The Giving Game
What happens when you take sports away from athletes? You find out who they really are. Hosted by Sophie, The Giving Game is a one-of-a-kind podcast where athletes step out of the game and into something bigger. No stats. No scores. No surface-level interviews. Each episode is tied to a real, 7-day fundraising challenge—supporting causes that matter to the guests and giving listeners a chance to be part of something meaningful. You’ll hear raw conversations, unexpected stories, and a side of athletes the world rarely sees. This isn’t about sports. It’s about impact.
Episodes
"We Don't Cure Cancer, We Cure Bad Days": Kelyn Rowe & Erik Rees on the Jessie Rees Foundation
This is a special two-guest episode. Former professional soccer player Kelyn Rowe joins The Giving Game alongside a very special bonus guest, Erik Rees, founder of the Jessie Rees Foundation (NEGU — Never Ever Give Up), to tell the story behind one of the most moving nonprofits to appear on the show.Erik shares the story of his daughter Jessie, diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor called DIPG at
Former NFL Running Back Terron Ward on Mentorship, Scholarships & the Wardboy Project
Former NFL running back Terron Ward joins The Giving Game to talk about the Wardboy Project, the foundation he co-founded with his brother to support underprivileged youth in the East Bay Area — the pocket of cities east of Oakland including Antioch, Pittsburg, Concord, and Brentwood that Terron and his brother call home.Terron breaks down the foundation's three main pillars: DRAW, a mentorship pr
Former NBA Player Kareem Rush on Building University Heritage Group and Giving Back to NIL Athletes
Recorded in-person in Kansas City, former NBA player Kareem Rush joins The Giving Game to talk about University Heritage Group (UHG), the exclusive alumni membership brand he built to reconnect former college athletes with the schools that shaped them — and to give current student-athletes a cut of the profits.Kareem breaks down the concept: each university's membership club is capped at the numbe
Super Bowl Champion Martin Gramatica on Building Mortgage-Free Homes for Wounded Veterans
Former NFL kicker and Super Bowl champion Martin Gramatica joins The Giving Game to talk about the Gramatica Family Foundation, which began by building mortgage-free homes for combat-wounded veterans and has since expanded into rehabs, home repairs, and partnerships with organizations like Pinellas Habitat, Operation Finally Home, and Home For Our Troops as full home builds have become harder to f
Gary Forbes on Playing in the NBA with Type 1 Diabetes and Building The Sole Survivors
Former NBA player Gary Forbes joins The Giving Game to talk about The Sole Survivors — a children's multimedia platform he created featuring superhero characters who each live with a different chronic health condition. Gary is one of only three players in NBA history to compete with type 1 diabetes, diagnosed at 19 after his freshman year of college, and he built The Sole Survivors as the project
Sergio Garcia on Family, Giving Back & Building FORE Kids ATX in Austin
Professional golfer Sergio Garcia joins The Giving Game to talk about the Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation and its flagship event, FORE Kids ATX — a two-day fundraiser in Austin that's raised over $10 million for local kids and families in just four years.Sergio walks through the event's three-part format: a gala dinner with live and silent auctions, a "prom-style" celebrity and pro golf day, a
Stephen Piscotty on Losing His Mom to ALS and Turning Grief Into the ALS Cure Project
Former MLB outfielder Stephen Piscotty joins The Giving Game to talk about the ALS Cure Project, the nonprofit he co-founded with his father after losing his mother, Gretchen, to ALS in 2018 — during the middle of his professional baseball career.Stephen walks through what ALS actually does to the body, why so few people understand the disease until it touches their own family, and the devastating
Gamifying Giving: Ryan Beckmann on Hero Picks and Reinventing How America Donates
This is a special one. Host Sophie Whitesell sits down with Ryan Beckmann, founder of Hero Picks, to announce a major collaboration between their two platforms — and to unpack the story behind an idea that started with a hockey shootout bet and turned into a new way to fundraise for good causes.Ryan walks through how it all began: his son Tino's terrifying week in the Phoenix Children's ICU, a tex
Alex & Alyssa Highsmith on Fighting Food Insecurity, Faith & Building a Foundation Together
Alex Highsmith and his wife Alyssa join The Giving Game for a rare joint interview — one where host Sophie Whitesell openly admits she knows nothing about Alex's NFL career and everything about the couple's foundation. That's exactly the point of this conversation.Alex and Alyssa pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to run the Alex Highsmith Family Foundation, debunking the assumption t
Jennifer George on Building Girls Basketball Worldwide, Athlete Identity & Life After Sports
She showed up to a $50,000 boarding school with no shoes — and that moment changed everything.In this episode of The Giving Game, host Sophie Whitesell sits down with Jennifer George, founder of Girls Basketball Worldwide Foundation, for a wide-ranging, no-sports-talk conversation about basketball as a tool, not an identity. Jennifer shares the origin story behind her foundation, born from her tim
MMA Fighter Justin Wren on Addiction, Recovery & Fighting for Congo's Forgotten Pygmy Tribe
What happens when an MMA fighter stops fighting against people and starts fighting for them?In this episode of The Giving Game, host Sophie Whitesell sits down with Justin Wren — former MMA fighter, keynote speaker, and founder of Fight for the Forgotten — for a conversation that goes far beyond the cage. True to the show's rules, there's no sports talk here. Instead, Justin opens up about hitting
Soccer as a Tool for Social Change: Dr. Hajar Abulfazl's Inspiring Journey
In this episode, Dr. Hajar Abulfazl shares her inspiring journey from Afghanistan to the US, highlighting how soccer empowers refugee and immigrant youth, especially girls, to build confidence, leadership, and community. Discover how sport can be a tool for healing, advocacy, and social change.
From Navy to NASCAR: Jesse Iwuji's Journey of Giving
In this episode, Jesse Iwuji shares his journey from Navy officer to race car driver and philanthropist. We explore his charitable work with veterans, kids facing illnesses, and organizations supporting long-term missions, emphasizing the importance of giving back and living with purpose.
From the Field to the Community: Laurence Maroney's Mental Health Mission
Discover the inspiring journey of NFL player and community advocate Laurence Maroney as he shares insights into mental health, the importance of giving back, and how he is transforming his community through his foundation. This episode emphasizes the critical need for mental health support, especially among athletes and youth, and offers practical ways to foster resilience and compassion.Donate fo
Hope in the Hardest Moments: Dave Dravecky’s Incredible Journey
What happens when the career you’ve worked your entire life for is taken away in an instant?In this powerful episode of The Giving Game, former San Francisco Giants pitcher Dave Dravecky shares his journey through cancer, depression, loss, and the mental health struggles that followed. After being diagnosed with cancer in his pitching arm, Dave faced challenges that went far beyond baseball. He op
The Hidden Struggles of Athletes and How to Overcome Them with Ben Zobrist
In this episode, Sophia Whitesell interviews Ben Zobrist about his journey through sports, mental health, and his charity Champion Forward. They explore the importance of emotional wellness, authenticity, and redefining success beyond achievements.
Baseball, Badges & Purpose with Matt Stone
Former baseball player, police officer, and Playin Thru host Matt Stone joins The Giving Game for a powerful conversation about mental health, vulnerability, and why so many men suffer in silence.Having spent years in both baseball and law enforcement, Matt has seen firsthand that some of the strongest people on the outside are often fighting battles nobody else can see. Together, we discuss the c
Griffin Pinkow - More Than What You See
What happens when your entire future changes overnight?In this episode of The Giving Game, Griffin Pinkow opens up about vision loss, resilience, identity, and why blindness didn’t stop him from building a life centered around purpose and impact. Through The Foreseeable Future Foundation, Griffin is working to create support, awareness, and opportunity for individuals navigating blindness and visu
Changing The World Through A Swing: Isaac Sekulima
Main topics:Isaac’s childhood and early entrepreneurship in UgandaThe transformative power of gratitude and humilityBuilding a social impact foundation for African childrenOvercoming hardship and faith in life’s purposeThe role of love and forgiveness in personal growthCultural differences in dating and marriage expectationsThe importance of community and mentorship in life and sportIsaac’s aspira
Welcome to The Giving Game
What happens when you take sports away from athletes?You find out who they really are.Hosted by Sophie, The Giving Game is a one-of-a-kind podcast where athletes step out of the game and into something bigger. No stats. No scores. No surface-level interviews.Each episode is tied to a real, 7-day fundraising challenge—supporting causes that matter to the guests and giving listeners a chance to be p
From Green Beret to NFL: Nate Boyer on Purpose Beyond the Uniform
In this powerful and often hilarious episode of The Giving Game, host Sophia Whitesell sits down with Nate Boyer—a former Green Beret, Seattle Seahawks long snapper, filmmaker, and founder of Merging Vets and Players (MVP).What starts with a mix-up about his identity quickly turns into a deep conversation about life after elite environments—whether that’s the military or professional sports. Nate
Why Travel Ball Is Killing Community Sports | Tyson Ross on The Giving Game
Former MLB pitcher Tyson Ross joins The Giving Game to talk about why youth sports are becoming inaccessible for everyday families — and what he’s doing to change that. Tyson opens up about growing up in Oakland, the life-changing impact of community baseball, and how his nonprofit, Loyal to My Soil, is working to bring free camps, equipment, and coaching resources back to underserved communities.
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