Holly Rowe has made a name for herself as one of ESPN’s most versatile commentators in her 20-year career. She covers college football, college basketball, softball and multiple other sports for the network. In 2015, Holly was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma– a rare, fast-spreading form of skin cancer. Once she went public with her diagnosis and treatment, Holly found a cheering section of her own. On this episode, Holly shares how her diagnosis shifted her perspective and focused her on the small moments of joy in each day. We also talk about her unique career journey and what she’s learned from interviewing the best athletes and coaches in the world.
Follow Holly: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Show Notes
- How her childhood growing up in Utah shaped who she is today (1:51)
- The many odd jobs Holly took to work her way through college (3:17)
- How she juggled motherhood and her career early on (6:04)
- How going public with her cancer diagnosis helped Holly realize her value (8:54)
- How social media has changed the media landscape (10:35)
- The career advice she got as an intern that stuck with her (12:46)
- Why she keeps a “joy journal” (16:25)
- Shifting from feeling fear to choosing joy (20:21)
- Dealing with moments of vulnerability (23:09)
- What’s she’s learned from interviewing the best athletes and coaches in the world (25:36)
- The lessons she learned from legendary coaches Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma (28:06)
- The 3 C’s of high performers: competitiveness, caring about the success of others, and communication (30:32)
- How she builds trust to be able to connect (32:17)
- Managing her energy (34:23)
- The advice she would give her younger self (38:28)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Holly Rowe, ESPN
- ESPN College Football Saturday Primetime
- Metastatic melanoma
- Maria Taylor, ESPN
- President George W. Bush
- Lesley Visser, sportscaster
- Marty Glickman, sports announcer
- Doris Burke, ESPN
- Beth Mowins, ESPN
- Candace Parker, WNBA
- Michael Jordan, NBA
- Pat Summitt, basketball coach
- Geno Auriemma, basketball coach
- Mike Krzyzewski, basketball coach
- Bill Self, basketball coach
- Modern Love, TV series
- President Barack Obama
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- ESPN’s Maria Taylor on How to Land Your Dream Job
- David Fajgenbaum on What I Learned About Living from Nearly Dying
- Inky Johnson on Overcoming Adversity
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app and leave a rating or review!
