The Feist

Feisty Media

The Feist is a new women's sports podcast delivering the untold stories of female athletes all with a feisty take. The sports YOU want to know about from the people YOU want to hear from: cycling, running, Crossfit, rugby, pickleball, triathlon, and more. The Feist drops weekly and includes interviews with athletes and behind-the-scenes experts, plus the latest news and fun from the world of women's sports. It's like talking your favorite sports with your feistiest friends.

  1. Jan 28

    The Science of Your Nervous System and How to Respond to Stress, Trauma, and the State of the World

    In this special episode, your Feisty Women's Performance podcast host Dr. Erin Ayala brings together a group of experts on mental health to talk about the science and psychology of stress and collective trauma. Along with being a sports psychologist & therapist in her own right, Erin also lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota — which has been at the center of the news over the last month since it became the target of the largest immigration enforcement action to date in the U.S. Thousands of federal agents have patrolled the streets and detained residents, and, over this past weekend, shot and killed a second bystander — leading to hundreds of thousands of people protesting in Minneapolis and around the country. In this tense environment, how do we show up as athletes, as members of our community, as our best and healthiest selves? Join Dr. Tess Kilwein, Dr. Quincy Guinadi, and Christine Bright as they discuss how these experiences shape mental health and performance, and how you can respond to stress and trauma — whether you're going through it right now with the news or you're dealing with your challenges. Key Takeaways: • What is collective trauma? Learn how collective trauma impacts communities and individuals, and why this understanding is crucial for athletes and coaches. • Recognize that intentional rest in times of stress can be essential for long-term sustainability. • Know that movement and sport can be powerful tools in community healing. • Get tips on how to navigate the complexities of wanting to help without feeling performative or overwhelmed, and how to effectively engage in difficult conversations without shame or guilt. Don't be perfect. Be brave. Guest Introductions: • Dr. Tess Kilwein: A board-certified clinical, health, and sport psychologist with expertise in mental performance and athlete wellness. • Dr. Quincy Guinadi: A postdoctoral resident specializing in identity, mental health, and the experiences of marginalized communities. • Christine Bright: Lead consultant at the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport, focusing on trauma-informed coaching and community support. Resources Mentioned: • Center for Healing and Justice through Sport • Nothing Heals like Sport Playbook • "What Happened to You" by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah • Beyond Ally by Dr. Maysa Akbar • Find ways to help at standwithminnesota.com

  2. 12/17/2025

    The best women's sports moments of 2025

    It's the last episode of the year! And Kelly and Sara are closing out the season with a full-on countdown of the best races, records, performances, and picks in women’s sports this year. From #16 all the way down to our #1 women's sports moment of 2025! What did we miss? What was your moment of the year? Send us a voice memo at podcasts@livefeisty.com and we'll be back in the new year. Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://livefeisty.com/ https://livefeisty.com/ Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

  3. 12/10/2025

    Your Complete List of Feisty Women's Sports Book & Movie Recs

    To get you in the cozy holiday spirit, Kelly and Sara are throwing down some of their best women's sports book and movie recommendations. But, first, this week's women's sports highlights: 55 women hit the Olympic Trials qualifying standard at CIM — even though the standard (2:37) is faster than ever! And a shoutout to Molly Born, who won the race in her first marathon, despite a fall in the final straightaway.And you should be following SkiMo (ski mountaineering)! Where it all came down to the U.S. vs. Canada for the final Olympic spot. Enter Anna Gibson, world-class trail runner, who was recruited and secretly turned out to be amazing! (It's Kelly's dream.)Bonus shoutout to Alysa Liu, who won the Grand Prix in figure skating in her comeback-to-the-Olympics tour. …like we were saying — a few follow-ups: The highest-paid women athletes in 2025. Why are 10 of the top 15 tennis players? Thank you, Billie Jean King.The NWSL rejected Trinity Rodman’s contract deal, which is not a good look for the league.And the WNBA is still hashing out CBA issues. What's the latest? Then: Our full list of women's sports book & movie recs Kelly and Sara are deep in movies-and-books season, which prompted us to pull together some of our Feisty favs. Some of the ones mentioned in the episode: A League of Their Own Love & BasketballBend It Like Beckham Bring It On The Cutting EdgePersonal Best Challengers Sara isn't much of a movie-watcher, but she does love books! Good for a Girl, Lauren FleshmanBetter Faster Farther, Maggie MertensThe Longest Race, Kara GoucherMoney, Power, Respect: How Women in Sports Are Shaping the Future of Feminism, Macaela MacKenzieTough Broad, Caroline PaulLittle Girls in Pretty Boxes, Joan RyanIn These Girls Hope Is a Muscle, Madeleine BlaisWe Loved to Run, Stephanie ReentsCarrie Soto Is Back, Taylor Jenkins ReidThe Favorites, Layne FargoAs Good as Gold, Kathryn BertineStand, Kathryn BertineTough Broad, Caroline PaulUp to Speed, Christine YuEndure, Alex Hutchinson Shoe Dog, Phil KnightFor kids: Anything from Strong Girl Publishing, plus Molly Hurford's Shred Girls series What are your recs? What did we miss? Send us a voice memo to podcasts@livefeisty.com Plus, our Feisty Picks of the week! Chapters: 01:10 - The women are getting fast and the depth is getting deep6:50 - SkiMo!18:55 - Let's follow-up on the money37:00 - Our women's sports movie and book recs52:45 - Feisty Picks of the Week Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://livefeisty.com/ https://livefeisty.com/ Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

  4. 12/03/2025

    Is San Francisco really the #1 women’s sports city?

    Kelly and Sara are asking two burning questions this week: Is San Francisco really the top women’s sports town in the world? (The New York Times says so and Kelly agrees.) And: Why in 2025 is Nordic Combined still the *only* sport women aren’t allowed to compete in at the Olympics? But first, the women's sports highlights: Mikaela Shiffrin just won her 104th World Cup race — her third in a row and her fifth of the last six. Why isn't this getting more hype!?Is it because there's too many records? How that happened.Speaking of: The PWHL set a record for the highest attendance at a women's hockey game in the U.S. And then a few follow-ups. "Like we were saying..." There is adult cross-country! And Ceili McCabe won the Canadian champs in the snow. But the Winter Olympics still don't want to add XC to their events.Why the h*ll aren't women allowed to compete in Nordic Combined in the Olympics?!And, in the Paralympics, there is no women's sled hockey. Technically, it's co-ed, but only three women have ever competed at the Games.What are "whereabouts" violations in doping and why did Canada's most decorated female Olympian get one? Sara explains the logistics of how the system worked when she had to update her whereabouts everyday.And yes, The Enhanced Games appears to actually be happening for real. Then: What Makes a Great Women’s Sports City? Is San Francisco really the #1 women’s sports city in the world? According to The New York Times (and Kelly), yes. We unpack what actually creates a powerhouse women’s sports environment — fan culture, investment, access, and visibility... Disagree? Send us a voice memo to podcasts@livefeisty.com. Episode Resources: The stats behind Mikaela Shiffrin's record wins: https://www.fis-ski.com/alpine-skiing/news/2024-25/a-century-in-numbers-the-stats-behind-mikaela-shiffrin-s-100-world-cup-wins The top women's sports cities ranked: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6807524/2025/11/18/womens-sports-cities-top-ranked-fans/ A Q&A with the founder of The Enhanced Games: https://feisty.co/p/q-and-a-the-founder-of-the-enhanced/ Episode timestamps 02:58 - Mikaela Shiffrin's record-breaking records 06:03 - Are there too many records? 11:28 - Put cross-country in the Winter Olympics! 16:37 - Why is there no women's Nordic Combined in the Olympics? 19:50 - And no women's sled hockey in the Paralympics... 28:30 - Understanding whereabouts violations in anti-doping 41:00 - WTF the Enhanced Games 46:42 - What is the best women's sports city? 52:02 - Our Feisty Picks of the Week Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://livefeisty.com/ https://livefeisty.com/ Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

  5. 11/26/2025

    Should the UCI stop athletes with eating disorders from racing? Sammie Maxwell answers

    This week, we have a special guest: mountain bike world champion Samara Maxwell opens up about her struggles with an eating disorder and why she actually thinks it was good that her federation forced her to stop riding — or at least she can understand and agree with it now. But first, the women’s sports highlights of the week: PWHL opening weekend: Vancouver packed in 14,958 fans to watch them take down Seattle—the highest-attended home game in PWHL history.NWSL Playoffs: Gotham FC’s Rose Lavelle delivered the lone winning goal. And Kelly confirms the hype in the Bay Area was real. Is it time for the NWSL to end neutral site championship games? Up the salary cap? Did Kelly regret not going to the fame?NCAA cross-country championships: Don't let the debate over international recruiting practices mar an amazing race from Doris Lemngole. Then, we talk with New Zealand’s Samara “Sammie” Maxwell, the first Kiwi to win the UCI cross-country World Cup overall title. Sammie, who has been open about her struggles with an eating disorder, was told to stop cycling by her federation and then left off the Olympic team because they didn't think she had fully recovered — a decision she appealed. She explains why she appealed the decision, but also why she now believes Cycling New Zealand made the right call. And what can be done to address eating disorders in cycling? Then, of course, our Feisty Picks of the Week. Episode resources: WADA considers banning Ozempic: https://velo.outsideonline.com/news/ozempic-weight-loss-drugs-ban-sports/Climbing introduces policy to combat eating disorders: https://www.climbing.com/news/ifsc-policy-combat-eating-disorders/ Episode timestamps: 00:23 - Shoutout to the PWHL & the NWSL Finals18:05 - Kelly explains cross-country to Sara22:36 - What is happening with NCAA recruitment?!32:01 - Samara Maxwell on how she's recovering from an eating disorder and what she wants people to know57:27 - What responsibility do coaches have?01:10:51 - The future of GLP-1s in sports Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://livefeisty.com/ https://livefeisty.com/ Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

  6. 11/19/2025

    Hockey and the woke mob group chat

    Our resident hockey expert joins us to explain hockey to Americans: all things PWHL, Canadian hockey culture, and is ringette a real sport... ?! But first, the women's sports highlights of the week: The NSL playoffs brought in massive economic return for Canada. Now, it's the NWSL's turn: Ranked #8 out of 8, is Gotham FC ruining everyone's brackets?We're rooting for winter sports comebacks: Alysa Liu, who took her first Skate America win, and Mikaela Shiffrin, who just won her 102nd World Cup race and her ninth reindeer. Yes, reindeer. Then, why the heck can't endurance sports get it together?! A cycling world record that no one bothered to record? Then it's time to get in the weeds on hockey! The PWHL is expanding to eight teams (hello, Vancouver and Seattle!) this season. How did we get here? And what's next for the league? Plus, can you build a non-toxic hockey culture? Plus, our new segment: 'Like we were saying...' with updates on sex testing (yes, again). And our Feisty picks of the week. Episode resources: The Canada Hockey sexual assault case: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/29/canada-hockey-sexual-assault-case-analysisHistory of women's hockey: https://thecolgatemaroonnews.com/47399/sports/the-pwhl-part-i-the-history-of-womens-pro-hockey/ and https://thecolgatemaroonnews.com/47893/sports/the-pwhl-part-ii-why-the-league-will-buck-the-trend/ Episode timestamps: 00:24 - Soccer playoff highlights 07:05 - Time for winter sports: Why we're rooting for Alysia Liu 09:22 - Mikaela Shiffrin's crash comeback & Lindsey Vonn's Olympic hops 16:43 - Why do triathlon and cycling keep messing up? 30:03 - PWHL expansion and a season preview 36:09 - The weird league ownership structure of the PWSL 39:40 - Hockey's toxic culture? 50:30 Ringette: A Canadian Sport(??) 01:05:19 - Like We Were Saying: Could trans athletes be banned from the Olympics? 01:08:04 Feisty Picks of the Week Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://livefeisty.com/ https://livefeisty.com/ Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

  7. 11/05/2025

    Can "good" billionaires exist in women's sports?

    How do women’s sports make (lots and lots of) money — without losing their fans or...selling out? Or, screw it, should the make as much money as they can? This week, Kelly and Sara dig into the money talk — from WNBA labor negotiations and shifting fan dynamics to what happens when women’s sports finally start cashing big checks. How much do female athletes *deserve* to be paid? And can they make more and more money without alienating their fans? How?  But first — what we loved in women’s sports this week: The New York City Marathon: Hellen Obiri smashed the course record in 2:19:55 and a record 59,226 runners crossed the line, making it the biggest marathon in history. Are we in a running boom, or a chasing bucket lists boom? And, India wins their first-ever Cricket World Cup! At home. Against undefeated Australia. After an ugly start to the tournament and a wave of online misogyny. This comeback win was massive, a long time coming, and will change the game forever. And the epic record-breaking $13.8 million prize purse brings us to this week’s big question: How much do women deserve to be paid? Sara starts by breaking down the WNBA’s ongoing contract negotiations — with players pushing for a guaranteed share of league revenue instead of just a higher salary cap. And then we dive into the weeds of women's sports finances: Right now, fans often identify more with players than teams — but will that stay true as female athletes earn more and more? At what point does a (historically) socially conscious fan base turn against a (fundamentally) capitalist enterprise? If a large portion of your fandom doesn't believe billionaires should exist, then is it even possible to create billionaire athletes and league owners off those fans? Can that new model be built? Send us your answers in a voice memo to podcasts@livefeisty.com And we close with our Feisty Picks of the Week. Time Stamps 0:02 - The record-breaking New York Marathon 8:35 - Make it a movie: India wins their first-ever Cricket World Cup 14:45 - How much should women get paid? 26:00 - Balancing making bank and doing good 35:38 - Sponsors and women's sports fans 46:55 - Our predictions for the future of that women's sports growth curve 47:40 - Feisty Picks of the Week Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://livefeisty.com/ https://livefeisty.com/ Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

  8. 10/29/2025

    Kelly & Sara try to solve doping

    This week on The Feist, the marathon world record holder gets slapped with a three-year ban. What's to be done about doping? First, the women's sports highlights this week & what we're watching: How did we not realize it was the Gymnastic World Championships? The U.S. had its least medal haul since 2006 and a lot of big names were missing — but a world championship is still a world championship. Swimming world records dropped in Toronto, including Katie Ledecky's 800m record and the first woman ever under 50 seconds in the 100m free. Four more years of the Tour de France Femmes! (Thanks, Zwift!) And the women finally get Mont Ventoux.And why did Kelly have weird stress dreams about running the New York Marathon this weekend? When she's definitely not running the New York Marathon this weekend. Then, we have a voicemail from our Feisty correspondent with all the details about the Northern Super League playoffs. And an interview with Mithali Das, who regionally coordinates the women's programs for USA Cricket — and is here to answer all of our Cricket World Cup questions: Why are games eight hours? How is the women's sport growing now? Who will win the semis and finals this week — and take home the massive prize purse? Then, before the Feisty Picks of the Week, it's time for our in-the-weeds debate: How do we solve doping? Marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich is banned for three years after her positive test and some pretty incriminating texts.Meanwhile, pro triathlete Imogene Simmonds was cleared of any fault or negligence for her positive test. Yes, her sexual contamination explanation actually makes sense. Is the system working the way it's supposed to?And the New York Times article about the prevalence of doping and incentives in Kenya: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/world/africa/kenya-runners-doping.html Timestamps 00:28 - The gymnastics world championships10:26 - Swimming World Records and Four More Years of the Tour de France Femmes25:45 - Feisty correspondent Maya breaks down the Northern Super League and why it's important for Canada33:47 - The Rise of Women's Cricket: USA Cricket coordinator Mithali Das explains it to us52:33 - The big doping news this week and what to do about the prevalence of performance-enhancing drugs?1:16:58 - Picks of the week Subscribe to The Feist, our Free Weekly Newsletter covering Women's Sports: https://livefeisty.com/ https://livefeisty.com/ Hettas:  Use code STAYFEISTY for 20% off at https://hettas.com/

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About

The Feist is a new women's sports podcast delivering the untold stories of female athletes all with a feisty take. The sports YOU want to know about from the people YOU want to hear from: cycling, running, Crossfit, rugby, pickleball, triathlon, and more. The Feist drops weekly and includes interviews with athletes and behind-the-scenes experts, plus the latest news and fun from the world of women's sports. It's like talking your favorite sports with your feistiest friends.

Information

  • Creator
    Feisty Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Feisty Media
  • Show Website
    The Feist