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Two athletes talking about their race after a championship final

Welcome to

Athletes Speak

Athletes Speak inside The Huddle

Real stories.Real impact.

Athletes Speak is where current and former athletes tell the After We Play community what their sport was actually like, on the field and off it. We are looking for you to share yours.

Share your story See how it works
Watch first

Meet Scott Roussell

The founder of After We Play on what Athletes Speak is, what it is not, and the one question he is asking you to answer.

The idea

Your story,in your own words.

There is no camera crew, no production call and no interviewer asking the next question. You get the questions in advance, you sit with them, and you record your answer on your own phone when you are ready.

It does not need to be polished. It needs to be true. That is the only thing Athletes Speak asks of anyone who takes part.

No live interview
No interviewer
No performance pressure
How it works

Threeeasy steps.

Sign up

Fill in the form at the bottom of this page to be a featured Athletes Speak video.

Get the guide

You receive a short how to guide covering how to film your video on your own phone, and the questions to answer.

Record and send

Film it in your own time, in your own words, then send us the link.

Format
Self recorded video
Length
Three or four minutes
Questions
One of three, plus the signature
Tone
Honest and conversational
The questions

Pick one.Then answer the last one.

Three to choose from. Answer whichever one you have something real to say about, and leave the other two.

Choose one
Option one

Tell us about a moment when the game became bigger than the joy of playing it. When did your identity become attached to your performance instead of your love for the game?

Option two

What do you wish someone had told you when you were fifteen years old?

Option three

Who are you today because of sports? Not because of your accomplishments, but because of what you experienced along the way.

Then this one, everybody
Signature

If one athlete hears your story today, what is the one thing you hope they take away?

Scott's shorthand for what counts: identity, failure, a coach who changed you, the season you almost quit, the thing you wish someone had told you when you were fifteen.

The full wording of all four questions is in the guide below.

Before you record

Set up inabout a minute.

  • Use your smartphone, your laptop, or any video camera.
  • Natural light is best. A window in front of you, not behind you.
  • Speak directly into the lens.
  • A simple set up is better. You do not need a stage or props.
  • You do not need to memorize your answers. Speak from the heart.
  • Speak slowly.
  • Film it a few times and keep the one you like best.

Most people speak faster on camera than they think they do. A pause is not a problem. It is usually the moment just before the best thing gets said.

If you stumble, stop, take a breath and start the answer again.

Athletes Speak self recording guide

What the program is, how to film on your phone, the camera set up, and all four questions in full. Read it before you record.

Download the guide
When you are done

Sending itto us.

Put the video somewhere we can reach it, then send us the link. You do not need to be good with technology to do this.

  • YouTube, set to Unlisted. The easiest one to get right.
  • Google Drive or Dropbox, with sharing set to anyone with the link.
  • Then send us the link using the form below.

YouTube Unlisted almost never goes wrong. Only people with the link can see it, it never shows up in search, and there is no sharing setting to get right. Your video stays on your own account.

If you use Google Drive or Dropbox instead, set the link so anyone with the link can view it. If you skip that step we cannot open your video and we have to come back and ask.

One thing we need before we can publish

We will ask you to confirm in writing that we can use your recording. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian confirms it instead of you. We do not publish anything from anyone under 18 without that.