From Leadership to the Locker Room
Alissa D. Gardenhire, Ph.D.
Helping Sports Moms Navigate College Recruitment—& Reclaim Themselves in the Process.
Why Moms Deserve Their Next Play Too
For years, I’ve written about leadership—how women navigate power, influence, and impact in their careers, communities, and personal lives. But what I’ve learned over the last year is that one of the hardest leadership roles isn’t in the boardroom—it’s in our homes, in the stands, and in the endless logistics of college sports recruitment.
I didn’t expect my leadership journey to bring me here, but I see now that sports moms are some of the most powerful, strategic, and resilient leaders out there.
Why Sports Moms Are Leaders
Moms of athletes are decision-makers, advocates, and negotiators. We juggle schedules, emails from coaches, academic eligibility rules, and the emotional highs and lows of our kids’ athletic journeys. We fight for opportunities and learn to navigate systems that weren’t built for us—all while trying to hold onto our own identity.
Through this experience, I’ve realized that leadership isn’t just about titles—it’s about showing up, making decisions, and holding a vision for the future. That’s exactly what sports moms do every single day.
Introducing Next Play Mom
This realization led me to my next play: Next Play Mom.
I created Next Play Mom to help sports moms confidently navigate NCAA eligibility, college recruitment, and the transition from full-time mom to independent woman again.
Because, let’s be real—when our kids head off to play in college, who are we then? No one is checking on us the way we check on them, so we've got to check on ourselves!
We pour everything into their journey, and when that chapter ends, we’re left asking, what’s next for me?
The truth is: we get a next play too.
What’s Next for You?
If you’re a sports mom in the thick of it—balancing eligibility requirements, endless to-dos, and the emotional rollercoaster of recruitment—I want to help you get through it with more clarity, confidence, and power.
?? Here’s how you can stay connected: ?? Follow @Next_Play_Mom on Instagram?? Subscribe to my YouTube series: Tales from the Motherside ?? Book a free Eligibility Clarity Call
Leadership isn’t just for executives—it’s for moms like us (and for many of us, it's both things at once). Moms who lead their families through one of the most challenging transitions: college sports recruitment and the road beyond it.
Like most everything in this society--nothing really works without us--but the system leaves us out of this equation.
Let’s navigate this together.
?? Tell me: What’s YOUR next play? Drop a comment below.
#NextPlayMom #SportsMomLeadership #CollegeRecruitment #WomenLead #MomFreedom
Executive Coach & DEI Consultant| Human-Centered Design Expert| Speaker| Strategic Planning Guru| I help companies take strategic action to improve culture and data around employee engagement and belonging.
1 周This is incredibly helpful, my daughter isn't at that age yet, but I appreciated learning more about your experience.