Inside The Play Call With Orange Arrow

RJ Thompson is the driving force behind Orange Arrow’s “cool factor.” By day, he serves as the Manager of Digital Strategy in the Health Sciences at Pitt and teaches at Pitt, the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), Point Park University, and West Virginia University. A longtime supporter, RJ is the creative mind behind the evolution of the OA brand and various OA projects, including launching this podcast. Tune in to hear how Captain America inspired his career in graphic design, and stay to discover how he listens to stories to capture the spirit of OA in his designs.

Shawn sits down with a familiar voice for our Pittsburgh listeners, Andrew Stockey! The two discuss how Stockey got his start in television and how he ended up in Pittsburgh, getting to know the city and watching it grow and change while still maintaining its hometown feel. He also gives advice for anyone who is interested in television, and the two golf enthusiasts discuss how golf can be instrumental in networking and building relationships.

Today, we're talking OASIS: Orange Arrow Symposium in Sports. Tune in for a preview of what is shaping up to be an unforgettable experience. But don't just take it from us — hear more from one of our advisors and a leader in this space, Ron Idoko, from Pitt's Center on Race and Social Problems. Learn more and reserve your pass: OrangeArrow.org/OASIS

Amy Raslevich, PhD MPP MBA has spent 30 years in public policy and healthcare management and advocacy. Tune in to hear how a cancer diagnosis in 2017 ignited her passion for healthcare accessibility and listen to some of the stories from her time researching racial differences in how people use healthcare. As always, stick around to the end to hear her advice for young student-athletes and why she supports the work of Orange Arrow.

Join us as Shawn sits down with Scott McCurley, the linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys! A former college football athlete at Pitt, McCurley discusses how he found his love for coaching and stayed after graduation to work as a graduate assistant coach under Coach Walt Harris. Now living in Texas and working for the Cowboys, McCurley explains the power of building relationships to grow your career and succeed in life outside of sports.

Join Shawn as he sits down with Robb-Davon Butler, a former Pitt, Robert Morris, & NFL athlete and Regional Vice President at Mohawk Industries. Listen as Butler discusses his early start in football and how working two jobs in high school instilled in him the importance of being hard-working and disciplined. They finish by discussing the power of relationships and building your social capital, along with the importance of being intentional and authentic in order to achieve success on and off the field.

Matthew Goncalves is a former Pitt football athlete and OA intern at Orange Arrow. Tune in to hear about his experiences at Pitt and how he balanced his sport and extracurriculars. As always, stick around to the end to hear his advice for young student-athletes and why he supports the work of Orange Arrow.

Join Shawn for a full circle moment with Barry Frierson, our first grade school participant turned OA coach. Tune in as he recounts his journey from being a young student-athlete to now coaching at his elementary alma mater in Pittsburgh. He also delves into his entrepreneurial pursuits and his commitment to mentoring, ensuring every OA participant receives the same invaluable experiences he did. Stay connected with OA at OrangeArrow.org!

Doug Whaley is the Senior Vice President of Player Personnel of the XFL. In this role, he oversees all aspects of personnel from scouting and recruiting to compensation and career development. Tune in to hear a little bit of his early beginnings in sports and the career path that ultimately led him to his position with the XFL.

“It is going to take a multi-faceted approach to solve the huge issues of racial disparities and injustice.” Join Shawn as he introduces OASIS — Orange Arrow’s groundbreaking event that will bring people together to transform the sports community.

Join us as we revisit Shawn's conversation with Paul Zeise, a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist, evening host at 93.7 The Fan, and commentator on Nightly Sports Call at CW-15. The two discuss how Zeise’s early interest in sports and writing led to a degree in journalism from Temple and his first writing job with the NBA in Manhattan. He also discusses his move to Pittsburgh to write for the Post-Gazette and how he worked his way up to covering Pitt Football - including covering Shawn's time at Pitt - and his eventual transition to TV and then radio. They finish by discussing the importance of reporting fairly and always showing up the next day, no matter what you wrote the day before, and always being well-read and ready for a life after sports.

Julian Dickenson is a Vice President at Pacific Lake Partners. Tune in as he discusses how his early years were shaped by his mother’s desire for him to see the world outside of his city and a back injury at age 15 that shifted his focus to academics before sports. After studying actuarial mathematics and playing soccer at Pitt, he ventured into the world of healthcare before pursuing his passion for entrepreneurship and investing at Stanford. Along the way, he learned the importance of balance and resilience, fueled by his mother's emphasis on academics.

Mike Bosnic is a special education teacher, head football coach, and athletic director for the Washington School District. A self-proclaimed “Western PA guy,” he discusses how his love for the region led him to stay local for college, attending and playing football at Pitt. Tune in to hear more about how he realized he wanted to have an impact on students, both on and off the field, and how watching his father lead as a high school football coach shaped his own coaching style today.

Go inside OA12! In this episode, Coach Shawn offers a unique look inside an OA12 session about goal-setting. Tune in to learn more about the coaches and our competition-based learning style, and meet some of previous OA participants.

Tune in as Shawn sits down with Adam Walker, a former Pitt & NFL athlete, CEO of Summit Packaging Solutions, and Pitt Board of Trustees member. Listen as Walker discusses his pride for his hometown of Homestead, PA and explains his early start in both sports and music. They continue by outlining his decision to go to Pitt, followed by a seven-year career in the NFL, which eventually led him back to Pitt for an internship. This internship launched his career in technology, and Walker worked his way up to CEO, a journey that has given him the wisdom and insight into being a leader and entrepreneur, which he shares with anyone who may be considering a similar path.

Go Inside the Play Call with Shawn and Dr. Kenny Donaldson, the Associate Athletic Director, Sports & Administration and Director of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion at UCLA! Join them as they discuss Donaldson’s Los Angeles roots and how he found his niche in supporting student-athletes. He also discusses his transition from UCLA to Pitt, where he worked in alumni affairs while pursuing his doctorate in Higher Education Management. Donaldson finishes by discussing his journey back to UCLA - right before the pandemic - and why he, and UCLA, support the work of Orange Arrow.

Alix Sweigert is a former OA intern and program manager and current student at Arizona State University where she is set to graduate with her master's in counseling this summer. A native of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Alix discusses her love for sports, especially hockey, and how she always knew that she wanted to be involved in the sports world. Tune in to hear more about how she pushes her limits to learn and grow through remembering to speak up, being confident, and accepting that it’s ok to make mistakes.

Our first ever repeat guest, Rafael Araujo-Lopes, is a former Pitt student-athlete and OA intern, coach, and program manager. Now a sales representative at Stryker, a medical technology company, he discusses what he’s been up to since we last heard from him on the podcast and explains why so many of his fellow Pitt grads go on to also work at Stryker. Stick around as he shares the importance of having good coaches and reflects on some of the most impactful people he met during his time at Pitt.

Nathan Bossory grew up on an apple orchard outside of Ann Arbor, MI. Now working in finance, Bossory, a former Pitt student-athlete and OA coach, discusses his upbringing, including how sports became a bridge to learning and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds. Tune in to hear more about his entrepreneurial mindset and how he developed the attitude of “Get the job done." Stick around as he and Shawn recount some of the courageous conversations they’ve had about treating everyone with dignity, building trust, and making the greatest impact.

Todd Hill is a student-athlete, Duquesne graduate, and former OA intern. A native of Homestead, PA, Todd discusses how he got his start playing football - a sport that took him a while to warm up to - eventually leading him to be part of the first generation in his family to graduate from college. Now a graduate student-athlete at Slippery Rock University, tune in to hear more about his college football journey, in Pittsburgh and beyond, and some of his favorite, most impactful memories from his time as an OA coach.