Karameli Faaee is one of the most successful international rugby players in US history. As captain of the USA Women’s Eagles, she led the team to fourth place in the 2017 Rugby World Cup, their first time making it to the semifinals in nearly 20 years.
We interviewed 10 players and coaches, from grassroots to pro levels, and were struck by how many parallels we saw with past Hunger & Heart guests. Kaila and Boma Educational Designer Hannah Hudson unpack core insights from their trip.
Zoë McBride is a double world champion in the women's lightweight single scull rowing. She stepped away from rowing in 2021 and has been open about how the need to make weight took its toll, not only on her body, but also on her soul.
Campbell Johnstone played for the Crusaders in 2004 and for the All Blacks in 2005. In 2023, he came out as the first openly gay All Black and made headlines around the world.
DJ Forbes is Rugby Sevens royalty. He played in 512 games in 89 tournaments, winning six World Series. Last year he was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.
Raelene Castle is a woman of firsts: first female CEO of a club in the National Rugby League, the first female CEO of Rugby Australia, and the first female CEO of Sport New Zealand.
Rob Penney finished his 2nd year as head coach of the Crusaders. Year One: the team didn't make it to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. Year Two: complete turnaround, won the championship.
Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1967 — and had to literally fight off a race official to do so. Because of her, millions of women are now empowered by the simple act of running.
New Zealand windsurfing icon Barbara Kendall won Olympic gold in 1992 — the first Kiwi woman to win gold in any sport in more than 40 years, and only the second woman ever to do so.
Tori Moorby has been dominating the javelin throw in New Zealand since March of 2014 when she first broke the New Zealand record. She was just 19 years old.
Sam Whitelock was the fastest player ever to reach 100 international appearances, the youngest New Zealander to reach 100 tests and one of just 44 men in the world to win a Rugby World Cup more than once.
Pulling key moments from the original conversations, Kaila shares the most powerful insights and themes that have emerged from the first three months of the podcast.
Christie Jenkins was number one in Australia and top 10 in the world in not one, not two, but THREE sports: trampolining, CrossFit and beach volleyball.
Mea Motu is a professional boxer, nicknamed “The NightMea”. She's a five-time national champion across four weight classes — the most titles held by any female Kiwi boxer.
Adam Nicholls is a professor at the University of Hull. He researches the factors that predict doping among adolescent athletes, as well as how athletes cope and manage their emotions.
Norm Maxwell, Crusader #21, is not your ordinary rugby player. At 1.98m tall but weighing just 90kg, the lock quickly gained a reputation for being an extremely physical player.
