Game On! with Jenny Carnes & Mary Ullmann Japhet
Andrea Wiliams
Stacey Johnson
Marc Klein
Bruce Bowen
Ross Davis
George Block
por Mary Ulmann Japhet
Game On! Andrea Williams Episode 6 * June 10, 2024 * 34:57 Andrea Williams, CXO of the Utah Jazz, talks about her trailblazing path as a woman in sports with Jenny Carnes and Mary Ullmann Japhet on this episode of Game On! From a dual sport athlete at Texas A&M to her journey through the sports industry, Andrea is full of stories, like how schlepping Gatorade helped her land a job as the COO of the College Football Playoff. Andrea Williams Bio Andrea Williams is the current Chief Experience Officer with the Utah Jazz. She calls San Antonio home, where she was a dual sport athlete at Churchill High School, where she remains the all-time leading scorer in basketball. She went on to play both volleyball and basketball at Texas A&M University, becoming the first Aggie to letter in both sports in the same season. Andrea has been in sports administration since 1998, when she worked with the Big Ten Conference as assistant commissioner. In 2004, she became the director of the women’s basketball championship at the NCAA. She returned to the Big Ten in 2006, where she worked for ten years as associate commissioner. In 2016, she was named the commissioner of the Big Sky Conference, becoming the first Black woman to become commissioner of a Division 1 conference. In 2018, she was named the COO of the College Football Playoff, and in 2021 she was named to her current role as CXO of the Utah Jazz. Some of her awards include the 2014 SportsBusiness Journal “Game Changers: Women in Sports Business” award, the 2017 Shadow League Award for Leadership and the 2018 San Antonio Express-News Sportswoman of the Year and “Woman of Inspiration” award from the WISE Utah chapter. To donate to San Antonio Sports 40th Anniversary “Dare to Dream” campaign, visit: https://connect.sanantoniosports.org/event/413573-San-Antonio-Sports-Dare-to-Dream-Campaign. SanAntonioSports.org
Game On! Stacey Johnson Episode 5 * April 1, 2024 * 33:54 Olympic fencer and former SA Sports board member Stacey Johnson joins Game On! with Mary Ullmann Japhet and Jenny Carnes to talk about her trailblazing path to the Olympics, but with a twist. Stacey’s fight to get women’s sabre fencing in the 2004 Olympics couldn’t be stopped even when her life was threatened. Fighting for equitable opportunities for all fueled her drive to found SA Sports’ youth programs. Stacey Johnson Bio As a foil fencer, Stacey Johnson was an Olympian, a national champion and a collegiate champion. A graduate of San Antonio’s Robert E. Lee High School, Johnson began fencing at age eleven. She was a four-time All-America selection at San Jose State University where she established the current collegiate win/loss record of 305-1. She helped the Spartans to four NCAA team championships and was the NCAA individual champion in 1976 and 1978. In U.S. National Championship competition, Johnson won team titles in 1974, 1976 and 1977, and was an individual finalist five times between 1974 and 1982. She represented the USA at three Fencing World Championships, was a member of the U.S. World University Games team in 1977 and 1979, and was the gold medalist at the 1982 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival. Johnson was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Fencing Team, but her dream of participating in the Olympic Games was quashed by the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Games in protest of Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan. She was a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors from 1996-2008 and served on its executive committee from 2003-2004. She was President of the U.S. Fencing Association from 2000-2004 and was a nominee for the International Olympic Committee’s Annual Women and Sport Trophy, the highest Olympic award for women. Johnson helped to found the San Antonio Sports Foundation’s Dreams For Youth program, an Olympic sport program that developed training centers in disadvantaged neighborhoods. She served as a member of the San Antonio Sports Foundation board of directors for 18 years. She has been inducted into the San Jose State Hall of Fame and the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. She was named a distinguished 2004 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award winner recognizing her outstanding contributions to sport since her competitive college days. To donate to San Antonio Sports 40th Anniversary “Dare to Dream” campaign, visit: https://connect.sanantoniosports.org/event/413573-San-Antonio-Sports-Dare-to-Dream-Campaign. SanAntonioSports.org
Game On! Marc Klein Episode 4 * May 13, 2024 * 29:00 Listen in as Marc Klein, senior principal and event manager at Populous, sits down with Jenny and Mary to talk about what it takes to put on major events like the Super Bowl and the Final Four. The biggest games may feel like they’ve always been in their venues, but they take an army to put on, and Marc commands that army. Hear Marc’s crazy stories, like the power outage during the 2013 Super Bowl, and more! Marc Klein Bio Marc Klein is the senior principal and event manager at Populous, a global design firm behind the world’s biggest events, from the Olympics to the Super Bowl. They were even the architects on the Alamodome! Marc began his career in the Air Force Academy, before an injury led him to Georgia Tech, where he studied Physics. During his time there, he became involved with the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta as an Olympic Village systems manager. He has been in the major event industry ever since. In 2004, Marc began working with Populous as a principal, and was promoted to senior principal in 2022. Marc spearheads the company’s work with the NCAA with a focus on the design, project management and delivery of the Men’s Basketball Championship, the Final Four. With the NCAA Men’s Final Four returning to San Antonio in 2025, Marc is back in the Alamo City making sure the game feels like it’s always been in the Alamodome. To learn more about Populous, visit: https://populous.com/ To donate to San Antonio Sports 40th Anniversary “Dare to Dream” campaign, visit: https://connect.sanantoniosports.org/event/413573-San-Antonio-Sports-Dare-to-Dream-Campaign. SanAntonioSports.org
Game On! Bruce Bowen Episode 3 * April 29, 2024 * 31:35 Bruce Bowen, Spurs legend and beloved San Antonio icon, sits down with Jenny Carnes and Mary Ullmann Japhet on Game On! to talk everything San Antonio basketball. Discover Bruce’s thoughts on the future of Wemby, and as Bruce says, “He tall!”, his favorite memories with Coach Pop, and how his love of the game has shifted to the coaching world. Hear all about how Spurs fans have made the city one Bruce and other Spurs legends love to call home. Bruce Bowen Bio Bruce Bowen is one of the most feared perimeter defenders in NBA History. He attended Cal State Fullerton, where he has been inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame. In 1993, he went undrafted, before spending the next five seasons in France and Canada. In 1997, he signed a ten-day contract with the Miami Heat before signing with the Boston Celtics, where he spent two seasons. Bruce spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers and again with the Heat, before signing with the San Antonio Spurs in 2001. He played with the Spurs for eight seasons, where he won three championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. In all eight years he was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team, the first three on the Second Team and the last five on the First Team. In 2009, Bruce retired from professional basketball. His number 12 was retired by the Spurs in 2012. Bruce spent time as an analyst for ESPN post-retirement, before entering coaching at the Cornerstone Christian School in 2019. In 2021, he became head coach at TMI, where he is today. He was also a coach in the inaugural San Antonio Sports All-Star Basketball Game. To donate to San Antonio Sports 40th Anniversary “Dare to Dream” campaign, visit: https://connect.sanantoniosports.org/event/413573-San-Antonio-Sports-Dare-to-Dream-Campaign. SanAntonioSports.org
Game On! Ross Davis Episode 2 * April 15, 2024 * 31:07 Jenny and Mary sit down with gold-medal winning Paralympian and long-time director of marketing at San Antonio Sports, Ross Davis, to talk about adaptive sport and how early nay-sayers haven’t stopped him from living a life full of activity and broken barriers. Ross takes you through his journey from his early days on crutches, to struggling in college, to winning gold for Team USA, and beyond. Hear how it all began when Ross built his first wheelchair at just three years old from a little, purple tricycle. Ross Davis Bio Ross Davis is a gold-medal winning Paralympian, long-time director of marketing at San Antonio Sports, and current chair of the board of directors for Texas Parasport, the nonprofit organization that oversees adaptive sport in Texas. Ross’ first Paralympic games came in 1992 in Barcelona, where he won four silver medals, in every event from the 100- to the 800-meters. He returned for the next summer games, in Atlanta in 1996, where he won his first gold medal in the 100-meters. He also took home a bronze medal in the 400-meters that year. His final Paralympic games came in the summer of 2000 in Sydney. There, he won his second gold medal in the 100-meters, and took home two bronze medals in the 200 and 400-meters. His many successes made him a finalist for the 2006 class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and earned him induction into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. Texas Regional Games take place April 25-28 in San Antonio. https://www.texasregionalgames.com/ To learn more about Texas Parasport: https://www.texasparasport.org/ To donate to San Antonio Sports 40th Anniversary “Dare to Dream” campaign, visit: https://connect.sanantoniosports.org/event/413573-San-Antonio-Sports-Dare-to-Dream-Campaign. SanAntonioSports.org
Episode 1: George Block Game On! with Mary Ullmann Japhet and Jenny Carnes kicks off in the only way it could, with decorated former swim coach, vice president of USA swimming and a founder of San Antonio Sports, George Block. George talks about the beginnings of San Antonio Sports, where it’s all headed and everything in between. Uncover the emotions and frustrations that put things into high gear and learn why George thinks San Antonio’s legendary tacos mean the city can have legendary facilities too. George’s Complete Bio Block served as director of aquatics and assistant director of athletics for the Northside School District. He developed the Northside Aquatic Center into an internationally recognized center for athlete development. Block developed nine Olympians, 50 UIL state gold medalists, more than 285 all-Americans, Olympic Trials qualifiers in 1984-88-92-96-2000 and 2008, and numerous national and junior champions. He has produced Olympians in three different sports (swimming, triathlon and pentathlon) and Olympic swimmers from four different countries (United States, Nicaragua, Egypt and Algeria). He was awarded the Phillips 66 Performance Award and was named the Coca-Cola Texas Coach of Honor. The United States Water Fitness Association named Northside the top school district/community facility in the nation and Coach Block its top aquatics director. He also received NISCA’s Outstanding Service Award. Coach Block served as vice president of USA Swimming and as the president of both the American and World Swimming Coaches Associations. He earned the Silver Award of Excellence for 20 years of national finalists, was inducted into both the ASCA and San Antonio Sports Halls of Fame and awarded the United States Olympic Committee’s “Rings of Gold.”
Game On! Jesse James Leija Episode 14 * October 21, 2024 * 25:43 Boxing legend Jesse James Leija joins Game On! to tell the exciting stories behind his illustrious career. The 1994 WBC Super Featherweight title holder shares how he went from jail to the boxing ring, the mentality behind his success, his time training with the Spurs, his boxing gym and more! Jesse James Leija Bio Jesse James Leija, the Texas Tornado, is a former professional boxer and a San Antonio native. A graduate of Harlandale High School, Leija made his pro debut in 1988 with a win at Freeman Coliseum. Leija held the WBC super featherweight title in 1994, the IBF lightweight title in 1998 and was a three-time NABF title holder. He held a record of 47-7 as a professional and made the U.S. Olympic Trials twice. Today, Leija owns Leija Boxing & Fitness in San Antonio, a staple of the San Antonio boxing community. He has also been the San Antonio Spurs’ boxing trainer for 21 years and has trained such stars as Tim Duncan and Victor Wembanyama. To donate to San Antonio Sports 40th Anniversary “Dare to Dream” campaign, visit: https://connect.sanantoniosports.org/event/413573-San-Antonio-Sports-Dare-to-Dream-Campaign. SanAntonioSports.org