Time Out

In this episode, Dr. Dana K. Voelker talks with Rachel Balkovec – the first woman to manage a Major League Baseball (MLB) – affiliated team and the first woman to become a full-time strength and conditioning coach and full-time hitting coach in MLB history. Rachel gets real about her experiences with discrimination as a woman in professional sport coaching, her perseverance through rejection, the difference makers in her career, and perspectives on mentorship.


What is Time Out?

Time Out is a podcast focused on current issues in sport leadership, performance, and health with a wide range of experts and industry leaders. This podcast is offered by the School of Sport Sciences in West Virginia University’s College of Applied Human Sciences.

NEW MINI-Series: World Cup 2026 – Expert Perspectives on the Global Game”
In this series, Dr. Gonzalo Bravo, Director of the Global Sports and Performance Center in the WVU School of Sport Sciences, talks with leading voices from across the global game exploring the inner workings, emerging challenges, and broader impact of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Please note, these interviews were recorded two months prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.