The Middle

Megan R
  • 4.7 (9)
  • SPORTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Where the game gets personal. From world championships to everyday athletes, we dig into the human side of sports told by the athletes, coaches and industry insiders that lived those career-changing moments, near misses, unexpected wins, season-ending injuries and inevitable transitions.

  1. 23H AGO

    Redefining Fitness, Strength, and Body Confidence

    Fitness instructor Roz Mays is challenging everything the fitness industry gets wrong. Growing up plus-size in a cardio-obsessed sports world, Roz shares how the industry’s fixation on thinness and extreme strength leaves everyday people feeling disconnected from fitness and athletics. In this episode, she talks about discovering her own strength through pole dancing, redefining what it means to be an athlete, and why weight loss isn’t the same as success. We unpack common fitness myths, how shame impacts motivation, how new trends like GLP-1s impact the search for an easy button to health, how to build a healthier relationship with your body and how you can get into fitness even if gyms intimidate you, you’ve tried before, or life pulled you away. Roz Mays’ career began in 2011 at a pole dancing studio in Brooklyn. Over the last decade, she has gone on to teach TRX, BOSU, conditioning, and flexibility classes in 42 different states and 10 countries. She’s been featured on the Tamron Hall Show, in Talks at Google, in Self and Glamour magazine and more. She has dedicated many late nights at the gym to helping non traditional and underrepresented athletes overcome gym-timidation and making fitness accessible to everyone. Follow Roz on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and LinkedIn. Book her services at her website.  Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

    49 min

  2. FEB 4

    Behind the Scenes at the Super Bowl

    In our season opener, Matt Taylor takes us behind the scenes on the intense preparation that goes into the Super Bowl, the emotional weight of the event, and the logistics involved in ensuring everything runs smoothly on game day. He shares what cameras don't show, what's really happening on the sidelines, and how teams prevent the nerves from getting to them. He also talks about his journey from a small town in Illinois to becoming an integral part of the Los Angeles Rams organization, and discusses the responsibilities that come with managing players and equipment for a National Football League (NFL) team. Matt Taylor is a sports business development and marketing consultant who spent over 20 years with the Los Angeles Rams/St. Louis Rams. He’s built custom customer relationship management systems, written and produced over 10 commercials and built sponsorship decks valued at over $1 billion. Follow Matt Taylor on LinkedIn. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

    53 min

  3. SEASON 2 TRAILER

    Season Two Trailer

    We've got a new look, a new focus and a lot of new stories to tell. Join us this season as we talk to athletes, coaches and industry insiders about career-changing games, near misses, injuries, transitions and the resilience required when the spotlight fades.

    1 min

  4. 12/17/2025

    A Look Back at Season One

    In our season finale, we share the evolution of the podcast and how it's grown over the last several months. Megan shares some behind the scenes on how the podcast was made, where she is in her own journey, and gives a sneak peek at what's ahead for Season Two (debuting January 2026). To everyone who has come on this journey with us, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We may be in the middle, but we're just getting started. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

    13 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    The Olympian in the Middle: Shannon Abeda

    In November 2024 alpine skier Shannon Abeda was three days away from the start of his season in hopes of qualifying for his third Olympic games. He asked his company for any support they could give. Instead, he was laid off. In this episode, Shannon opens up about his skiing journey, from discovering it as a three year-old in Alberta, Canada, to missing out on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games by 0.01 seconds, to carrying the flag for Eritrea at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, to his journey to the 2024 Olympic Games in Milan. He reflects on the toll of injuries, burnout, post-Olympic depression, and rebuilding after disappointment. You'll hear how he turned setbacks into fuel for growth, and what it takes to keep showing up when no one’s watching. This episode is an inspirational reminder that sometimes our hardest moments are the ones that shape us the most, and that the path to success is rarely a straight line. Shannon Abeda is a three-time Eritrean-Canadian Olympic alpine skier. Born in Fort McMurray, Alberta to Eritrean parents, Shannon discovered skiing when he was three years old and went on to represent Eritrea at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics after narrowly missing qualification for Sochi in 2014 by just 0.01 seconds. Off the slopes, he holds two bachelor's degrees and a master's, balancing full-time work with elite training. Shannon is passionate about mental health, creative expression through photography and videography, and creating opportunities for the next generation of underrepresented athletes. Follow Shannon on Instagram and Facebook, and watch him as he competes in his third Winter Olympic Games at Milan 2026 this February. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on TikTok, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

    48 min

  6. 12/03/2025

    The Environmental Scientist in the Middle: Dr. Mara Ranville

    In this episode, sustainability expert and environmental scientist Dr. Mara Ranville shares how her career moved from a small town in Michigan to geology labs, research cruises across the Pacific, university classrooms, and the chaotic streets of New York City. On the outside, she was creating a career path uniquely her own, but behind some of her pivots was another journey she was quietly fighting for: three years of infertility treatments, miscarriages, and the dream of becoming a mother that ultimately didn’t come to pass. Mara opens up about grieving in private, rebuilding her identity, and learning to trust a career and life path that looked nothing like she imagined. Over the last 30 years, Dr. Ranville has held roles as a researcher, project manager, educator, and content producer. She now works as a sustainability and social impact consultant, connecting people, policy, and purpose and helping organizations make their operations better for the planet. Dr. Ranville holds a Bachelor of Arts in geology and environmental studies from Macalester College and a Ph.D. in environmental toxicology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Connect with Dr. Ranville on LinkedIn or read her stories at Global Citizen.  Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    43 min

  7. 11/26/2025

    ENCORE: The Recruiter in the Middle: Steve Lavner

    As the U.S. pauses to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, we're bringing you an encore of our episode with executive recruiter Steve Lavner. Since his original episode aired, Verizon and Amazon announced massive layoffs, the September jobs report was published, the unemployment rate ticked up to its highest in four years, and more. Steve's insights are more relevant than ever. After more than 20 years in executive recruiting, he has seen it all, and he shares the unspoken truths of recruiting at the highest levels, the politics behind hiring decisions, and how the job market has shifted beneath our feet. He talks why “career progression” is an illusion, why the best candidates sometimes get passed over, how careers are turning into project role after project role, and what it was like going through his own sudden layoff. Steve Lavner spent over 20 years in executive search and talent acquisition. As Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Edelman Smithfield, a global financial communications boutique within Edelman, he connected top talent with roles across 25+ cities worldwide. Prior to his recruiting roles, Steve performed on Broadway, playing Le Fou in Beauty and the Beast. He’s now a certified Senior Professional Career Coach and creates short, uplifting YouTube videos of kids songs in his spare time. Connect with Steve on LinkedIn, his career coaching website Steve Lavner Talent Advisory, or on his YouTube channel. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

    59 min

  8. 11/19/2025

    The Music Producer in the Middle: Rick Morales

    Rick Morales spent nearly a decade helping build Apple Music Radio from the ground up, producing shows with global icons like Bad Bunny and Travis Scott. In 2023 he noticed something unsettling: the artificial intelligence (AI) programs framed as “tools” weren’t just making him better. They were completely learning his job. When the layoff hit a year later, he faced a cascade of personal losses, losing his home, belongings, relationship, and the sense of stability he’d spent years building. Through community and a never-ending love of music, Rick’s finding a new sense of purpose, but his story is a gripping look at AI in the workplace and what it takes to truly start over. Rick Morales spent over a decade at Apple Music driving platform growth through content strategy, artist partnerships, and global launches. He partnered with top artists and labels to create programming that not only shaped culture but also contributed to Apple Music’s expansion to 80 million paid subscribers across more than 30 markets. He now focuses on K-pop and shaping the next wave of Asian music. Rick has been a voting member of The Recording Academy since 2022. Connect with Rick on LinkedIn or Instagram, or by sending him an email. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn and Instagram. Follow The Middle on TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

    43 min
See All (24)

Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Where the game gets personal. From world championships to everyday athletes, we dig into the human side of sports told by the athletes, coaches and industry insiders that lived those career-changing moments, near misses, unexpected wins, season-ending injuries and inevitable transitions.

Information

  • Creator
    Megan R
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Megan R
  • Show Website
    The Middle