Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy

In the Season 12 finale, mental skills and peak performance expert Dr. Colleen “Flash” Hacker returns to Laughter Permitted with her signature joyful style to talk about habit formation, the role consistency plays in making meaningful change and the importance of finding our “why’s” for an action. Dr. Hacker walks us through the three components of a habit loop and then shares the five cues that go into forming a new habit. She explains how the anticipation of a reward eventually becomes the reward itself and gives guidance for inevitable regression (spoiler alert: we get to try again!). A fascinating and fun-filled conversation chockfull of actionable items you can start today. Do you have a question, comment or deep thought for Julie and Lynn? Email them at [email protected].

In a special bonus episode of Laughter Permitted, Ally Financial Chief Marketing and Public Relations Officer Andrea Brimmer and 3-time WNBA champion and Las Vegas Aces star Alysha Clark join the podcast to talk about the boom in women's sports, the impact Ally's 50/50 Pledge has had on the sports landscape and how Ally is supporting female athletes through its Team Ally program. Andrea breaks down the numbers on how investing in women's sports has been good for Ally's business (spoiler alert: women's sports fans are loyal!) and Alysha expresses what it's like being backed by Ally. Andrea and Alysha also share their hopes for women's sports going forward.

WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and two-time Olympic gold medalist and Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier joins Laughter Permitted to talk about the 2024 WNBA Finals, how her demeanor on and off the court are very similar and why she co-founded Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 basketball league featuring top WNBA players. Napheesa shares the non-negotiables that went into creating Unrivaled, the backstory of how it all started and what she’s most excited about when it comes to the league tipping off. Plus, find out why Sylvia Fowles garnered Napheesa’s cheer. In the close, Julie and Lynn make a pitch to join Unrivaled as wild card entries. Do you have a question or comment for Julie and Lynn? Email them at [email protected].

U.S women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes returns to Laughter Permitted to talk about winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, what went into shaping the team’s culture in a short period of time and how gratitude factors into her current role. Emma also shares an exercise she did with the USWNT to cultivate trust and explains why it was important for her to connect the current team with The 99ers ahead of the Olympics. Plus, find out how Emma feels about returning to Wembley Stadium with the USWNT and how she hopes her story can uplift others to pursue their dreams. In Questions Permitted, Julie gives a longtime member of the Dope Village advice on being a new mom and both Julie and Lynn share where they turn to when they need some inspiration. Have a question or comment Julie and Lynn? Email them at [email protected]. Check out: Episode 104: Emma Hayes Episode 135: Sam Coffey

In a special NWSL-themed episode of Laughter Permitted, World Cup champion and 3-time NWSL champion Sam Mewis returns to the podcast to discuss and give her pick for the 2024 NWSL Championship between the Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit. Plus, we find out her reaction to the news that she's going to be an aunt, what the journey has been like at the helm of The Women's Game and what it’s like being part of a movement of athletes covering women’s soccer and sports.  Dope Village! Do you have a question, comment or deep thought for Julie and Lynn? Email them at [email protected].

Legendary University of Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso joins Laughter Permitted to talk about winning four straight national championships (and eight total), how culture is crucial in her program and what she enjoys most about coaching. Coach Gasso also shares how she had to step out of her comfort zone to become the highest paid coach in college softball and the significance of her salary in elevating the sport of softball. In Most Pressing Questions, Lynn correctly theorizes that Coach Gasso loves reality TV and even correctly picks which show she likes. In Questions Permitted, Julie and Lynn talk over nuance when it comes to the "cheese or ice cream" debate of all debates.

Paralympic superstars Scout Bassett and Alana Nichols join Laughter Permitted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Women's Sports Foundation and talk about their experiences serving as president of the Women's Sports Foundation, how sports came into their lives and their leadership styles. Plus, Scout, Alana and Julie share what they'd like to see for the future of women's sports. In the close of the show, Julie shares Lynn's favorite Billie Jean King story. Do you have a question, comment or deep thought for Julie and Lynn? Email them at [email protected]

Two-time Olympic gold medalist and water polo superstar Ashleigh Johnson joins Laughter Permitted to talk about how she was introduced to the sport of water polo, how she remains the only Black woman to compete for the U.S. in water polo at the Olympic level and how she hopes to be an example of what’s possible in the sport and beyond. She also shares her perspective of the U.S. women’s water polo team finishing fourth at the 2024 Paris Games and how she’s embracing saying, “Yes,” to new opportunities post-Olympics (which includes Fashion Week in New York City, hanging with Taylor Swift at the VMAs and more!). Plus, Ashleigh, who is considered the best goalkeeper in the world, dives into how her main goal is to simply “get the ball,” which propels her to limits even she can’t imagine.

Olympic gold medalist and Portland Thorns star Sam Coffey joins Laughter Permitted to talk about the experience of winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, what it was like being led by USWNT head coach Emma Hayes and how the joy was real during her Olympic journey. Plus, Sam shares how she dealt with the disappointment of not making the World Cup roster in 2023 and what it was like when, a year later, she found out she’d made the Olympic team. Sam also delves into how she is intentional about living in the present moment and why she plays with her jersey tucked in.

Olympic beach volleyball pair Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss join Laughter Permitted to talk about what it was like competing at the 2024 Paris Games (from a rain-soaked Opening Ceremonies to playing in front of LeBron James), how they joined forces at LSU and the unique way they solidified their playing partnership through creating a brand and business called “TKN.” Hear the story of how Julie was in the stands during an epic match that Taryn and Kristen played in a lightning storm under the Eiffel Tower (LeBron has a role in the saga). Plus, find out how Taryn and Kristen continue to work on their communication, and learn which one of them is more likely to make a complete stop at a stop sign. In Questions Permitted, Julie offers a listener advice on the college recruiting process.  Have a question for comment for Julie and Lynn? Email them at [email protected].