Episode 10 - Passion for the Game on and off the Field with Avarie Howard

Today's guest is my daughter, Avarie. I swear I’m not playing favorites. ;) But I do think she’s got a great story to tell!

She's a former student-athlete, recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and is currently making her way in the world of sports broadcasting and media.

Today, we talk about her playing soccer as a young athlete and what it took to progress to becoming a college athlete, about using her passion for sports on and off the field to guide her down a path to sports broadcasting, and even a little advice to young women and their parents about pursuing dreams similar to hers.

Dreams come true when passion meets confidence and she’s a great example. Can’t wait for you to meet her!

Show Notes:

8:42 - Correction: meant to say prodigy instead of protégé.

11:34 - ECNL stands for Elite Clubs National League that consists of elite female club soccer teams from across the country to compete against each other on a regional level.

17:52 - How COVID actually helped her shift from struggling student athlete to being more grounded and intentional about her time at UNO.

20:55 - How having a self-care routine helped her become a better soccer player and teammate

25:00 - When her passion about sports became a reality as a career

31:15 - When she knew that she was in alignment

37:00 - How sports broadcasting helped her soccer game

40:50 - On creating her own internship and media club during COVID (article here)

43:23 - How their media club landed dream guest speakers Laura Rutledge and Mina Kimes for their Zoom calls

53:11 - What she wished she knew growing up that she knows now

54:11 - Advice to kids as well as parents of kids who want to go on and play college sports

1:00:21 - Advice to girls who want to pursue sports broadcasting or any other male-dominated field

1:03:12 - What’s making her feel AWEd (Awake, Well, and Empowered) right now.

Avarie’s awards and accomplishments in media:

-First female sports play-by-play announcer to receive a first place Eric Sevareid Award at Midwest Journalism Conference

-Part of first all-female broadcast crew for KRNU radio coverage of Husker football spring game

-Nebraska Broadcasters Association Awards: Radio, Best Sports Story “Westside Football Player Tackles Stereotype”, Nebraska and TV, Best Promo “Women’s History Month”

Find Avarie online:

-Instagram @avariehoward31

-Twitter @avariehoward31