Episode 41: Benita Fitzgerald Mosley Power of Sport

This week’s guest is Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, a Gold Medalist in the 100-meter hurdle in the 1984 Los Angles Olympic Games. She was the 2nd American woman and the 1st African-American women to earn that medal. She was a member of both the 1980 & 1984 US Olympic Teams, an alternate in 1988 Games, a gold medalist in the 1983 Pan American Games, an 8-time National Champion and a 14-time NCAA All-American.

She was named “sportswoman of the century” by the Potomac news, “top Female Sports Figure of the Century from Virginia” by Sports Illustrated and named "Hurdler of the Decade" of the 1980s by Track and Field News.

I admit to being a bit star struck -- certainly because of her gold medal and also because has been just as successful in business as she was in sport. Stories of transition out of sport into the real world is always one of my favorite topics. 
 

As she said early in our conversation, “I’ve somehow found a knack of being able to help organizations go from good to great.”
 

Benita is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. She is currently the CEO Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA.

In our conversation we talk about Laureus, whose mission is to change the lives of youth and strengthen communities through the power of sport, her previous work with as USA Track and Field’s Chief of Sport Performance where she led Team USA to 29 medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Even though we discuss lots of serious stuff about the value of sports for kids and communities, it was actually really fun to have the opportunity to get into research and data about the powerful benefits of sports. One of the ways Laureus supports organizations in the cities where they work (New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, LA), is to provide resources to conduct surveys and other research so they do have excellent information about what’s been working and where the challenges are. Benita talks about how, in particular, girls benefit from participating in sport and what kind of support is needed for them -- especially during middle school when they tend to drop out of sports significantly more than boys.

Be sure to listen through to the end when Benita shares her own current fitness regime and her thoughts about being an older athlete.

Laureus Sport For Good Foundation USA
Playworks
Up2Us Sports
Families First
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Sport For Good
Laureus Summit
Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign
Sky Hyacinth, ELAVATE  New Orleans
Tabata Explained
An excellent video about US Sprinter Carmelita Jeter working with biomechanicist Dr. Ralph Mann.