Inside The Play Call With Orange Arrow

Tune in as Shawn sits down with Orange Arrow’s Manager of Special Projects, Monica McNeil! Listen to learn why Monica tells everyone that she’s “Not really from anywhere,” and how she made a gut decision to attend the University of Pittsburgh, even after moving in at Alabama. Monica also details her career-ending injury and how she relied on her community for support during her recovery. They finish by discussing how she became involved with Orange Arrow, and Monica promotes one of her current projects, the summer Performance Invitational.

Jump Inside the Play Call with Shawn and this week’s guest, Adam Gunn, a former Pitt football player and current Director of Marketing at Stryker! The two discuss Gunn’s time at Pitt, where he played football and ultimately suffered a broken neck. However, he explains how he would not change his experience of getting injured, as he had to strive to overcome adversity and make a comeback, which made him who he is today. Gunn also outlines how he became involved with Stryker immediately after college, and he explains why the sales field is often a great path for student-athletes, as they have the team mentality, work ethic, and competitive spirit needed to succeed.

Tune in as Shawn sits down with his former Pitt teammate, Brandon Williams. The two reminisce about their time as teammates and some of the adventures they had as college roommates. They also discuss the importance of studying and focusing on your future throughout college, especially by choosing classes and a major that will set you up for post-graduate success. They finish by talking about Williams’ current career in finance as he discusses the importance of managing your finances and gives his personal advice for setting yourself up for financial security.

“Bottom's Up” is a laid back interview of the Bottoms brothers, Champ and Charles, who are OA student-athletes. Listen in as they discuss the impact of Orange Arrow on their lives and how the organization helps empower other student-athletes to reach their full potential.

Join us as Shawn sits down with Scott McCurley, the linebackers coach for the Dallas Cowboys! A former college football athlete, McCurley discusses his upbringing in the rural town of Bessemer, PA and explains how he followed his brother to Pitt to play football. While at Pitt, McCurley found his love for coaching and stayed after graduation to work as a graduate assistant coach under Coach Walt Harris. It was this job that allowed him to build the connections needed to secure his first NFL job as an intern for the Green Bay Packers, and over the course of 13 years, worked his way up the coaching staff to linebackers coach. 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.

As we gear up for Summer '22, take a look back at some highlights from last year's 2021 Performance Invitational!

The Orange Arrow Golf Challenge asks participants to donate to Orange Arrow, then play either golf, Topgolf, or miniature golf at the course of their choosing during the period of May 1 – 15, 2022. By registering with OA ahead of time, participants will have the chance to be entered in raffle drawings, receive cool OA swag, and support a great cause, featuring the OA Performance Invitational. In lieu of hosting an in-person event, Orange Arrow crafted an innovative approach to your typical golf tournament that will be fun and engaging through social media, while allowing for safer connections despite potential COVID restrictions. OrangeArrow.org

The Orange Arrow Golf Challenge asks participants to donate to Orange Arrow, then play either golf, Topgolf, or miniature golf at the course of their choosing during the period of May 1 – 15, 2022. By registering with OA ahead of time, participants will have the chance to be entered in raffle drawings, receive cool OA swag, and support a great cause, featuring the OA Performance Invitational. In lieu of hosting an in-person event, Orange Arrow crafted an innovative approach to your typical golf tournament that will be fun and engaging through social media, while allowing for safer connections despite potential COVID restrictions. OrangeArrow.org

The Orange Arrow Golf Challenge asks participants to donate to Orange Arrow, then play either golf, Topgolf, or miniature golf at the course of their choosing during the period of May 1 – 15, 2022. By registering with OA ahead of time, participants will have the chance to be entered in raffle drawings, receive cool OA swag, and support a great cause, featuring the OA Performance Invitational. In lieu of hosting an in-person event, Orange Arrow crafted an innovative approach to your typical golf tournament that will be fun and engaging through social media, while allowing for safer connections despite potential COVID restrictions. OrangeArrow.org

The Orange Arrow Golf Challenge asks participants to donate to Orange Arrow, then play either golf, Topgolf, or miniature golf at the course of their choosing during the week of May 1 – 8, 2022. By registering with OA ahead of time, participants will have the chance to be entered in raffle drawings, receive cool OA swag, and support a great cause, featuring the OA Performance Invitational. In lieu of hosting an in-person event, Orange Arrow crafted an innovative approach to your typical golf tournament that will be fun and engaging through social media, while allowing for safer connections despite potential COVID restrictions. OrangeArrow.org

The Orange Arrow Golf Challenge asks participants to donate to Orange Arrow, then play either golf, Topgolf, or miniature golf at the course of their choosing during the week of May 1 – 8, 2022. By registering with OA ahead of time, participants will have the chance to be entered in raffle drawings, receive cool OA swag, and support a great cause, featuring the OA Performance Invitational. In lieu of hosting an in-person event, Orange Arrow crafted an innovative approach to your typical golf tournament that will be fun and engaging through social media, while allowing for safer connections despite potential COVID restrictions. OrangeArrow.org

The Orange Arrow Golf Challenge asks participants to donate to Orange Arrow, then play either golf, Topgolf, or miniature golf at the course of their choosing during the week of May 1 – 8, 2022. By registering with OA ahead of time, participants will have the chance to be entered in raffle drawings, receive cool OA swag, and support a great cause, featuring the OA Performance Invitational. In lieu of hosting an in-person event, Orange Arrow crafted an innovative approach to your typical golf tournament that will be fun and engaging through social media, while allowing for safer connections despite potential COVID restrictions. OrangeArrow.org

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. They end with Stockey’s advice for young student-athletes, and how to take the lessons you learn on the field and apply them to life after sports.

“Giving Credit” features Allen and Karlos, two former OA interns, as we highlight the important role interns play within Orange Arrow and serve up freestyles and weird eating habits.

Tune in as Shawn talks with Marcus Bowman, Deputy Athletic Director and CFO of Business Strategy at the University of Oklahoma. A former student-athlete, Bowman explains how he grew up in a competitive and sports-oriented family, but also one that instilled the value of working hard in school. This upbringing led to a full academic scholarship to Pitt and a spot on the basketball team, and, after graduating with a degree in finance, Bowman went on to serve as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sport Administration at his alma mater. Now in Oklahoma, Bowman explains the path that led to his role at OU and gives advice for student-athletes looking to follow in his footsteps, including how to network, both personally and professionally, on the golf course.

Go Inside the Play Call with Shawn and this week’s guest, Morgan O’Brien! The Outstanding CEOs Career Achievement winner, and former CEO of Duquesne Light & Peoples Natural Gas, O’Brien discusses the importance of hard work, from coming in early to staying late and everything in-between, including volunteering to take on more projects and always being willing to do what it takes to help the company succeed. He also explains the importance of leading by example and never losing touch with who you are, and the power of building relationships not just within your company, but also with the people you serve. They close out the episode by discussing the bonds created through golf and the importance of empowering people to help others, both on and off the field.

Sit down with Shawn and this week’s guest, labor relations specialist and OA Board Chair, Jody Spolar! In this episode, Spolar delves into her deep Pittsburgh roots and her decision to go to Penn State, where she left without a clear professional direction, but had the opportunity to travel around the country to ultimately find her passion for labor relations. It was this newfound passion that led to a job at the LTV Steel factory in Cleveland, making her one of the first women to lead a labor relations department in the steel industry. Spolar then discusses her transition back to Pittsburgh to work with Pittsburgh Public Schools, a job that ultimately led her to connect with Shawn as he was in the process of creating Orange Arrow. They finish by sharing some of their favorite OA experiences, and their hopes and vision for Orange Arrow as it continues to grow.

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. It is these qualities that led him to thrive as a student-athlete and later in sales, his first career after the NFL. They finish by discussing the power of relationships and building your social capital, and the importance of being intentional and authentic in order to achieve success on and off the field.

Coming to you from Pittsburgh, PA, former teammates, Lousaka Polite and Shawn Robinson, reminisce about their days at the University of Pittsburgh, the Lou chant, and their lasting connection through LL Cool J and the brotherhood of sports. More than just former athletes, they also delve into the crucial importance of managing goals and expectations, the need to develop character off of the field, and Lousaka’s early, and continued, commitment to the Orange Arrow mission.

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.