Player Interviews Episodes

🎙️ Episode 224 | Ruby Smith (Meylan) – Life, Softball & Everything In Between!


This week on Outside The Chute, we are joined by one of the most exciting young pitchers in women's fastpitch softball, Ruby Smith (formerly Ruby Meylan), for Episode 224!


And trust us, this is one conversation you won't want to miss!


From her collegiate softball journey at the University of Washington and Oklahoma State to competing professionally in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), Ruby opens ...

🥎 EPISODE 223 | JORDAN WOOLERY | OUTSIDE THE CHUTE 🎙️


From delivering one of the most unforgettable moments of the 2026 Women's College World Series to capturing an AUSL Championship with the Utah Talons, Jordan Woolery is making her mark as one of the brightest young stars in fastpitch softball!


This week on Outside The Chute, we're joined by former UCLA Bruins standout and AUSL Champion Jordan Woolery for a conversation about her journey through the game, the moments that have defined he...

🥎 OUTSIDE THE CHUTE – EPISODE 222 | TONY GONZALEZ

From Tijuana, Mexico, to the biggest stages in men's fastpitch softball, Tony Gonzalez has built an incredible career in the game!

This week on Outside The Chute, we're joined by Hill United Chiefs standout and ISC World Champion Tony Gonzalez for a great conversation about his softball journey, the experiences that shaped his career, and what it takes to compete against the best players in the world.

Tony takes us through his early days in th...

🎙️ EPISODE 221 — ALLIE SKAGGS

This week on Outside The Chute, we’re joined by former Arizona Wildcats standout and current Kansas City Diamonds infielder Allie Skaggs!

We have an awesome conversation with Allie about her journey through the game, her time at Arizona, developing into one of the top players in college softball, and the experiences and people that helped shape her along the way.

We also get into the next chapter of her career — making the jump to professional softball with the K...

🎙️ EPISODE 220 — TRAVIS WILSON


This one is an ALL-TIMER.


From winning a World Championship with the New Zealand Black Sox at just 19 years old… to signing with the Atlanta Braves and spending 8 seasons in professional baseball… to returning to men’s fastpitch and becoming one of the game’s elite players… and eventually helping build one of the premier programs in NCAA softball at Florida State.


What a journey. And Travis Wilson joins us this week to tell the story.


We get into:


🥎 ...

From the ball fields of Newfoundland to representing Canada on the world stage… this is one you don’t want to miss.




On Episode 218 of Outside The Chute, we sit down with 3-time Canadian Senior Men’s National Champion, 2003 Pan Am Games Gold Medalist, 2004 WBSC World Cup Silver Medalist with Team Canada, and Softball Newfoundland Hall of Famer, Sean Whitten.




Sean takes us through an incredible softball journey — learning the game in Newfoundland, developing into one of Canada’s top pl...

Episode 217 of Outside The Chute is an absolute must-listen as we sit down with one of the greatest to ever play the game — Jeff Goolagong.

From dominating the ISC circuit to representing Australia on the world stage, Jeff takes us through his incredible journey in fastpitch softball. We dive into his time with the ACT 89ers, winning multiple ISC Championships, and what it meant to capture gold with the Aussie Steelers at the 2009 ISF World Championship.

We also talk about his induction into t...

Episode 215 is one you don’t want to miss.




We sit down with Canadian softball star Larissa Franklin for a raw, powerful, and inspiring conversation that goes far beyond the game. From winning bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, to navigating the emotional highs and lows of life after the Olympics, Larissa opens up in a way we’ve never seen before.




But that’s just the beginning.




Larissa takes us inside her battle with cancer in 2025—the mindset it took to fight, the support syste...

In this episode of Outside The Chute, we sit down with Ryan Maher, one of the most exciting young talents in Canadian men’s fastpitch—and trust us, this one delivers.

From Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, Ryan’s journey is packed with wins, grit, and a few stories you won’t see coming

At just 24, he’s already:

3x Senior Men’s Champion with the Galway Hitmen

2024 U23 Canadian National Champion (Mariners)

Represented Canada at the U23 Pan American Championships

Named to the Men’s National Team 3...

Episode 213 is here and it’s an absolute must-listen

We sit down with Sam Banister — a two-time National Champion with the University of Arizona, four-time Women’s College World Series participant, and former pro with the Akron Racers — and she brings it all in this one.

Sam gets real about her journey through one of the most dominant programs in college softball, what it takes to win at the highest level, and the mindset that separates the good from the elite. From championship runs to life a...

In Episode 212 of the podcast, we sit down with rising men’s fastpitch star Tyler Damon, a member of the United States Men’s National Softball Team and one of the exciting young players making an impact in the game today.

Tyler shares his unique journey into men’s fastpitch softball, including how he played baseball until the age of 18 before making the switch to fastpitch — a move that quickly led him to competing at the highest level of the sport.

We talk about his development as a hitter, t...

What does it take to battle through adversity and come out a National Champion?

In Episode 210 of Outside The Chute, we sit down with 2025 National Champion Joley Mitchell for one of the most powerful conversations we’ve had on the show.

From growing up in Rose Bud, Arkansas…

To being named Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year (2019)…

To starting her college career at Notre Dame…

To facing a medical scare that forced her to miss the entire 2021 season…

Joley opens up about the highs, the s...

What does it take to win an ISC title at just 19 years old…

be named Most Outstanding Pitcher…

capture four ISC Championships…

win a World Championship…

and cement your name in the Hall of Fame?

This week on Outside The Chute, we sit down with ISC Hall of Famer Jim Wana — one of the most dominant pitchers of his era.

From winning the 1985 Junior World Championship with New Zealand…

to starring with the legendary Penn Corp teams…

to representing the Black Sox on the world stage…

to being...

Energy. Passion. Positivity.

Episode 208 of Outside The Chute is an absolute must-listen as we sit down with Jerzie Nutile, UMBC alum and newly signed PSL Florida Heat player. From the moment this conversation starts, Jerzie’s infectious personality jumps through the mic.

We dive into her journey through the game, the grind it took to reach the pro level, and what this next chapter with the Florida Heat means to her both on and off the field. Jerzie opens up about mindset, confidence, overcomi...

In Episode 207 of Outside The Chute, we sit down with Saskatchewan native Justin Laskowski, one of Canada’s rising stars in men’s fastpitch softball.

Justin takes us through his journey — from getting his start in the Saskatchewan fastpitch scene, to wearing the red and white for Team Canada on the world stage. We dive deep into his experience at the 2022 Men’s World Cup, where Canada captured silver, and what it truly means to represent your country at the highest level.

He also reflects on b...

What a great one we have for you this week, as Outside The Chute sat down and chatted with Softball Canada CEO, the one and only, Mike Branchaud.

We get into some great chats about the state of ball here in Canada, the direction the Men’s National Team is headed, the Women’s Olympic Team, some WBSC topics and so much more.

This was such a great chat with Mike and we got to clear up a few things on here that have been some hot topics in the past.

Remember, share, like, subscribe….all that good...

What an episode we have to kick off 2026, as we’re joined by one of the game’s most electric arms, its AUSL Cascade member and current US Women’s National Team member, the one and only, Kelly Maxwell. ️

Man, this episode has it all.

Kelly takes us back to where it all started, her journey through the college game at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma, and how those experiences shaped her into the pitcher she is today. We also dive into her move to the pro level in Japan, what she’s learned competing ...

Outside The Chute sat down and chatted with co-author with her Dad, of the amazing book, “Recruiting Rules" and Oregon State University Freshman, the one and only, Amelia Struber.

What a fantastic chat this was as we got to hear Amelia tell us about how she got her start in the game, the ups and downs of the recruiting process, which in turn led to her and her father coming up with their awesome book, how things are going at Oregon State and so much more.

Amelia was such a pleasure to chat wit...

Outside The Chute sat down and chatted with 2021 Rawlings Grand Slam Top Pitcher and 2022 Silver medalist at the Pan American Championships and WBSC World Cup with Team Canada, it’s the one and only, Zach Pierce.

This was such an awesome chat that Hopey and I had with Zippy, the guy is an absolute weapon.

We chat about getting his start in the game, playing a winter down in New Zealand, getting to represent the red and white at the 2022 World Cup, what the future holds and so much more.

Befor...

Outside The Chute sat down with unquestionably the most resilient person that we’ve ever had on the pod, its University of Georgia alum, the one and only, Kendall Burton.

Listen, what Keni has gone through in her lifetime so far is crazy. 23 surgeries prior to even getting to college is one thing, but then to have a stroke 6 days after her first college ball game is another.

You’re gonna find out how she had to learn to walk, speak and read again after the stroke but then manages to go out and...

Outside The Chute got get back one of the best to ever do it!

Recent inductee into the Softball Canada Hall of Fame and soon to be 2026 inductee into the ISC Hall of Fame, its good friend of the show, the one and only, Jeff Ellsworth.

We get to talk to Ellsy about the recent birth of his daughter Nylah, playing a big role in the foundation of the Whitecaps ladies program over on the Island, being apart of the great softball franchise that is the Hill United Chiefs, what’s in store down the roa...

Outside The Chute sat down and chatted with one of our favorite guests ever, the one and only, Kamalani Dung.

So we last chatted with Kama back in 2021 and you could say she’s done a little of this and a little of that over the past 4 years. Actually, that’s an understatement, she has done a ton!

From walking the red carpet at the Grammy’s, to hitting homeruns in the Reggie Jackson Classic, she’s now making her pro comeback down in the Mexican League and we can’t wait to see her do her thing.
...

Outside The Chute sat down and chatted with just an absolute star in our game, JMU alum and AUSL Bandits pitcher, the one and only, Odicci Alexander-Bennett.

Odicci first captured the hearts of fans across the country during her unforgettable run with James Madison University at the 2021 Women’s College World Series, where her dominance, passion, and pure love for the game made her a household name.

Since then, she’s continued to inspire — from her professional career and coaching, to being a ...

Outside The Chute sat down and chatted with 2024 ISC Champion and 2022 WBSC World Cup Champ, Aussie native, the one and only, Josh McGovern.

This was such a great chat that Hopey and myself got to have with Josh. He took time after travelling over 40 hours to come on and chat with us from down in the Dominican where he was playing in the Legends Cup this past weekend, so we can’t thank him enough.

We had a great talk about how he got his start in the game, the role his family played in his dev...