The Athletic's All Access: Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore

Summary

Podcast Summary: No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show

Episode: The Athletic's All Access: Virginia Tech's Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore
Release Date: February 16, 2024
Hosts: Zena KaeDa, Chantelle Jennings, Sabrina Merchant
Guests: Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amore from Virginia Tech

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Introduction

In this special edition of Athletic All Access, hosts Zena KaeDa, Chantelle Jennings, and Sabrina Merchant engage in an in-depth conversation with Virginia Tech standout players, Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore. The episode delves into their journey, team chemistry, challenges faced during the pandemic, the impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations, leadership roles, and reflections on their season's successes.

---

Team Chemistry and On-Court Synergy

The conversation opens with a light-hearted segment where the hosts ask Kitley and Amoore about their favorite basketball sounds and moves on game day, setting a relaxed tone. This segues into a deeper discussion about the extraordinary chemistry between the duo, honed over 116 games together.

Zena KaeDa asks, "How does chemistry actually manifest itself for you guys?"
Elizabeth Kitley responds, "I can tell how she's going to react... we've been in so many of the same situations that we just know each other well."
Georgia Amoore adds, "We do really anticipate how the other one's going to react or act."

Their seamless coordination is attributed to years of playing together and understanding each other's playing styles. Kitley notes, "Neither of us have success without each other. She demands so much attention, and vice versa."

---

Pandemic Challenges and Building Resilience

The episode transitions to the duo's experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting how lockdowns and the cancellation of tournaments affected their training and team dynamics.

Chantelle Jennings asks, "How much of it was when, you know, Georgia had to become an honorary Liz Kitley during the start of the pandemic?"
Georgia Amoore shares, "We went and worked out pretty much every day during quarantine together."
Elizabeth Kitley adds, "We were lifting slabs of water bottles, doing squats in the garage... a lot of ab workouts in the attic."

Their commitment to maintaining their physical condition and team cohesion during uncertain times showcased their dedication. KaeDa inquires about the shift in the sports hierarchy at Virginia Tech, with women's basketball gaining prominence over traditional football dominance.

---

The Impact of NIL on Decision-Making

The discussion shifts to the recent changes in NIL regulations and how they influenced the players' decisions about returning to the team.

Chantelle Jennings probes, "Liz, you mentioned the NIL in terms of coming back. How have you sort of gotten into that space?"
Georgia Amoore explains, "NIL played a huge factor. The stability of being on a team and loved in a community is huge."

Both players emphasize the importance of team stability and the opportunities NIL provides, balancing personal growth with professional commitments.

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Leadership and Integrating New Players

With the addition of new freshmen and transfers, Kitley and Amoore discuss their evolving leadership roles within the team.

Chantelle Jennings asks, "Do you feel like you're... the way you guys talk in the team has changed?"
Elizabeth Kitley responds, "It's kind of been easier this year... these girls respected us. They come in and look up to us."
Georgia Amoore adds, "We're old, so they just respect us easily."

Their approach involves guiding younger players with patience and understanding, fostering an inclusive and supportive team environment.

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Season Reflections and Achievements

Reflecting on their successful season, Kitley and Amoore highlight pivotal moments, including their Final Four run and sold-out games, underscoring the growth of women's basketball at Virginia Tech.

Georgia Amoore shares, "The first game of this year against High Point, when we sold it out, I was like, 'Oh wow, people really want to see us.'"
Elizabeth Kitley adds, "Now we're selling out games because people want to watch us, not just because we're playing high seeds."

Their achievements are a testament to their hard work and the increasing support for women's basketball, transforming Virginia Tech into a recognized basketball school.

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Off-Season Experiences and Personal Growth

The players discuss their off-season activities, including leadership camps and personal development experiences.

Sabrina Merchant asks, "With Top Dog Kelsey's camp this summer, what was that like for you?"
Elizabeth Kitley responds, "I loved it... watching how she goes about everyday business was spectacular."
Georgia Amoore adds, "It sparked a hard desire to be the best, but also reminded me to put myself above basketball."

Their participation in camps and travels, like trips to Australia and Greece, provided opportunities for growth both on and off the court, reinforcing their commitment to personal well-being.

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Closing Highlights and Player Insights

The episode wraps up with fun segments where the guests and hosts share one-word scouts for opposing players, personal anecdotes about favorite moments, and reflections on their favorite moments of the season.

Chantelle Jennings highlights, "You had some pretty great moments in spite of the physical toll."
Georgia Amoore reminisces about game-winning shots, stating, "Against NC State was the favorite."

Their ability to balance competitiveness with camaraderie shines through, emphasizing the tight-knit nature of their team.

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Conclusion

Zena KaeDa concludes the episode by celebrating Kitley and Amoore's achievements and emphasizing the importance of storytelling in growing women's basketball. The conversation underscores the players' dedication, resilience, and leadership, offering listeners an inspiring glimpse into the lives of two standout athletes shaping the future of Virginia Tech's women's basketball program.

Notable Quote:

"We don't just get it given to us. We built this thing."
— Georgia Amoore at [27:51]

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This episode not only highlights the athletic prowess of Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore but also delves into their personal journeys, making it an insightful listen for fans and newcomers alike.

Transcript

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[Zena Kaeda]

For the athletic I'm Zena Kaeda and this is the Athletic Women's Basketball Show. Welcome to the Athletic Women's Basketball show where we are here to talk all things women's basketball. Whether you're a die hard fan that eats, sleeps and breathes the game or maybe just a casual fan looking to learn more, this is the place for you. Make sure you subscribe to this pod wherever you get Your pods to stay up to date with us and also subscribe to the Athletic. We got great content you don't want to miss out on. Year round, in depth coverage of the game you love. All right, let's get into it. Today's episode is another special edition of Athletic All Access where we sit down with the big names, bright talent and difference makers around the sport of women's basketball. Athletic women's basketball writers Chantelle Jennings and Sabrina Merchant are here with me today with a dynamic duo from Virginia Tech. They actually could give us their own pointers on podcasts, considering they've got one of their own called the Queens of Castle, as in Castle Coliseum, where they play. Definitely give it a listen. But first, let's hear from them. Sabrina, why don't you make the formal intros for us?

[Chantelle Jennings]

All right, today on the Athletic Women's basketball Show, we have a two time All American and ACC Player of the Year and the 2023 ACC Tournament MVP. And Kelsey Plum's inaugural top dog, we have the Queens of Castle. From Virginia Tech, Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amore. Thank you so much for coming on the show, guys.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Thanks for having us.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, thanks for that introduction.

[Chantelle Jennings]

All right, Xena likes to start us off with some just quick basketball related questions. So I'm gonna tee her up here.

[Zena Kaeda]

All right, I want to ask you all, what is your favorite basketball sound on game day?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

The net. Like straight swish.

[Zena Kaeda]

I like it.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, that's an interesting question. I don't make it swish that much. It's more of a. I mean, does the loud. The sound of the fans count?

[Zena Kaeda]

Absolutely, absolutely. I'm a bounce of the ball for sure. And then also the net. But when you have a perfect three and it goes.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I hear you.

[Zena Kaeda]

I hear you. Kaylee gets it. She gets it. Okay, favorite basketball moves.

[Georgia Amore]

Mine's easy. Just fade.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Oh, right to left cross. Big fan of that one.

[Zena Kaeda]

All right.

[Georgia Amore]

I feel it.

[Zena Kaeda]

I'm practicing in my mind. Can't do it like you, though. All right, most used phrase or saying it could be on the court or off the court. And actually, I'm gonna. I'm gonna switch it up. Georgia, you tell me what is Liz's most used phrase? And then Liz, you tell me what Georgia's most used phrase is.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I got two. One of them, she's like. She's like, oh, my God.

[Georgia Amore]

Oh, my God.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Oh, my God. And then the second, I feel like we both just like, here we go.

[Georgia Amore]

I was gonna say. Yeah, we both say that all the time. Or like, I Can't say this, I guess probably on here, but let's go. Yeah, like, a lot.

[Sabrina Merchant]

You can say it.

[Chantelle Jennings]

You can say it.

[Zena Kaeda]

You can say it. We're an adult group here. It's fine.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

It's fine.

[Zena Kaeda]

All right.

[Georgia Amore]

Sounds good.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I love some emphasis.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, let's end it with the accent too. Let's fuck like guys.

[Zena Kaeda]

I love that. Okay. If you guys were not playing basketball or even a sport, what profession outside of sports would you like to attempt?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Backup dancer.

[Georgia Amore]

Really?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I'm not even gonna hold you because I've been in a dancing mood lately, and I've been watching like. Like yesterday. Okay. I loved Usher's performance, but I was a bit disappointed, so I had to go back, watch the Rihanna one because obviously I'm a big RiRi girl, and I was like, I will learn this dance and be the backup dancer. And that would just be, like, the sickest thing I could imagine.

[Zena Kaeda]

Did you appreciate the uniform, though? The white puffy suit situation?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah.

[Zena Kaeda]

Okay, good, good. I really loved the beauty of Rihanna's performance. I thought it was, like, very clean and, like, it was cool. The stages moving up and down, this and that. Ushers was amazing as the millennial. Appreciated myself. However, it was busy, and I feel bad for the camera operators because I don't know if they knew where to go because there was a lot going on. Okay. Liz, your profession.

[Georgia Amore]

This would have to be a dream world, but I'd probably be on Broadway, but I can't sing or dance or act. But I love. I did not pop, you know?

[Zena Kaeda]

That's amazing.

[Chantelle Jennings]

What's your favorite Broadway show, Liz?

[Zena Kaeda]

Yeah.

[Georgia Amore]

Love Hamilton. I love Broad. Like, I just love theater. Yeah, that's cool.

[Zena Kaeda]

Are you excited for Wicked in November?

[Georgia Amore]

Yes, I am.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I feel wicked when I was a kid. I think. I can't remember them.

[Zena Kaeda]

I definitely want to. I want to see it. For sure. Okay, last one. Biggest basketball. Ick.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I literally answered this question the other day, and it's when, like, you know, the ball's gone out on some other girl and she's acting like she hasn't touched it, like, she swears to God. And I'm like, go back and you replay this right now. I. I promise you, you know, you touched it.

[Zena Kaeda]

That's hilarious.

[Georgia Amore]

Yes.

[Zena Kaeda]

And that's so annoying. Especially. It could be fouls. It can be out of bounds. It could be anything. Any person being like, I didn't touch her or I didn't touch it. It's like, really?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Because, like, fouls is so, like, objective to who's calling.

[Georgia Amore]

Sure.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

But, like, when you know the balls hit you last, like, don't act a fool. I still have to say, I hate.

[Georgia Amore]

People, like, foul so hard. And then they go. Which I definitely do that, too, when.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

They'Re guarding it like this. And they go like this.

[Zena Kaeda]

Oh, I was the tree. I was the tree with the swinging arm. Like, what are you talking about?

[Georgia Amore]

I'm straight up.

[Zena Kaeda]

I'm straight up.

[Georgia Amore]

But it really. It really does feel like you're straight up. Until you go back and watch film.

[Zena Kaeda]

You're like, oh, oh, the film sessions be outing you. They out you.

[Sabrina Merchant]

I always be like, you literally had to move your arms back. Like, did you not feel my next ick?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

If someone drives into your body and they hit you in the guts and you have to bend, like, for protection purposes, and then that's a foul. Like, you hit me where it hurts.

[Zena Kaeda]

Yeah. Yeah. That's why a lot of players, like, pro players, especially, like, hate charge takes because it's like, where else is my body gonna go? Like, charge takes. That should have been called. That were called, you know, blocking calls. And it's like, where else was I going to go? They were going straight into my body. And I like the way you said it, Georgia. For protection purposes. Next time, you should definitely say that to a ref. All right, these are our quick hitters. We wanted to loosen it up before you guys get into the more serious questions, but let's just be real. It'll be a fun conversation. All right, Sabrina, take it away.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Well, I feel like that gave us a good entry point into sort of the relationship you guys have. I love that we've already started with this artistic, musical, dancing side of you. I feel like probably Sabrina and I would happily spend the next 40 minutes on. On that. But I guess maybe if we. If we start with a little bit of ask while we come back to the backup dancing part. I think one of the storylines that we've really followed over the last few years with you guys is just sort of the chemistry you guys have developed as a unit. By the time this podcast comes out, you'll have played in 116 games together, which is just wild. I'm curious for you guys, from your perspective, chemistry is one of those things that sports writers write about a lot and talk about a lot. Like, oh, the chemistry of a team is so important on the court. How does that actually manifest itself for you guys? Like, are. Is there an ESP level happening at this point? Do you know what the other person is thinking at any point? Can you, like, close your eyes and be like, yep, this is exactly what's going to happen.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I would say, like, you never shock me. Like, I can kind of, like, tell how she's going to react, or, like, sometimes, like, a play will happen, and I know that I kind of messed up, and I'll look at her, be like, I'm so sorry. Like, before she even says anything. But I don't know if it's, like, just because we've been in, like, so many of the same situations that it's like, we just know, like, we've definitely, like, seen.

[Georgia Amore]

Not. I'm not going to say everything, but pretty close. Close. Yeah. Like, coverages and, like, attitudes and just all different types of defenses. So I think we. We do really, like, anticipate how the other one's going to react or act.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I guess I. I would also say, like, I think getting older and, like, more like last year and this year, like, I think we're both, like, pretty humble, but I think, you know, like, it got to the point where, like, I can tell when Liz is feeling it, so I'm gonna feed her more. So, like, it's like, you can, like, the. It's like, little things on top of, like, the. How do you want the ball court? Like, how do you want to bounce?

[Georgia Amore]

Do you?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Like, it's beyond that. It's like, okay, Liz thinks she's cooking, so I would try and get it to her as much as I can. And, like, I can just tell that by the demeanor in the face and vice versa.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, the game against our gaming in Syracuse, I was just not on, and I literally, after I missed, like, my first two, two or three shots, I looked at Georgia. I said, be aggressive, and then she went off.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

It was literally the first quarter, and we're running back down the court.

[Georgia Amore]

She was like, first three minutes, she's like, please shoot. Literally. And then, like, I don't know. There's very different. I. I feel like we do know when. I don't know, to go towards each other. When you, like, our past first need to score and. Yeah, when I need to be a decoy.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

But, no, it's not even like a decoy. I just think we're, like, very aware that neither of us have success without each other. Like, I can't. I as hell cannot do the stuff I do without her. Like, she demands so much attention, and, like, vice versa. Like, someone has to pass her the ball.

[Georgia Amore]

I would never get the ball for you.

[Chantelle Jennings]

How does Kayla factor into that ESP thing? Like, she's been around just as long as you guys have. Does she have the same esp?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Kayla's kind of low key, like, the mediator. Because, like, I feel like, as in, like, we know each other well enough that we can, like, we'll fight. We'll, like, fight Neo and, like. But it's, like, not. It's nothing out of spite. It's just like, you need to get the point across. Kayla's the, like, the glue, the chill person.

[Georgia Amore]

And she'll be like, we got you.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah, I got you. I got you. Or like.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, you're good. You're good.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah, like, if I. If, like, yelling at me or vice versa. Like, guys, like, we good? We good.

[Georgia Amore]

No, she's definitely. But we're. This is. This literally happened in film yesterday. Like, me and Kayla on ball screen coverages especially, like, we'll just do things and Coach Brooks will be like, did you guys talk about this? Like, did you say switch? Whatever. Whatever. And it's never. This is probably bad, but we never talk. Like, we were just able to read each other and, like, know when each other needs help and. Yeah, when one's stuck and. Yeah, I don't know. That's also developed. I've probably played. God, I don't even know how many games with Kayla.

[Chantelle Jennings]

I was gonna say, it's like nine years with Kayla now, right?

[Georgia Amore]

Literally nine. This is your nine.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah.

[Georgia Amore]

Which is insane. Yeah.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Quite the journey.

[Georgia Amore]

I know. I can't. I'm not even gonna talk about the end. Never mind.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Can't get emotional today.

[Georgia Amore]

No, not today.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Well, when you think about that chemistry between you two guys, how much of it was when, you know, Georgia had to become an honorary Kit Lee during the start of the pandemic. Like, what was that experience like?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Well, I talked about this the other day, too, and it's like, I completely forgot about, like, this part of the story. But, like, during the lockdown, like, Liz's dad was a vice principal at a high school, so he had the keys to a gym. So Kayla, me, and Liz would go and work out, and Tommy, which is Kayla's dad, would, like, put us through drills and all that. So, like, you can talk about, like, the chemistry. But we, like, worked out pretty much every day during quarantine together.

[Georgia Amore]

We go and play three on three with, like, her dad would play and, like, Kayla's friend at the time.

[Mark Schindler]

I don't know.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, we would just, like, play around for months.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

But it's like, Like. Yeah, we, like, obviously hung around each other, like, so much and whatever. But I think, like, truly, like, the. The workouts and, like, the impromptu lifts with whatever weights we could find. Like, we were lifting, like, slabs of water bottles, doing squats with them, like, in my garage.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, we would be doing laps around.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

The house, like, circuits and stuff. Like, we would literally be doing, like, ab workouts in her.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, squats up there. Yeah.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

But, like, we. I think we both had, like, a desire and a competitiveness that was, like, we were gonna find a way to, like, not lose shape, not lose, like, touch or, like, I don't know.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, no, definitely. And I think having, like, two people there, like, if she was working out, she would get best believe I'm. We're going to run.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah, we would run.

[Zena Kaeda]

My.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

My 20th birthday, we went to a trail and went on a freaking, like, 6K run.

[Georgia Amore]

April of 2020 was the most miles I have ever seen in my life. My God. Yeah, we do that all the time. So shout out to Georgia, because no way I was running on a track or on a trail for miles without Georgia there.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

And shout out to Liz, because without it, I'd be stuck in the dorm.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Okay, so ab workouts in an attic, lifting heavy water bottles in a garage. Where else are the other random places you guys worked out during those early pandemic days together?

[Georgia Amore]

We went to Kayla's driveway.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah. Because Kayla. Kayla had, like, band.

[Georgia Amore]

It's a circuit.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

We did circus.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Oh, my God.

[Georgia Amore]

So many. Where else did we go?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

We went to a track. The high school track.

[Georgia Amore]

Oh, my God. We did. I mean, it was covered, so we couldn't go.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Oh, my God, no. And we would make Raven run up and down the stairs.

[Georgia Amore]

Oh, yes. We'd make her work out in front of us. Just for entertainment, I guess.

[Zena Kaeda]

So. I know, Liz. You're from Summerfield, North Carolina. I'm actually from Raleigh or Nightdale, North Carolina. So I know a little bit about that North Carolina love. And I want to know. I genuinely want to know. Did you put Georgia on to the North Carolina staples barbecue wise or, like, food wise? Particularly food in Covid.

[Georgia Amore]

We hit up that Chick Fil A also.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

We went to. What is it? Crafted.

[Georgia Amore]

Crafted. Oh, my God. Yeah.

[Zena Kaeda]

Oh, my God. What about the staples, Liz? Bojangles Cookout. Okay. Okay.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, no, we are too familiar with cookout.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Wait, you don't worry about that chicken quesadilla tree.

[Zena Kaeda]

I was gonna say, what's your orders? Gotta give me your orders.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Asian fries, double cajun fried chicken quesadilla tray. If I'm feeling spicy, I'll maybe get, like, some nuggets on the side. But.

[Zena Kaeda]

Okay. Drink of choice.

[Georgia Amore]

I'll literally get Coke Zero and.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

But, like, if I'm like, okay, like, today was a hard week. I'm getting a caramel fudge milkshake.

[Zena Kaeda]

Thank you. Thank you. Georgia, Liz, I need to know your order, because this is, like, a respect, like, North Carolina thing.

[Georgia Amore]

I'll literally get, like, up to six chicken quesadillas, chicken nuggets, Cajun fries. Sometimes I got put onto the cheese curds, so that's a new one.

[Zena Kaeda]

I don't know.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Cheese curds are so good. Cena.

[Zena Kaeda]

Yeah, I have not had those. I was like, a hush puppies girl sometimes or. Yeah. But I was always an Oreo milkshake girl.

[Georgia Amore]

I get mint Oreo a lot. I don't know.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Oreo mint is mine, too.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah.

[Zena Kaeda]

Okay. I respect it. I respect it.

[Sabrina Merchant]

The only person on this pod that hasn't spent a large amount of time in North Carolina, apparently our listeners who are like, what is going on right now? I feel the exact same way. Those of us in the Midwest are like, fairy queen.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I would say the Burberry biscuits from Bojangles.

[Zena Kaeda]

Oh, if you haven't had those, y'all, it's worth the flight. Just go. Just land in Charlotte, go to the airport, get you some boberry biscuits, and go about your business. They're so.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

So they have the Valentine's, the hot ones today.

[Zena Kaeda]

They do. They're perfectly glazed. Folks, I don't want to spend forever on food in North Carolina, but I do want to transition really quickly back to basketball list, particularly about growing up in North Carolina. There is this heritage of basketball greatness. Right. Like me being in North Raleigh, North Carolina, of course. NC State, unc, Duke, Wake Forest, all the above. All ACC schools. Curious, what drew you to Virginia Tech?

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, I'm gonna be so honest. I mean, I almost went to NC State, but they had. My AAU teammate went there, and we were the same position, so I didn't.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Twins.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah. Necessarily want to go there, but also unc. I grew up going to the games a lot, but UNC and Duke never offered me, so.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah, hey, I'm thankful for that.

[Zena Kaeda]

Right? I know the past is the past. Let the bygones be bygones. But, wow. Interesting to know.

[Georgia Amore]

Interesting. We're both different coaches now, obviously, but, Yeah, I don't know. I'm very. I'm very grateful for that because I definitely did want to stay close to home. So it's very interesting thinking about what would have happened if they had. But I would not change it for the world at this point.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Well, then Georgia, adding on to that, like, coming all the way from Australia. What drew you to Virginia Tech?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah, well, I was really close to home, and I felt. No, I'm kidding.

[Georgia Amore]

The fact that when you talk, I don't even register. Sometimes I'm just like, huh?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

It was really Coach Brooks, because I. I really narrowed it down to two schools, one on the West Coast. Like, and I tried to do it, like, as different as possible. So I went west coast, small school, comfortable, lower level. Or I went higher level, big school, so far away from home. And, like, my first visit, I was like, yeah, like, I'm gonna be comfortable. And I was like, if I'm gonna come to the States, like, I don't want to be comfortable. Like, I want to be pushed. I want to be, like, make the most out of it. So in that aspect, it was Virginia Tech. But, like, Coach Brooks just, like, sold the deal for sure. Like, having someone like him and his personality and, like, the way that he can, like, get on you, but, like, you know, it's out of love and it's, like, not for his benefit. It's like he purely wants the best for you. Like, that was the best, like, selling point for me.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Yeah. That's what I was kind of curious about, because this was a program that hadn't been to the NCAA tournament since 2006. Like, I don't even know how old you guys were at that point. I'm not going to attempt to do math right now.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I was fired. But, like, and that's another thing, too, is people were, like, talking about, like, the ACC and NCAA Tournament and stuff like that. I'm like, I have no idea what the hell that is. Like, I didn't know about stuff like.

[Sabrina Merchant]

That, I guess, then. But during those conversations, I'm sure Coach Brooks is talking about it. Like, what were the proof points? Or, like, when he was talking about it, what made you sort of believe in his vision? Like, were there things that you saw in practice, things that you saw on campus tours? Like, what were those early moments where you were like, this could. Like, did you see this happening? And were there proof points back then?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

No, I had no idea any of this was going to happen. It was like. Because I also was like, I might stay home and go pro and just play and whatever, and. But, like, I just knew I was gonna have four years of stability here, like, no matter what. And I was, like, thinking process. I was like, if I go here And I really hate it. I can go back to Australia or. I'm so thankful I never did. But, like, I could, like, transfer. Like, at least I'm in the system. And I think just everything worked out perfectly. Like, I really just took a leap of faith. I was not trying to think a whole lot because I would freak myself out. I don't do a whole lot of thinking because I start to freak out. Was gonna attest to that.

[Georgia Amore]

It's okay. I think it shows, like, how little we knew about, like, even me. Like, I grew up here, but I didn't, like, really get into basketball until, like, late high school, like our freshman or my freshman year when Covet hit and the NCAA tournament got canceled. We did not think it was a big. Like, this sounds so bad, but we did not think it was a big deal. Like, we didn't really understand. And that was after playing a full season of college for me. Like, we just had no idea. Especially since our program was on the brink of, like, making it. Like, that was a huge deal that I got canceled. But we just were like, oh, okay, I guess we're just staying home. Like, let's work out in the driveway.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, we didn't get it.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Like, we knew we were, like, working out, but it was never like, oh, we're working out to win an ACC champion championship. We're working out to get here. It's like, no, we're working out because we don't want to disappoint ourselves.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, good point.

[Zena Kaeda]

I want to jump in here because that is so fascinating to be able to see you have a mindset like that. And then now having been in the Final Four and now, you know, obviously having this caliber of basketball being played at Virginia Tech. We had the opportunity to interview Dewana Bonner on this pod a few weeks ago, and she talked about being at Auburn and them not being a basketball school and literally having to pass out flyers in the snow to get people to come to their games. And now you think about Castle and sold out arenas. You got a sold out game coming up against Duke and this is what you do? You sell out games. All the above. And I want to know, do you remember the moment and can you describe it when you felt a shift where you realize, oh, no, no, we're a basketball school.

[Georgia Amore]

Speaking on, I can just relate to the passing out flyers thing because we used to in the winter, pass out donuts.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

But even that, like, we're talking about last year, like, when we had that good team, like, we were still begging People to come to games. And personally, it wasn't until the end of the season, like, late Feb. When people were like, oh, like they're about to be like, legit.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

That's when I felt.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah. I think towards the end, like, our last home game of the last few years has always been packed, but I think we're. It really hit me, like, wow, like, this is sticking is our first game of this year against High Point. When we sold it out, I was like, oh, wow. People really want to see us. Like, not just because it's our last home game, not just because it's NCAA tournament, but because we're playing basketball in Castle. Yeah.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

And like, we used to sell out. Game, not sell out. We used to get packed crowds when we would bring like the NC States in the Notre Dames, the Louisvilles. Like, people want to see us take them down and. But like, now we're selling out, no offense, games against bc who's like, their record is like three and whatever. It was like, we're selling out games because people want to watch us, not because people hope that we take down a high seed and they can rush the course or just to watch the other team. Yeah.

[Zena Kaeda]

That's really cool. That's really cool.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Not just to come and watch Dana Evans pick me in the last.

[Georgia Amore]

Okay.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Couple of seconds.

[Georgia Amore]

Never forgive herself. I will never forgive herself for that. Guys, we were proud of that, too. We were close.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

We were so close.

[Georgia Amore]

That's so much growth. And we were proud of being close. We're not proud of being close. Anyone.

[Chantelle Jennings]

So you're passing out donuts. What else was happening? Like, to get people to come to games?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

We were on golf carts. I was like. I was risen people up. I was like, hey, like, come to the game. Like, you'll probably get a free T shirt or something like that.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, we did so much promo, so.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Many free slices of pizza.

[Georgia Amore]

This was like last year all the time. Yeah. This year we haven't really done anything, which is crazy, right?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I haven't passed out anything.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah. Just giving away a bunch of free.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Stuff people still get because, like, promotional things. But, like, we were like on the streets begging on campus.

[Georgia Amore]

It's. Most of them have been on campus.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

And you think about it too. People are walking past you on campus with their AirPods on. Like, they do not want anything to do with you. They had no idea, like, who we were.

[Georgia Amore]

No. Oh, my God.

[Zena Kaeda]

Amazing. And usually in schools, like, especially in big ACC or big sports conference schools, there's like a hierarchy and growing up for me, Virginia Tech was a football school. And so what's the internal shift now within the sports realm? How does it feel?

[Georgia Amore]

That's quite the topic. People get canceled for saying that it's okay.

[Zena Kaeda]

We're not trying to have you get canceled.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

No, I will say. I will say that, like, I've been to a couple of our men's games, and I think I see less people in their crowd than I do our crowd now. And that's kind of like. It's like I feel bad at the same time. It's like we've literally been there.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, we built. Like, it's not like we. We know exactly what it feels like to not have the support. So to know that, like, we. We earned it. Like, it's not like we just got it given to us. Like, we built this thing. It doesn't. You know, I don't feel bad at all, to be honest.

[Zena Kaeda]

That's cool. That's cool. I wouldn't feel bad either. Good for you. I love it.

[Sabrina Merchant]

So, obviously, you guys have an incredible season. Last year, you're building this program, passing out donuts as well, I guess. But it comes to the end of the year, and you have a decision to make about whether or not you want to come back. Talk us through that decision process and how much you guys were talking and what it looked like for both of you.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, I didn't really talk to Georgia about it too much.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I'd say, actually, we out.

[Georgia Amore]

She'd be there if I wanted to talk about things, but she never wanted.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

To talk about things.

[Georgia Amore]

But. Okay.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I don't know.

[Georgia Amore]

I think in my mind, like, if you had asked me, like, the summer before last year, I was, like, totally 50, 50 about wanting to come back or not. But as the season progressed, as time went on, it became so glaringly obvious that there were just way more pros than cons to coming back. Like, nil played a huge factor. The stability of being on a team and loved in a community is huge. And also, like, I'm not going to lie, having, like, another free summer where I could, you know, travel and do fun things played a role because, you know, I don't know what my life looks like after this. But, yeah, regardless, it'll be different. And I probably won't have, you know, months to travel the world, so, you know, all those things played a big role, and I think I definitely made the right decision.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Liz, you mentioned the nil in terms of coming back. Like, what does that shift been like in terms of when you Started college, it wasn't a thing. Like, how have you sort of gotten into that space?

[Georgia Amore]

I think it's been, you know, really confusing for a lot of people, and it's kind of had to work itself out, I think, over the last few years. But I'm very lucky, I think this time that, that I'm in college at this time, because I'm leaving college in a lot better position than I could have ever imagined. And I'm very, very grateful for that. I'm very, you know, happy for Georgia that she gets to, you know, make things work also. It's just a confusing space, but I think, you know, people are figuring it out and, you know, there's ways to really help student athletes and compensate them, I guess, for what they're worth and what they're providing to the community. And yeah, I'm very, very grateful for that.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Speaking of, like, off season opportunities, Sabrina kind of teased us at the top, but Georgia, with top dog Kelsey's camp this summer, what was that like for you to sort of be in that setting with, I mean, so many incredible guards from across the country doing encourage off court stuff, and then obviously Kelsey's there leading the whole thing.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I loved it. Like, that was probably one of the coolest things I've ever done because, like, I love Kelsey's game in general. Like, I'm. I'm always watching her and I think she's like, a dope person and just like a true competitor. So to be able to just watch how she goes about everyday business and not just like, how she plays was, like, pretty spectacular, but just to be there with, like, nine other, like, really dominant guards and like, picking their brains and just watching. Like, I love observing, but, like, a part of me, like, after the camp, I was like, okay, now I've seen how, like, everyone's wide and how everyone's like, constantly like, on the go. I was like, okay, like, I've got to be on the go more. Or like, it kind of like, like sparked like this, like, like really hard desire to, like, be the best. And it took me a minute to, like, slow down and be like, hey, like, this is the off season for a reason. Like, you have to mentally have a break. You have to, like, re touch with yourself and like, I don't know, because especially we came off that final four. So, like, my mentor was just like, high basketball, high iq, like, basketball is life. Nothing else matters. Like, be the best. Like, I just had like, this different mindset. So it took me a minute to like, actually slow down and be like, hey, like I'm human. But like, I would. Like, I am very grateful for that experience. I learned so much. But I think what I learned more was about like, me as a person and like how important it is to like, put myself above basketball.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Sometimes I want to come back to that dog stuff. But you just brought up a really interesting point like that I've been talking with other players about recently. Like final four runs, national title runs. Like, it's completely different from anything else you do in your college basketball career. And it's like so fast, so much. The media presence is huge. You have like all these commitments, you're traveling. I'm sure it just felt like a million things and then it's like the season's over and you go. It's like a really quick drop. How did you guys process that and handle that? Not just sort of like the season being over, but sort of going from like, I would imagine what felt like 80 miles an hour to much slower.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

We didn't.

[Georgia Amore]

No.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Yeah.

[Georgia Amore]

I was gonna say normally in the spring, like in past years we'd be taking it easy. Like, shoot, like here and there and there. This spring we were getting after it. Like we were having two hour long, like individuals in the morning. We would come at 7am if we had to. Like, yeah, just I think we were all. So we just want to get back.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

To that point and like, I think also we knew that. Well, personally, I don't know if it was the same for you. Like, we had lost some great players just because they graduated and it's like we have obviously experienced the highest of the highs and it's like it's going to be on us to like help drive them us back this year. So I think like, I took a bit of that pressure on a bit too much as well. But like, man, we were going at it.

[Georgia Amore]

We were getting after. Yeah. And I think it was around the time you came back. Like, we really just had to slow down for a second.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah.

[Georgia Amore]

And like realize that.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah, we did.

[Georgia Amore]

You know, there's more.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Smell the roses.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, like this. It was a fun time of year. We were able to do fun things eventually.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

But we also. So like we went like me, Liz and Kayla went to Australia together. And then we came back and we're working out and then we go to Greece and like at this point too, like, we're like, oh yeah, we're gonna play games. Like, like he didn't let us play. And you would think that you told me that my dog died or something. I was so upset. I was livid. Like, that's how, like, hungry we were to just get things rolling and started. And this is July. Like, this is when we should be chilling.

[Georgia Amore]

No, not good at chilling.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

No.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Show zero chill to go back to the docking up. I guess my follow up to that Georgia was just like, you were saying. You were watching, you know, all the other guards there. Was there anything specific you picked up? Like, any moments where you're like, az did this, Rory did this, that you were like, I'm gonna put that in my bag. Or even just, like, off the court stuff?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah. I think I learned that everyone's weird in the best way. Like, everyone has their own little, like, kinks and tweaks and, like, stuff that, like, just, like, make them turn and go.

[Zena Kaeda]

But maybe quirks. Maybe quirks.

[Georgia Amore]

Everyone learned a lot at that camp.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I learned a lot. Everyone has their own little quirks. But, like, like, you said, like, Rory, like, I'm watching her, and she's just, like, chill. Like, I think, like, a big aspect of her game is, like, she's kind of just so, like, her pace and, like, relaxed that it's like. It looks like she's just unbothered by everything. And, like, AZ is, like, so, like, technical, mechanical. Like, her every single shot she takes is just the same over and over and over again. And then you have someone who would. Diamond Miller, who's, like, got this big personality, and she's just, like, wants to win more than anything. Like, she does not care who's in front of her. Like, she's going for it. And, like, Haley, like, our relationship grew at that camp because she's just like a. She's a dog, and she's feisty and, like, once again, like, all these girls just, like, want to win so bad, but they have just, like, different ways of showing it, which was, like, really cool.

[Chantelle Jennings]

I imagine you guys have had to, like, take on that leadership role even more this year with all the new players, all the new freshmen, all the new transfers. Like, do you feel like you're. I don't know, the way you guys talk in the team has changed or, like, what have you had to do to bring everybody along to get back to where you want to go?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I think, honestly, it's kind of been easier this year, and I think maybe it's because everyone's younger and, like, babies that it's like, you can kind of hold that in the best way, hold their hand, guide them, and, like, show them the ropes. Like, sometimes when you bring Transfers in who are, like, experienced or like, maybe they were this at their previous school and now they're back to. To square one. Like, that's kind of hard. But I think, like, these girls respected us. Like, they came in, they were like, obviously they've almost too much.

[Georgia Amore]

Too much. Like, they looked up to us, like.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Like we were, like, not human. Like, I would like, hey, like, let's go out to dinner. That care, like, cares. Like, oh, my God, I'm going out to dinner with George Amer and Liz Kelly.

[Georgia Amore]

You're like, what?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I'm like, can you chill? Because, like, we're teammates.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, last year, I think it was just also not necessarily harder, but just different because even though our roles on the team were probably, you know, the same.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Yeah.

[Georgia Amore]

Like, we saw people older than us, like, experience wise and age wise. So it's a little bit. I don't know, we had to insert ourselves differently and show our authority differently. But this year, we're literally just like, they are children. Yeah. And we're old, so they just respect us, like, with googly eyes. So they.

[Zena Kaeda]

I don't know.

[Georgia Amore]

It's a lot easier to get their attention.

[Zena Kaeda]

I have a teammate that to this day, we are in our 30s that calls me Ms. Xena every time she sees me. And I'm like, ma'am, we're adults. You are a director of marketing. Please, please stop.

[Sabrina Merchant]

All right, Georgia, we're going to end the show with a little bit of fun. We've done this with some other players on the pod so far this season. Really easy, one word. Scout players you've faced this year. First word that comes to mind when you think of Olivia Miles.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Shifty.

[Chantelle Jennings]

What about De Asia Fair?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Oh, bow on a string. That's one word.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Hyphens. Good job. That we can throw hyphens in there. Tania Latson.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Downhill Isaiah James. Hooper. Straight Hooper.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Deja Kelly.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Determined.

[Chantelle Jennings]

And she's not in the ACC anymore. But I just want to ask Haley Van Lyth.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Feisty.

[Sabrina Merchant]

We'll just throw this one out. So Liz Kitley.

[Georgia Amore]

Humble, good scout.

[Chantelle Jennings]

This is why George is not the one who's writing up the reports before.

[Georgia Amore]

That's okay. I would love it if that's all they said about me.

[Zena Kaeda]

I'm just imagining a coach just being like, yeah, we're gonna go up against Liz Kitley. You know, she's big in the paint. She's humble.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

I say that because this poor woman pops a beating every game. Like, if I was her and I was getting hit in the head. I'd be like, oh, my God, I'm gonna freak out.

[Georgia Amore]

Yeah, I don't have my goose. I could. Oh, kind of.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Well, the last game that I saw you in person was against Iowa and you couldn't even come to post game because of the, you know, banged up lip.

[Georgia Amore]

So they've been getting after me this season. They've been going for my face. I've had injuries to every square inch of my face.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

My favorite saying is like, they know they're not going to beat her, so they're going to beat her.

[Georgia Amore]

And they do.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Well, Liz, you've had some pretty great moments in spite of the physical toll that you've been taking. So I'm curious. You had pretty cool game winner against Carolina last year and then one against NC State this year. Which one is your favorite?

[Georgia Amore]

Oh, it has to be NC State. Just because, I mean, it's nice to silence a crowd, but, you know, doing it at home is really, really fun, especially with just the way that our fans have been acting this year. They're so rowdy and we love them. Yeah, that was a good one.

[Chantelle Jennings]

All right. And then I know big Sunday, you're obviously a Chiefs fan. Big Swifty, what was that super bowl experience like for you?

[Georgia Amore]

But I was so locked in. Like after I knew we had to get the win on Sunday, but then after that, I was so ready for the game. The game was really disappointing for the first three quarters, in my opinion. I was kind of bored, but I was still locked in. But the ending was just so fun. Like, I got to watch it with my family in my. In my chief's jersey, and it was just the perfect day.

[Chantelle Jennings]

All right, a couple more quick hits before we get out of here. Georgia, you mentioned big RIRI fan. I know. Last year during the tournament, your pregame hype song was talk that talk. What's on the list this year?

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Oh, got a couple of them, huh? Oh, no, I can't say that one. I have a few explicit ones. But I would say, like, lately it's. It still is a lot of the Rihanna, like, the way have you beens like the hype up ones. Jump is great with David Guetta, but I would also just say, like, never lose me Flo Millie. Like, I'm trying to get in my mood. Like, I'm that girl. I'm that girl. So never lose me. Love the way you lie by Eminem. Like, I love feeling like heartbroken, so I'm come out with like my fist balled up type of thing. Like it's been. The music's been everywhere. Everywhere. Yeah. Ski.

[Chantelle Jennings]

Wait, Liz, what's your pregame hype song?

[Georgia Amore]

George is on ox. So whatever Georgia wants. But this year, for some reason, I don't know, I get routines, and I've. For some reason have to listen to Virginia beach by Drake before every game. I don't know why I would say.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

We also listened to you broke my heart by Drake.

[Zena Kaeda]

Yeah, that is a. Yeah, that's definitely something. Gets you in your feelings.

[Georgia Amore]

You really never know what's gonna happen.

[Zena Kaeda]

Like, I love it.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

Don't come at the house by 21. Savage.

[Georgia Amore]

Yes.

[Zena Kaeda]

I love this. Okay, castle. I need to get to a castle game.

[Georgia Amore]

It's fun.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

The music plays, and they can't play many of the lyrics, but it's just like, outside.

[Zena Kaeda]

Hey, they find the. They find the edited versions, I'm sure. And if not, it's just like this awkward pause of.

[Georgia Amore]

Just awkwardness. 20 seconds.

[Zena Kaeda]

I love that.

[Sabrina Merchant]

Well, that feels like a great place to close up the conversation. We've talked about everything from basketball to backup dancing, so I feel like we've covered the gamut, which is pretty appropriate for an athletic women's basketball show. That's what you get when you show up to a pod here. Thank you so much for coming on, Georgia and Liz. We really appreciate you. And from here, we are going to move appropriately, into the NCAA tournament with new contributor Mark Schindler.

[Zena Kaeda]

Thank you, Chantel, and thank you to Liz and Georgia. That was a very entertaining conversation. We're definitely going to be keeping an eye on them all throughout this season. Quite the dynamic duo, the two of them. But, yes, it is time for us to bring in one of our new contributors that I'm so excited to be joining the team, and that is Mark Schindler. Mark, welcome to the athletic women's basketball show.

[Mark Schindler]

Zena, I appreciate you having me on. I'm excited to be here.

[Georgia Amore]

Yes.

[Zena Kaeda]

Perfect timing for you to come on and do this bracketology for us. And we're going to get into, like, what that means and what you'll be doing for us. But I think that it's important that you know our fans get to know you. This is actually not the first time that you've been a part of the athletic. You used to be a part of our NBA show as well. And I think that that's, like, the biggest thing that I need to understand is how in the hell do you keep up with all of these sports to be so knowledgeable about NBA and women's basketball? WNBA and college game. Like, how do you keep up? Give us your secrets.

[Mark Schindler]

I think the biggest secret is my work life. Balance is terrible. Like, I won't even, won't even lie about it. I think I just have kind of approached everything as I'll take whatever job interests me and less even about. I mean like, obviously interested in it regardless, but like, I don't know, I'll cover anything. Basketball, I just like basketball. If it's good basketball, I'll do it. So I think it's kind of just shifted and morphed. I took a job working for the WNBA shoot. I think it'll be, or I guess two years in full about a month from now. And I'd casually watch the WNBA a lot. I first started in 2019 with the Mystics run. But then I just decided to, you know, I had this opportunity pop up. I knew my summer was going to be kind of light and I was like, all right, I'll cover the wnba. And that more from like, I was going to do X's and O stuff primarily and then turn into a lot of feature writing and like actually getting to travel and getting to know people. And I don't know, I just really fell in love with the W and now it's just kind of in the place where I can't really look back from that. I don't really want to go anywhere else. So then that, you know, that morphed into college too. I. I came up with more of a draft and scouting background as well. And that made me want to get into college. And then, you know, that made me start doing more of feature oriented stuff on college too. So it's been. Yeah, just kind of all over the place in that regards.

[Zena Kaeda]

Well, that's the thing too. People don't realize this, that you boxed, you were a boxer and then shifted into this basketball realm, having these storytelling opportunities, interviewing folks doing these features, and also really good at X's and O's. I want to understand a little bit of that transition because it's not as if you grew up obsessed with basketball all the time. And it's not as if you're the son of a coach or something like that. How did you develop up this ability to watch the game and understand it, break it down and like, what really drew you in, whether it's the men's game, the women's game, or both?

[Mark Schindler]

Yeah, no, it's a good question. I'm not really super used to answering that one. I think for me, like you mentioned, I was working on Being a boxer. I originally went to Michigan State for school and I was going to go there. I worked for the football team for a little bit, so I wanted to be a football coach. That was like my. My goal and dream was to be a football coach. And while I was there, I got. Got super involved with boxing. And so I was on a pro track and I was really heavily invested in that. Injuries have a way of kind of changing things up and where you're headed. And I got kind of disillusioned with working in football too. Just a lot of life stuff hit, you know, at the same time when I was there. That's kind of what your early 20s is about, right? And I'd always been like a casual fan of basketball. I would watch TNT games all the time. And I was a huge 2k fan. I loved the Indiana Pacers when Paul George and David Western were. Hibbert were there. And it went from, you know, when I. So for reference, like, I had. I had a heart injury. So I went from you know, training, you know, seven, eight hours a day to, okay, well, now you can't work out. You're on bed rest for, I think it was four or five months. So I went from like, you know, just being like on the go all the time for probably two or three years. And then really just like having to sit down and find something new and kind of rewrite what I thought my future was going to be. And I just started watching basketball again at a high level. I think a lot of it like. Like credit to. Not to keep bringing up the men's game, but like Paul George and the OKC Thunder, I just was really interested because that was the first year the Thunder were together was when I got injured and I watched TNT game. And then I was like, wow, I want to see more because I think they played the warriors the first game that season, if I remember correctly. And I was like. And it was a really great game. I was like, I want to watch more. And then so I got league pass and it became, you know, me watching, you know, three or four games every single night and really just falling in love with it. And honestly, like, sports had always been like, just the thing I did. Like, I liked them, obviously, but it was kind of who I was and I didn't really know what else I was supposed to do outside that. But basketball was the only one that was really fun. Like, I'd always go to the park and shoot around and stuff, but it was never, like, I didn't practice for it. It was just fun. And yeah, it's just kind of been from there. I think I just kind of really fell in love with it. And it's been a steady process of getting to here, I guess.

[Zena Kaeda]

Well, it's interesting because those two roles feed into why you're good at what you do in basketball realm. I mean, if you're on the track to be a football coach, that means you definitely need to know plays X's and O's and be able to watch film and see movements and, you know, schemes and things of that sort. So you have an eye for it kind of built in that way. And then boxer discipline, time management. That's how you get all these games in. I mean, it's so impressive. One day Mark texted me he was watching a game and listening to a podcast at the same time. I'm like, my mind was like, I. I need to get better. I need to do more. I do. I feel like.

[Mark Schindler]

Let me, let me interject for a second. I will say, because, like, I only do that. So if I'm watching a team that I've watched a bunch already, I'll listen to stuff in the background, but if I'm watching a team for the first time, I won't because, like, it's just so often I'll have, like, I don't like having a cluttered screen. I hate having a cluttered screen. But, like, if I'm watching a new game and I don't have the sound, like, I need to have tabs up to see who's who and doing what, because I like being able to immediately, as soon as something happens, I. To attach a name to it so I can know who that is and what they're doing. So it's not all the time, but yeah, sure, sure got to that point now.

[Zena Kaeda]

But it's the discipline, it's the, it's the desire, it's the, you know, wanting to get to know these players. And all you're really doing is telling our audience, like, why you are more than qualified to help us out here at the Athletic, particularly as the spring continues to develop. I mean, I cannot believe it's February. Midway through February already by the time this drops, which means March is around the corner. So before we get into what you'll be doing for us outside of us, you mentioned you work with the wnba. You've got a cool podcast. I'm going to go ahead and plug it for you, but you can tell me a little bit more about it. They've got next. What else are you doing outside of the athletic?

[Mark Schindler]

Yeah, so I technically work for a company called Seven Star Digital. It's a kind of like, think of it almost like action network. Like kind of like. Okay, yeah, a betting platform that does a lot of content around it. I don't really do much if anything with betting. It's all just, they been, you know, pretty awesome about just letting me me free reign to do whatever I want content wise. Which has led to some pretty cool projects that I've done already that have coming up too. Mainly like covering all things basketball there. I have a WNBA mock draft dropping right after we out of here. I have to finish the edits on and get that up. A couple features that I've had coming through. So yeah, that's, that's where I work at right now. Obviously. My pod is mainly like, I just really like getting to know people. I like getting to understand people. I think that's really, I don't know, a lot of for me, basketball and just life in general is trying to understand. So I think that's what I use the pod for most often. And mainly too like, I don't know, coming from the NBA side to the wnba and this one was basketball in general. I. I just started the podcast. I was like, I wish that I had like something where I could listen to a bunch of interviews and like hear more about people that I know nothing about. Because that's like what really pushed me to do features in the first place. Because I remember watching the Connecticut sun the first couple weeks when I started covering the wnba and I was like, like, who the hell is Alyssa Thomas? Like, this player is amazing. I've never heard of her before. I know nothing about her. And I remember like, I'm a big like crazy Google search person. Like, I can, I'm good at finding stuff. And I was like, I was like, there's like nothing on her. Like I know nothing about her life or what she does and she's like an MVP candidate. And so I remember I reached out to Connecticut pr. It was the first time I'd ever reached out to someone to do like a feature or something. I was like, hey, I, I know this is very random, but like, if I came out to Connecticut and met with Alyssa and all of her teammates and family and stuff, she'd be down and yeah, so it's just kind of spread from there.

[Zena Kaeda]

It's the thing that will grow women's sports, particularly women's basketball, is the storytelling is the allowing people to know who are the women behind these Phenomenal players. Right. That we admire on the court, but we know nothing about them behind. And, you know, you and I both talked to Duanna Bonner. You did a great feature with her on the way down to retire her jersey at Auburn. And it was funny that, you know, dejuana was saying, people don't know who I am, and it's time I talk my ish and it's time I let people know. And, you know, this is a, like, hall of Famer. Like, she is going to the hall of Fame. And it's true. People don't know who she is. So it's really cool. The work that you're doing is allowing people to tell those stories, especially if you're someone that's like, coming into the game late or doesn't know a lot or, you know, you don't want to make people feel. And that's what we wanted to start this pod for, is that it's supposed to be a safe space for people to learn about basketball and learn who these people are, learn more. If you don't know, it's okay. We still love you anyways. It's cool. We hope that we help you learn. Okay, so now, last question for you. We brought you on. We've already, we have proven in the last, I don't know, 10 minutes why you are the perfect candidate to help us with this bracketology work. So give us a little bit of a insight into what you'll be doing for the athletic, what we can expect from you. I know I'm going to have you on the pod throughout the time to get your ideas and your insights and things of that sort. But I want to hear from you what you're hoping to give our audience.

[Mark Schindler]

Yeah, honestly, I think my biggest thing is just context and nuance, which sounds like such a cop out, but I don't know. I mean, I just want to be fair to every team and try and create the best bracket possible. A lot of, like, honestly, there's. There's not a lot out on bracketology. Like, I kind of have had to. Had to dig and I met with some people from the NCAA to teach myself as well, to kind of figure out, you know, how to. To how to really go about doing this. And yeah, I think a lot of it is, like, I'm going to obviously present, like, what I have at the end of each week. And I know everybody's not always going to love where their team seated or why, but I think I'm always going to try and approach it with being like, okay, well, this is where you're at, but this is why, like, not just here's where you're at and deal with it. I think, you know, trying to find a mutual understanding is really important for me.

[Zena Kaeda]

Have an opinion and explain, explain, explain. I think that's the biggest thing if you're going to be in sports media is not just throwing out random things, but actually being able to explain and give that context. Okay, well, I'm just, I'm pumped to be able to learn from you because I've always paid attention to the tournament. I mean, when I was playing, I tried to like, remove it from my mind because we weren't there. But you know, you pay attention, et cetera. But I don't know, for me, maybe because I played, I didn't especially right after I graduated, I kind of like separated myself a little bit and distance myself a little bit from the game as much and keeping up and paying attention to all the teams and all the players and things of that sort. So I'm really diving back in in the last few years and one of the things that I have not done a great job of is understanding the seeding process and like, why certain teams are where they are, et cetera. I cannot wait to read what you're going to put together for us and I hope everyone else that's listening is in the same boat because it's going to be really, really cool insight that you're not going to be able to find elsewhere. I haven't been able to find anything like that in the last two years. So, Mark, welcome to the team.

[Mark Schindler]

I appreciate you having me. I'm excited to be here.

[Zena Kaeda]

Of course, of course. All right, well, we are going to get out of here. We appreciate you all tuning in. Remember, subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Of course we want to keep you up to date with everything going on this NCAA season. WNBA season's around the corner as well. So going to keep these interviews going, all these athletic all accesses. We appreciate you you tuning in. For now, I'm Zena Keda encouraging you to keep listening, keep learning and keep loving the game because that's the only way we're going to continue to grow it. All right, guys, until next time.

[Elizabeth Kitley]

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