Mo Motion - The Podcast

ACL repair surgery is something that the orthopedic surgery community is just now beginning to talk about after decades of subscribing to the belief that it isn’t possible. The belief is slowly changing, in large part because of the groundbreaking surgical work of my guest on this episode, Dr. Gregory DiFelice of the Hospital for Special Surgery, Sports Traumatology & Joint Preservation Surgical department. In this conversation we talk about about the approach surgeons have taken in approaching ACL surgery in the past, what he’s done to ask questions that nobody was asking, and how his steps have led to the reintroduction of ACL repair surgery that is proving to be highly successful. This is a very important topic to me because I experienced my own ACL injury and had to undergo surgery myself.  Maureen: So the body wants to heal... Dr. DiFelice: You’re darn straight, it does. It wants to heal everything and all we’ve gotta’ do is get out of its way and try and let it heal. Click here to download on iTu

Coach Pat Fitzgerald is well known as the head coach of the Northwestern University Wildcats football team. Taking over after the unexpected death of his predecessor at the age of 31, he was the youngest head football coach in the Big Ten Conference at the time. Coach Fitz has built the Northwestern football program into one that is about more than winning - it’s founded on the importance of character, teamwork, and the right kind of atmosphere in which students can not only win but also mature as human beings. In this conversation, we chat about Fitz’ childhood, how he was recruited to the football team at Northwestern as a student, and his coaching and team philosophy. How college recruiting has changed over the years. Back when Coach Pat Fitzgerald was recruited onto the Northwestern University football team there was no internet, no social media, and no high profile press coverage like there is today. And more importantly, there were no 3rd parties involved in the process. It was just the player, his pare

Andy Borman serves as coach of the New York Rens, a basketball association that aims to develop exceptional student-athletes who understand and embrace the fundamental principles of basketball, develop good sportsmanship, exhibit positive athletic and personal conduct, and excels in athletic competition. Coach Borman has been with the organization since August of 2014 and in this episode, he shares his thoughts about how players can create their identity as a player, find their place on the team, and excel in their exact role within the team. I hope you take the time to listen. It’s a great conversation that focuses on how players can increase their value and up their game by creating their own identity. When a player is truly eager to excel in his/her role on the team they need the input of the coach. But it’s not always easy to get in a way that is helpful to the player. The coach is busy, working not just to help each player improve but also working to build a game strategy and plan that will actually win

Andy Borman serves as executive director of the New York Rens, a basketball association that aims to develop exceptional student-athletes who understand and embrace the fundamental principles of basketball, develop good sportsmanship, exhibit positive athletic and personal conduct, and excel in athletic competition. Coach Borman has been with the organization since August of 2014 and in this episode, he shares about his own background, his experiences in sports as a kid, what he learned from his dad about sports, and the importance and power of the coach’s decision in sports. And be sure to stick around to the end when Andy shares the three best and worst things parents can do in raising young student-athletes. Here's his Dad’s advice to him in 7th grade: "If you want to ensure that playing time is there for you, no matter what… you have to be the best player on your team. And it has to be obvious. Not obvious to you but obvious to everyone in the stands…. And if you’re not the best, now it’s coach’s decisio

It was as recent as 1996 that the WNBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association was formed, and the first season began in June 1997. Since then, the WNBA has been the home for the best women’s basketball talent in the world. Among the brightest spots in that short history has been Katie Smith, the all-time leading scorer in WNBA history, Olympic athlete, and now coach. About people’s response to her accomplishments: It’s a little surreal. When you’re in something and you’re doing something you don’t think how big it is because you’re just doing your job. So sometimes, you’re like, ‘Oh, I did that.”... Honestly, it’s just more of a, ‘Wow!' You know, going down the road from where I came from and here I am and did all these fun things. It was pretty amazing. In this conversation, I chat with Katie about her growing up years, how she got interested in athletics, about her college and pro careers, and what she’s learning as she transitions into her new role as an assistant and soon-to-be head coach.  You will

Women’s basketball has come a long way in the last 10 to 15 years, and Anita Kaplan Fiedel is one of the women who has helped it do so. This conversation with my friend is a touching look into what it was like growing up tall as a girl, how basketball helped her fit in and find her sense of purpose and identity, and what happens when a perceived liability is turned into an asset. A career of distinction and dominance in women’s basketball. Anita achieved excellence on the basketball court at every level. Even though Anita, who was 6’4” in eighth grade, was never the best athlete in the gym – not even close – Anita ran the paint with advanced footwork, I.Q., and a deadly hook shot that she practiced in sets of 100s in her driveway - a shot she made without looking so many times that her teammates nicknamed her “Radar.” Anita earned the highest of high school rankings in becoming a Kodak, Street and Smith and Parade high school American. We were on an AAU team in high school that drew hundreds of college scouts

Pete Holohan is the son of a World War II father who won a purple heart and bronze star. Pete played football at Notre Dame and for 12 years as a tight end in the NFL. In this episode of MoMotion, I talk with my cousin Pete about being recruited by Jim Boeheim, what it felt like to play in big bowl games, and life in the NFL where he played behind the great Kellen Winslow. Pete reveals the truth behind the concussions, cortisone injections, as how much grit it took to achieve excellence. He also discusses how his athletic experiences have helped him transition into his career post-football. The powerful impact of a father who understood the vital role of discipline: What is the role of discipline in life? Do you know? People who have experienced its benefits, veterans, for example, have been taught the role that discipline plays in personal achievement and the service of others. Pete Holohan points to his father’s attitude about discipline as one of the things that shaped his attitude about excellence and acc