Inside The Play Call With Orange Arrow

We're going back into the OA Vault to revisit our episode with Mike Pichette, Ohio native, standout swimmer, and Pitt grad. Listen as he talks about growing up a swimmer, his injury, finding structure through Orange Arrow, and how he prepared for life after graduation.

Listen in as Shawn recaps his recent speaking engagement at Tuskegee University, part of their career readiness program, College Transition: Student-Athlete Edition. Shawn and other OA team members speak with current student-athletes about the importance of utilizing your time because the time to plan for your future is today.

Tune in as Shawn sits down with Mr. Pittsburgh himself, Bill Hillgrove! A lover of jazz and arguably the most notable broadcaster in Pittsburgh sports, Hillgrove discusses how he got his start in broadcasting and the importance of being good to your voice. He also explains the importance of being passionate and community-minded, and always remembering that “In the big game of life, you only get one shot.”

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

Go Inside the Play Call with Shawn and 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.

Check it out! Today, we’re back with special guest, retired NFL athlete Hannibal “Bull” Navies. Shawn and Hannibal talk about his football career, from high school to college to playing professionally. They also discuss the hard truths of being an athlete, such as dealing with a career-long injury, balancing school and football, and managing to stay well-rounded. On and off the field, life has thrown him unexpected challenges, but they don’t call him Bull for no reason.

Sit down with Shawn for this week’s episode with special guest Ashley Gillis, Manager of Community Relations for the Miami Dolphins! They kick off the episode by highlighting Gillis’ early time in sports, reminiscing about their favorite cheers and their shared experiences with substitute teaching. They also discuss how taking an internship with the Dolphins while she finished her Master’s in Sports Management at Florida A&M led to a job offer from the Dolphins upon graduation, where she has been ever since. Today, Gillis oversees Community Relations and works with the Junior Dolphins program, and she uses the knowledge from her positions to share advice about networking and succeeding as a woman in the sports world.

Join Shawn and John Morgan III, a native of Upper Marlboro, MD, Pitt football player, and passionate supporter of Orange Arrow. Listen as he talks about his time in high school, from his football career to the long commute he made every day to his high school to make sure he was ready for future success. They also discuss the importance of family, the honor of winning the ACC Championship, and how Morgan is using his name, image, and likeness to give back to youth through Orange Arrow.

Sit down with Shawn and Haley Traub, a lifelong student-athlete, cheerleader at the University of Miami, and dedicated Orange Arrow volunteer! Listen as Haley discusses her early years in Andover, Massachusetts, playing every sport she could (with a focus on gymnastics), working hard every day academically, and never missing an opportunity to volunteer and give back to her community. She also discusses the “magical weekend” that led to her split-second decision to commit to the University of Miami, and the importance of finding a college where you are wanted and feel welcome. They finish by discussing how she became involved with OA, and what led her to receive the 2020 Orange Arrow Community Service All-Star Award.

Revisit the first episode of Inside the Play Call! This episode will take you on a journey of the development of the nonprofit Orange Arrow through the eyes of its founder, Shawn Robinson, starting with a city that draws 10,000 people for each high school football game to understanding why an NFL dream was not realized.

Go Inside the Play Call with Shawn and Crockett Schooler, a native of Columbus, OH, Pitt student-athlete, and OA team member! Listen as he explains how he got his start in sports, working his way up to the track and field team at Pitt, where he runs hurdles and is pursuing a major in communication. He also discusses the time he saved a life while working as a lifeguard in high school, and the impact it had on his own life. Finally, hear about his start with Orange Arrow, as a marketing and branding intern, and his vision for OA to one day be a staple in every college athletic department.

Tune in as Shawn sits down with golf enthusiast and current NBA referee, Courtney Kirkland. The two discuss Kirkland's fast track to refereeing in the pros, from deciding to pursue refereeing on a dare to quickly working his way up to the NBA. They also talk about what it takes to be a referee and how those same skills translate to success off of the field. They finish with Kirkland advising young student-athletes to find their niche and be the best talent, whether it be in the sports world or off of the field, and go all in to achieve success.

Sit down with Shawn and Pittsburgh native, former WNBA player, and sports scout for the Boston Celtics, Ashley Battle! Battle discusses her early start in basketball as the only girl on her elementary school team and her mom’s commitment to ensuring she was always driven to succeed both on the court and in the classroom. She also discusses her whirlwind college recruiting process, eventually landing at UConn, and recalls her fondest memory of playing in her first nationally-televised game. Following 5 years at UConn, Battle was drafted 25th overall to the Seattle Storm and spent 5 years in the WNBA before hip, ankle, and back injuries ended her professional career. Listen as she speaks to her frustration of being forced to leave sports and how she coped with her transition to the professional world, eventually landing her current job scouting for the Celtics.

"Dr. Alvarez" was first introduced to Orange Arrow while at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Urban Education. His research is about understanding how best to support educators in building instructional practices that center race and justice. We take a journey from his early years in Texas to his new position at Rowan University in NJ as an Assistant Professor of Urban Education.

Join us as Shawn sits down with Chad Van Horn, a Pittsburgh native, longtime Orange Arrow supporter, and founding partner attorney of his Florida-based law firm, Van Horn Law Group. Van Horn began helping his older brother on his paper route when he was only five and continued to work all the way through law school, which he attended at night so that he could work for a financial advising firm during the day. Possessing this admirable work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit from such a young age led him to found Van Horn Law Group immediately out of law school.   Van Horn credits his ability to succeed as a young attorney to the power of relationships and finding a good mentor, which he advises everyone to do so that they can help to navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. As a former Orange Arrow board member, Van Horn understands the importance of growing outside of sports because, as he puts it, “Just because you grow your muscles doesn’t mean you’re growing your brain.”

Tune in as Shawn sits down with fellow Warren, OH native, former football player, and current sports marketing manager, Ralph Stringer! Listen as Stringer speaks to his early start in both music and sports, and explains his time in the radio industry at NC State. He also details how a freak accident during a pickup basketball game cost him his eye and left him struggling to prove his worth to future NFL teams. It was this struggle that led him to stop chasing the NFL dream and instead pursue sports marketing, where he fought for his worth in the industry and eventually formed a strong relationship with one of his first and most loyal clients, Dan Marino.

We’re kicking off Season 4 of Inside the Play Call with former Pitt basketball star and current Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach, Brianna Kiesel! A native of Utica, NY, Kiesel got an early start in sports, originally playing soccer before transitioning to basketball, the sport which launched her career at Pitt. During her time there, she obtained two degrees, all while pursuing basketball and eventually being drafted by the Tulsa Shock, making history as the second ever Pitt player drafted to the WNBA. Knowing she wanted to give back to the sport she loves, Kiesel followed her time in the WNBA by coaching the next generation of star athletes at her alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. Coach Kiesel leads by example in encouraging her athletes to also pursue passions outside of sports because, as she put it, eventually "The ball is going to stop bouncing."

Jump Inside the Play Call for a sneak peek into the 2021 Performance Invitational!

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.

Coming to you from the Sunshine State, our first group of South Florida interns discusses throw pillows, 5:00 AM alarms, and what it’s like to live the life of a student-athlete at the University of Miami. Plus Drake, hometown pride, and planning for life after sports and graduation help fill in the gaps.