Welcome to the Big Life, the first-ever podcast that takes you into the insane, everyday lives of Sam and Jordy, two Division 1 soccer players living their best lives in the Big Ten Conference. With an impressive 23 showdowns between these Big Ten conference juggernauts since2000 – 12 victories for the Iowa Hawks and 11conquests for the Michigan Spartans – it’s an undeniable fact that Jordyn and Sam are battle-tested adversaries on the field, yet kindred spirits balancing school/soccer and social life. This very dynamic makes their podcast an unfiltered and exhilarating auditory journey, no less thrilling than witnessing their teams pour their souls into the battle on the hallowed pitch.
The Big Life delivers an electrifying, live insight into collegiate women’s soccer, fueled by current Big Ten players, Jordyn Wickes and Samantha Cary.
Episodes
Thursday Oct 19, 2023
Thursday Oct 19, 2023
Episode 11! Jordyn and Sam reflect on their last game and discuss Sunday's battle going down in East Lansing...against each other! They had a great conversation with 3x Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Bella Najera, about her transition to college soccer. She discusses what it was like to make an impact right away, how she prepared for college soccer, what surprised her the most, and what some of the hard parts have been.
Too many jokes and trash talk to even begin to describe–but how many times do you think Jordyn can meg Sam in this final game?! Seriously, as the showdown heats up between Iowa and Michigan State on Sunday, Jordyn and Sam discuss the potential ramifications of the showdown and what the postseason could look like.
Special thanks to our sponsor, IDA Sports, and their willingness to support women’s sports and keep us safer on the field.
OUR LINKS: Donate to the BIG LIFE to help us produce this kickoff season and receive a brand new Big Life sticker https://donorbox.org/the-big-life
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen.
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Go ahead and ask! Send it to scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast. Check out our website here.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network’s Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes.
Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork)
Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
Things are definitely heating up in women's college soccer. Sam and Jordyn run us through some of the key matchups in the Big Ten. Bad luck: Wisconsin suffers two ACL injuries in one game. Sam shares her pet peeve about players who raise their arms and call offsides before the ref does. Both give us personal insights on how they've gotten through the tough times soccer can serve up.
Special thanks to our sponsor IDA Sports, and their willingness to support women’s sports and keep us safer on the field.
OUR LINKS: Donate to the Big Life to help us to produce this kickoff season and receive a brand new Big Life sticker https://donorbox.org/the-big-life
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen.
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Go ahead and ask! Send it to scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network's Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes.
Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork)
Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Thursday Oct 05, 2023
Episode 9 starts off with a peculiar announcement. The only thing we can say is we never thought we’d be talking about balding on a women’s soccer podcast, but we went there this week. We won’t plug this storyline anymore (pun intended); we’ll leave it to you. But do email us with hair care solutions for Jordyn if you have'em at scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
We then get some updates about the current standings in the Big Ten and what a bottleneck it is at the top this year! Sam is hitting the road with the Hawkeyes for a border battle in Nebraska while Sam and the Spartans play their neighbor, the University of Michigan.
Can’t thank Emma enough for sharing so many incredible stories with us. She’s not just a major inspiration on the field but her comeback story is amazing and even more so her passion and knowledge on the benefits of meditation and how it can get you through the hardest of times with grace. Check out the org Athletes in Action after you hear her story. Give her a follow on Instagram and reach out to her if something she’s shared speaks to you @emmajaskaniec
Special thanks to our sponsor IDA Sports, and their willingness to support women’s sports and keep us safer on the field.
OUR LINKS: Donate to the Big Life to help us to produce this kickoff season and receive a brand new Big Life sticker https://donorbox.org/the-big-life
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen.
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Go ahead and ask! Send it to scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast. Check out our website here.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network's Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes. Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork) Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
Thursday Sep 28, 2023
The BIG LIFE Episode 8
As National Suicide Prevention Month closes out, we're humbled and honored that Gina and Steve Meyer have shared virtual space with us to talk about their Foundation, Katie's Save. The Meyers lost their daughter Katie, Stanford's star goalie, to suicide in 2022.
There are few words to describe the emotion felt during this interview. Yes it was powerful. Yes it was sad. And yes, it's tragic but like Katie herself, the feeling of connection and love is what we're left with and what will live on.
Sam and Jordyn never met Katie Meyer. But like many of us, they thought they knew her. Katie, the fiery, brilliant goalie whose reputation as a beast in the net was legendary. Katie, the cocky keeper who dares to stare right at the camera after a big save with a swagger so assured it made many people uncomfortable.
The Meyers tell us about their daughter and who she really was - a vibrant and loving daughter, a great friend, a big sister. Even so, she, like Jordyn and Sam and so many young people who are involved in competitive collegiate sports, have moments where they can lose sight of the world around them. Sometimes for a day, or a week, and sometimes, even just a moment. Most of the time, people make it out of the dark and into the light but sometimes, these moments go unnoticed by even those closest to you. The purpose of Katie's Save is to prevent this from happening on college campuses across the country. Please take the time to learn more about Katie's Save here: Katie's Save Foundation. More importantly, share it with a college or institution so that they can better advocate for their students during this critical time in their lives.
We love this article in the Players Tribune by Katie's close friend and former teammate, Naomi Girma. Beautiful tribute.
Our managing editor Hannah Cantrell, interviewed Steve Meyer about the Katie's Saves Foundation in February of 2023.
Dial 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
OUR LINKS: Donate to the Big Life to help us produce this kickoff season and receive a brand new Big Life sticker. https://donorbox.org/the-big-life
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen.
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Go ahead and ask! Send it to scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network's Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes.
Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork)
Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
For the last several weeks, we've heard all about the chaotic and frenzied lives of Sam and Jordyn. Now, we're going to hear from their moms, Kim and Lauren, two very special guests who helped wire these two dynamic, driven, very different Division 1 athletes.
Who should listen to this?
Parents, if you have a young soccer player who thinks they want to go all the way or you're just wondering what your life's going to look like if they do - you need to listen to this episode! Not only will you get tips and tricks, you may even tear up a bit 🥲 but only after you've had some serious chuckles .
Club Players, if you're considering playing through college, then you'll get some sound advice from parents who aren't related to you, sometimes the best kind!
Coaches, are your ears burning? Yep, there is no stone unturned in this episode! No one knows a good or bad coach like a soccer mom!
Here are some of the topics they cover:
• “The defensive spread of soccer moms”
• What the struggles of club soccer can be
• How to support your soccer player
• Small moments to remember
• Mishaps with convertibles
• Advice for moms of college athletes
• Things they wish they did different
Also in this Episode:
Down goes #1 BYU! Sam is riding the Hawkeyes undefeated streak, while Jordyn takes off like a rock star on a lit chartered-plane for two away games. What's with all the ties across the Big Ten?! Questions answered by Amie from MA
The BIG LIFE has a sponsor! IDA Sports shares GSN's commitment to empowering women in soccer by providing them with the specialized gear they deserve. The company's cleats are designed to address the unique needs and preferences of female athletes, aligning perfectly with the mission of "The BIG LIFE" podcast.
Use Promo Code: BIGLIFE20 for 20% OFF!
OUR LINKS: Donate to the Big Life to help us to produce this kickoff season and receive a brand new Big Life sticker. Donorbox
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen.
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary
Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Go ahead and ask! Send it to scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network's Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes.
Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork)
Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Check out GSN’s other podcast, Give N’ Go with Rohtas Wadera. Latest episode - interview with Randy Waldrum, the coach of Pitt and the Nigerian Women’s National Team, aka The Superfalcons.
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Sam and Jordan bring in special guest, Chicago Red Star Ava Cook. Cook shares her unique experience in going pro. She was drafted from Michigan State in 2021 but started her career at Grand Valley in Division 2, which happened to be the national champion when she left. If one thing is clear, it’s that no two soccer experiences are exactly alike, and navigating your own journey takes patience, perseverance, and trust in the process.
Both Sam and Jordyn are entering the conference play phase of their season, where things will start to get very real. Can the undefeated Hawkeyes continue their unbelievable run of form against Illinois? And will the Spartans have their way with the Buckeyes? It’s going to be an incredible weekend of college soccer for sure!
The BIG LIFE has a sponsor! And not just any sponsor - one of our favorite brands in the soccer-verse. IDA Sports shares GSN's commitment to empowering women in soccer by providing them with the specialized gear they deserve. The company's cleats are designed to address the unique needs and preferences of female athletes, aligning perfectly with the mission of "The BIG LIFE" podcast.
OUR LINKS: Donate to the Big Life to help us to produce this kickoff season and receive a brand new Big Life sticker. Donorbox
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen.
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Go ahead and ask! Send it to scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network's Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes. Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork) Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Check out GSN’s other podcast, Give N’ Go with Rohtas Wadera. New interview up with Randy Waldrum, the coach of Pitt and the Nigerian Women’s National Team, aka The Superfalcons.
Wednesday Sep 06, 2023
Wednesday Sep 06, 2023
Tons of stuff going on in Episode 5. Sam and Jordyn cover the chattable moments of the NCAA women's soccer week, from scorelines to teams to watch. Some shoutouts to: BYU for rising to number one in the rankings. Hey Providence, we see you and your no-goals-scored upon status! And what about the dust storm in the middle of the UTSA and GCU game? Plus, Emma Jaskaniec from the University of Wisconsin is seriously on fire in the Big Ten right now (and she’s also a Soccerista United mentor 😘).
Sam and Jordyn come to realize how completely different they are and their college recruiting processes were. Turns out there’s more than one kind of personality on a soccer team and more than one way to approach high school and the recruiting process. Sam shares a University of Iowa soccer team ritual, the Hawkeye program has the team do the Enneagram Personality Test, which uses a scale of nine numbers to assess traits people have to help them communicate better with those around them.
Sam and Jordyn take listener questions:
What is your favorite part of playing at MSU?
Day in the Life of a College Student?
How do you balance being a student-athlete?
OUR LINKS: Donate to the Big Life to help us to produce this kickoff season and receive a brand new Big Life sticker https://donorbox.org/the-big-life
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen 🎙️
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary
Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Go ahead and ask! Send it to scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast. Check out our website here.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network's Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes. Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork) Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
After having her playing time cut drastically, Jordyn responds by scoring a hat-trick in 12 minutes! Sam and Jordyn talk about the very different relationships they have with their coaches and how to balance and not balance school and soccer. Sam and Jordyn share the best advice that’s ever been given them, and the thing they've accomplished that means the most to them. PLUS: Weekend Preview: Miss St and SEMO/Eastern Michigan and Notre Dame.
OUR LINKS:
Donate to the Big Life and help us produce this awesome podcast!
Please subscribe to the BIG LIFE wherever you love to listen.
Follow Sam Cary IG: @samcary Follow Jordyn Wickes IG: @jordyn_wickes
Have questions? Let us know! scary@girlssoccernetwork.com
The BIG LIFE is a Girls Soccer Network podcast.
Subscribe to Girls Soccer Network's Newsletter to stay posted about upcoming episodes.
Follow us on Instagram/FB/Threads (@girlssoccernetwork)
Follow us on Twitter @girlssoccernet
Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlssoccernetwork6137
Check out GSN’s other podcast, Give N’ Go with Rohtas Wadera. Next week, Randy Waldrum, the coach of Pitt and the Nigerian Women’s National Team, aka Super Falcons, will be the special guest.
Thank you for listening!