feel the laces to ground yourself in the exact activity you are doing.Support the show

July 20, 2026Episode 1633 min

Mental | Why Are We So Anxious? with Darilyn Bixenman

In this episode of The Fierce Athlete Podcast, host Sam Kelley sits down with counseling psychologist Darilyn Bixenman to unpack the modern epidemic of debilitating anxiety affecting female athletes. Moving past the typical blame on social media, they explore how constant information overload, perfectionism, and the paralyzing fear of disappointing others leave young women feeling disconnected from who they are. Through relatable athlete analogies, Darilyn offers a powerful shift from being hyper-externally focused to finding strength from within, explaining how grounding yourself in your true identity can quiet overthinking and transform how you receive feedback and how you perform.Takeaway:Take some time to reflect on everything discussed in the episode and evaluate your own anxiety levels. Tune in next week for more solutions!Shownotes:Interview with Sam and Darilyn at the 2022 GIVEN Forumhttps://youtu.be/QgTi53uwLOo?si=GEFhn-OyAilhu_vBSupport the show

July 13, 2026Episode 1530 min

Mental | The Dark Corners

Fear is one of the greatest opponents you'll ever face—and it's not wearing a jersey. In this powerful episode, Sam and Julianna expose the lies, strongholds, and hidden fears that keep athletes trapped in their minds and playing from a place of anxiety instead of freedom. Together, they invite Jesus into the darkest corners of the heart, where true healing begins. Through honest conversation, practical tools, powerful prayer, and personal stories, you'll discover how to break free from fear, silence the lies, and compete with the confidence and freedom Christ offers. Whether you're battling pressure in competition, struggling in the pain cave, or fighting unseen battles off the field, this episode is a roadmap to lasting freedom.Takeaway:Walk in your brain with God! Let Him heal and reveal the following:A painful Memory- invite Him into itMake a list of Lies you came to believe because of thatReplace with TruthsEmbrace the Pain Cave, Don’t numb!Support the show

July 6, 2026Episode 1426 min

Mental | Handling Failure

New month= new topic! On this episode of the Fierce Athlete Podcast, hosts Samantha Kelley and Julianna Dalton tackle the mental game. They explore how female athletes can harmonize their physical, mental, and spiritual health to fully embrace their God-given identity. Discover practical strategies to conquer failure, rewire negative thought patterns, and use body language to instantly boost your confidence and game-day performance. Listeners will learn how one mentally tough play can shift an entire game’s momentum and how to turn moments of failure into opportunities for surrender and outward encouragement.Takeaways:Create a Truth Statement: Pick a statement rooted in your identity, not your performance, such as "I am enough" or "I am a daughter of God," to act as a trigger phrase to stop negative mental spirals. Share your statement with a teammate or friend to help you!Show notes:Surrender Novena: https://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/novenas/p03530.htmSupport the show

June 29, 2026Episode 1332 min

Bonus Recap | Identity, Femininity, + Physical

Time for a good film review session! This week we recap three months of life-changing insights on what it means to be a daughter of God in the world of sports. Moving beyond the "charge forward" mentality of an athlete, Sam dives back into the core pillars of identity, femininity, and the sacredness of the physical body. From the danger of defining yourself by your past to the "active receptivity" of a surfer waiting for a wave, this episode is a powerful reminder that you are a unique masterpiece, created to be fully feminine and fully strong.The Takeaway-Identify Your "Prick": Pinpoint one specific topic from the recap—whether it was identity, shame, femininity, or self-perception—that sparked curiosity or "pricked" your heart.- Daily Prayer Habit: Spend 5 to 10 minutes every day this week talking to the Lord specifically about that one area, allowing Him to speak into your life during this time of reflection.Show Notes:Dove "Real Beauty Sketches" Video: Sam highlights this video to illustrate the gap between how we often degrade our own appearance versus how others see our beauty.Support the show

June 22, 2026Episode 1215 min

Physical | The Body Scan Prayer

It's time to change. It's time to love our bodies. In this unique episode, host Sam Kelley gets practical and leads a transformative exercise aimed at healing self-image and overcoming the toxic cycle of body comparison and self-hatred. Designed specifically for female athletes, this "body scan" prayer is a tool Kelley has used for over a decade to shift her perception of her own body from critique to sacredness.Takeaway:Do the Body Scan. The first phase involves a non-judgmental inventory of every body part, from hair to toes, to identify personal feelings of like or dislike. The second phase shifts the focus to a spiritual perspective, asking Jesus, "Do you love this part of my body?"Support the show

June 15, 2026Episode 1131 min

Physical | 7 Tips for the Injured Athlete

Dealing with an injury is an inevitable, yet often ill-equipped, part of an athlete's journey. In this episode, host Sam Kelley shares seven transformative tips for those currently sidelined, drawing from her own experience of seven orthopedic surgeries. Whether you are facing physical injury, chronic pain, or even "injuries of the heart," this discussion offers a roadmap for integrating your physical suffering with your spiritual life. Learn how to move past the temptation to hate or disassociate from your body and instead find peace, purpose, and profound healing through surrender.TakeawayThe primary takeaway for the week is to actively work through these seven steps to find beauty and fruitfulness in a time of injury.Make Peace with Your BodyGrievePray for HealingLearn to ReceiveOffer Up Your PainFind Your RoleSurrenderShownotes:Surrender Novena: https://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/novenas/p03530.htmSupport the show

June 8, 2026Episode 1025 min

Physical | Honoring the Gift of Your Body

Your body is not something to fix, you are someone to honor. Sam and Julianna continue talking about the Physical, and dive into exactly what that statement means and why. Reflecting on scripture and the nature of God dwelling in us, they give both theological and practical ways to honor the bodies that God gave us. If you struggle to treat your body well, if you struggle with stress, if you struggle to love your body- you need to listen in! We promise, it will forever change you!Takeaway: Physical + Spiritual GoalPhysical: Pick one thing you need to work on to support your body’s health and recovery- whether that be more sleep, more healthy eating, hydration, rest, stress management, phone use and make a plan to fulfill that goal with it.Spiritual: Go read Elizabeth of the Trinity and spend time with God- realizing He is in you!Show notes: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity writings: He is my Heaven: https://a.co/d/0fEDZ5jqHer Works Vol 2 (her retreats): https://a.co/d/006a6myFSnooz sleep machine: https://a.co/d/01V4xQagSupport the show

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