NEC 2024 Interview with MSP Alumna Samantha Kelley

0:09This is father Charles Sikorsky, president of Divine Mercy University, and, the pleasure to be joined by Samantha Kelly, who is the founder and president of a wonderful, possibly called Fierce Athlete. So thank you for joining us, Samantha. Yeah. Absolutely. Thanks for having me. So do I well, I think this is an important I've also you know, the the topic of women's sports, is is in the news these days. And A lot. Samantha was a graduate of our MSP, our master's in psych program. She's been at this a long time before it became such a hot topic. Maybe she saw the signs of this coming, but, tell us a little bit about your background and and why you decided to start this organization. Sure. Yeah.

0:59So I was a college athlete, played soccer at the University of Connecticut. And while I was there, I just saw a lot of brokenness in the athlete world. It's very hidden, but specifically with women, there's a lot of brokenness, a lot of mental health issues, a lot of eating disorders, a lot of sexual confusion. And, you know, post I kinda had a encounter with Jesus in college and and then went on to to mentor women. I became a missionary with Focus. That's where I first heard about DMU. And, there was just this deeper call in my heart, to help that population specifically. Mhmm. There are a lot of great Christian and Catholic organizations out there for athletes, but none for women specific.

1:45None with, I think, just under understanding or maybe their ethos was the integration of the body, mind, and soul, theology of the body, what I learned from DMU, and also just the transparency, the willingness to, like, go there and talk about the issues that women athletes are struggling with. And like you said, I mean, that was, you know, eight years ago. And now the issues are a little bit different, but the roots, you know, the roots still the same. So The root is the same, man. It just it just a almost a natural conclusion of some of the things that were the ideas and Yeah. Behaviors that were going on. Right? Well, tell us a little bit. What does the the apostolic do? What kinds of things do you do Yep.

2:28To serve and you serve women, athletes, study with high school, college level? Yep. And also, go ahead. Tell a little bit about the Yeah. Sure. So so our so our mission is to promote true identity and femininity in female athletics. So, you know, who am I? My core identity is not that I'm a great athlete or I have, you know, I'm the leading scorer or my dad thinks I'm awesome because I play sports. You know, like, my core identity is that I'm a daughter of God and, when we help women realize that, then those symptoms, the mental health issues, the eating disorders, we can really start addressing those from that place of understanding of who I am. So we we yeah. We do a lot of different things.

3:09We travel around the country working with different high schools, colleges, even professional athletes, doing retreats, talks, mentorship. I have a podcast. I wrote a book. And then most recently, we launched Fierce Coach, which is working with coaches of female athletes. I actually this is funny. I was talking to a Fierce coach just kinda strikes me for some reason. Yeah. I've had some. But anyway Yeah. Alright. I mean, I was talking to a coach and, you know, it was like it was an airport, secular conversation. And I just said, how much of your job is coaching versus counseling? And he goes, oh, 80% counseling. You know, they they are who these athletes come to. And so if we can support them as they're on the front lines working with these young women, and then also kinda help them understand the proper dignity of the human person.

4:00Yeah. Found that important. So you have retreats, you do one on one coaching, you do, podcasts in your book. What what's the podcast called? Fierce Athlete Podcast. Fierce Athlete Podcast. And the book is called? Be Fierce, The athlete's guide to growing physically, mentally, and spiritually. Yeah. Now, that's kind of a scary what made you call it fierce? I know. Well, the Lord gave it to me. I think we're trying to reclaim the word. I think, well, it's also an acronym. But, I think there was a lot there's, like, a lot of tension of within athletic women. Like, can I be both feminine and athletic? Can I be and I saw it as, like, we're called to be fierce, but we're actually also called to be tender as women?

4:42So it's this balance of, yes, you can and but you you're called to be both. And then the acronym, they're big words. It's kind of our pillars, but it's femininity. So what does it mean to be a woman? Identity, you start with who am I? Embodiment. So we talk a lot about the body, soul, union. Receptivity, which is the height of my femininity. Catholicism. So we reach people of all phase, but, like, everything we preach and teach is rooted in the church. And then encounters, we empower women to go out and help others. So you mentioned some of the issues that are out there now. I you know, and what what what is, like, well, so what what's the reaction? How successful have you been with some of your, those you coach?

5:30Kinda like yeah. Yeah. How do you address some of those? How do I what? How do you address some of these physician? Or what are the what are the things that are most frequently popping up? Yeah. Oh, I mean, I mean, kind of the things I've alluded to, sexual confusion, same sex attraction, eating disorders, mental health. You know, it's again, when we approach these issues, it has to be with such sensitivity and such tenderness, but also with truth. You you you know, you wanna read what's the setting I'm in. Right? I joke I have, like, three versions of every talk I give. It's like, I'm in a place where we are all like mine and it's gonna be received. I'm in a place where I have to be I have to kind of say these things with some tenders.

6:10And then I'm in a place where I just have to start with the truth of the human person and we go from there. You know? So I definitely had some pushback and, you know, some crazy things happen, but it's par for the course. So we're we're actually this, we're doing this interview. We're at the, National University of Congress. Yep. In Indianapolis. Indianapolis now is the home of Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark. All kinds of attention Yep. For different reasons and or, well, for reasons that are different people have different perspectives on why. Yeah. What are your thoughts about her, and and why is she getting so much attention and attraction in kind? Yeah. I really like her. There's been this really interesting kind of division amongst people.

6:59You know, you kinda saw a couple years ago, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese play in the, you know, in the finals and her in the final four. And, you know, I think what what is attractive about Caitlin is I mean, one, she's an incredible basketball player. She's fun to watch, but she's actually really humble. Her answers to questions, you know, you hear other people answer, and it's like, well, it's all about me or I'm making this statement or I'm this. And it's always like like the other night, she set a record, and she's like, well, it was all my teammates. And I think there's, like, something in the heart of people that, like, admire her humility, admire just, like, her talent. I think that she does it well.

7:40And then the other thing is, like, I mean, everybody wants time with Caitlin Clark. And I heard her say, like, you know, I realized this is your six seconds with me. I have to be on and intentional. Like, she it's almost like she she she understands the dignity of the person. Like, when these little girls come up to her, she's very intentional about giving them her time. And I think that speaks into her character. Yeah. That's been impressive. Also, you know, that you you mentioned the humility, and she's really good at de escalation. Some of the media is, you know, they're trying to push a certain, viewpoint, and some of the other players even. Yeah. And she's been remarkable and and and not, and not taking the bait and sort of well, it's just part of the game, and we're all playing hard.

8:28And, you know, I think she's I, I guess her her family's because her dad seems to be coaching her. I don't know. She's maybe she's one of your clients, but but anyway, it's a really great example of of how to handle that situation. Those Bubble headed. Yeah. Yeah. You see the virtue. I mean Yeah. Yeah. So, so you you studied at Divine Mercy University and did our online master's degree in psychology. How has that helped you in your work and how and if so, how? Oh, my goodness. Yes. It absolutely has. So I actually started the program when I was still a FOCUS missionary, and then I continued on after I left FOCUS and was starting to do this work. And I I just think it's so the understanding of the the integrated approach to the human person.

9:15I was studying at Divine Mercy the same time I was discovering theology of the body And a lot of what we what we preach and what we help women do is grow physically, mentally, and spiritually, and they all relate to one another. Mhmm. And so I think my education at DMU, what, it just gave me that that frame of mind, that way of of viewing the person as as an integrated being, with, you know, innate dignity, but also that they that they need help in their minds. They need help with the help in their bodies. They need spiritual health. And I'd say the other thing is, you know, I deal with a lot of very intense things. Like, very women open their hearts up to me. And what DMU taught me to do was really help discern, like, what does this person need?

10:03Do they need to go see a counselor? Do they need to, you know, go see a spiritual director? Do they just need some prayer? I one of the the really cool parts of that program was, like, learning when to refer. And so I just have this team of people around me now that I that I can refer my athletes to get deeper help. Because you're not a licensed professional, but you do coaching, but you kinda know where what you can do and what you can't do. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Very good. So moving forward, what are you do you have what are the plans for the fierce, athlete, Abaso? Do you have any ideas of what your dreams for taking to the next level? So, I mean, we kinda have it branded out, but so right now, we have fierce athlete and fierce coach.

10:49K. So current athletes and coaches. Mhmm. We're actually about to launch fierce forever, which is for former athletes. So just resources, community, a retirement course for them. Eventually, we want parents resources. You know, we think sports is so influential in our culture that if you can if you can change women's sports, you actually will I mean, as we're seeing Caitlin Clark do. Like, you'll actually change the culture. And so we just wanna journey with people through every stage of that. Yeah. Yeah. Now you're gonna hate me for saying that. I I would not have believed that a year ago, but, you can see it happening in front of our very eyes. Yeah. You know, the you think I'm a whatever the showman is, but, the sport certainly does have a lot of importance.

11:33But it actually get the attention of the entire culture, I think and it really did unfortunately, too many men I mean, they're really hard to find good examples out there, and I think that's part of it as well. Yeah. It's a good point. Pro sports these days, it's yeah. It's all about money and me, and then there are a lot of great guys. There's no question about it. Sure. But, Ally, this month, she she's really the biggest story right now. Right? I think that will. Yeah. Well, then so, well, thank you for your time. Appreciate this interview. I'm really Absolutely. Such fierce athletes. So if you're, if you're a young athlete or a female athlete or you have a daughter or granddaughter or you're a coach, you need to check it out.

12:16Is it is it website is fierceathlete.org or fierce.org. We'll get you both of those. Yeah. Fierce.org. Okay. Yeah. Well, check that out. Well, thank you, Samantha. God bless you for Appreciate it. Okay. Alright. Good. Good. They go. Yeah. That was great. Okay. Good.