Episode 55 of the DSMSports Podcast w/ Monqiue Williams of the National Pro GRID League

Best Of...Monique Williams
Episode 55 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast
On episode 55 of the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast,
Monique Williams, professional GRID athlete in the National
Pro GRID League with the LA Reign discussed the burgeoning
league and the importance of social media to its continued
growth.
What follows are some snippets from the episode. Listen to the
full podcast on iTunes or www.DSMSports.net
@njh287; DSMSports.net

Monique's path to the NPGL and her career
Monique got involved in gymnastics from a young age
→ Then ran track, basketball, flag football, and volleyball in high
school
→ Received a scholarship for track (running and jumping) at the
University of South Florida
“(After college) I thought, 'I'm not done being an athlete...'”

Monique's weightyifting coach was Taylor Stallings (famous
female cross-fit trainer) and Monique's fiancee is a cross-fit
athlete.
“I started seeing NPGL and GRID last year and one of my (cross-
fit) teammates got us tickets to a GRID match...It was a little
confusing at first to watch,...but it was awesome to see the
camaraderie between the teammates – male and female and
(young and old).”

On Monique's early impressions of GRID
“I thought it was a branch of cross-it (at first)...it is kind of like
cross-fit, but faster and there is a male and female team. I
thought that was pretty cool...”

On joining NPGL
“We watched a few of the matches online and then I joined a
semipro team – The Orlando Outlaws...out of my team...five of us
got drafted into the NPGL..
My first match was awesome...just an incredible feeling (and) so
much fun...I (thought) 'I can do this...I'm good enough to be a pro
athlete.”
Monique then got invited to the NPGL Pro Day in Miami before then
getting invited to Maryland for the NPGL Combine. Monique then
got picked up the LA Reign NPGL team for the 2015 season

Early impressions of NPGL matches as a pro
“My (early reaction) was feeling like I was back in college (with the
atmosphere and experience and fans)...
(As the season went on) fans were a lot more knowledgeable. What
helped a lot was (giving out) pamphlets about how the GRID is set
up...(it helped) fans know exactly what was going on in the
matches.”

Reflecting on her circuitous path to NPGL
“I happened to have the chance to watch (a match), but (also) having
the influence of people around me able to tell me about the
(NPGL) opportunity...It;s about the community as a whole
spreading the word about it (and then more people learn about it
and try it).”

This episode's Helpful Tool: Audacity, free audio editing tool
(download from Internet) that I use to edit my podcast!
Check out Audacity

How NPGL athletes are taught to explain GRID to fans
“We had a briefing on ways to explain GRID to people that don't know
about (it)...and giving people a better explanation of what GRID is
about what we do. They made sure we knew how to explain GRID
in the best way possible.”
“It's a team effort from all aspects of it (to promote the league and the
sport)...It comes from the top. We want to (promote) GRID any way
we can...”
[Monique notes how GRID is promoted at Cross-Fit boxes and any
fitness gym, emphasizing it is not just NPGL, but GRID as a sport,
too.]

“I'm trying to figure it out (still), too...I know how much I love
being on the GRID and my experience with GRID...and all I
can do is go off of that. Experience is really what (allows) me
to voice my opinion the best...
I try to explain GRID to the best of my abilities...I would direct
them to NPGL.com so they can visually see (it) and they can
see what it's about – the crowds, the coaching, the
introductory videos about GRID. I try my best to direct them
there.”

On the athletes carrying the mantle for NPGL, particularly using
social media
“It's (happening) right now...It's all within social media. We
need to continue to post and get GRID out there, so people
know what it is and that we're here...Social media is so
important. It makes all sorts of difference...especially if
you're an (influencer) and (part of) a community. They can
look you up...The same thing goes for GRID and NPGL to get
it out there.”

“Within my team, we get...pictures and (exchange them) in a special
message just between (our team) and then we post (ourselves)
with (those pictures) and add our own comments to it...We want
to make sure we're (always) out there and always helping people
learn about us. [Even between matches and in the offseason]”
“Even right before the final NPGL match, I posted on Instagram and
Facebook to tune in and watch the match (streaming online for
free)...and to see episodes of behind-the-scenes of different
teams...
We're going and answering questions when we can (too) and giving
them more knowledge of what is going on (in the GRID matches).”

Monique's typical day during the season:
Breakfast, practice, working with a Physical Therapist after practice
and after matches
Monique also notes how they are constantly balancing eating and
resting....and socializing with their teammates.

During the matches, Monique and her teammates drink a lot of
water, Vitargo, and gummy bears. (“Gummy bears kept me
alive!” says Monique)
“I don't feel much (soreness after matches) until the next
day...Waking up the next morning, it kind of just hits you...I
want to preserve my body as much as I can. We're lucky to
have booths and STEM units at home to...make sure we're
taking care of bodies.”

Share-able Stat: 169,000 – number of Instagram followers by
NPGL/LA Reign athlete Noah Ohlsen (over 100% more than
NPGL's 73,000 followers)

The #1 reason NPGL matches are so exciting and fun to watch
“The fans. The fans get so riled up and get us going as
professional athletes...”
Monique also notes how the fan enthusiasm helps them battle
through tough lifts

The moment Monique realized NPGL was a legit sport and pro
league
“During the race against Phoenix and just seeing the amount of
the crowd out there watching us and cheering us on and the
camaraderie between our team...It was great. It was so alive
and I thought 'Ok, I could see this happening and making it a
career.'”

The most memorable moment from Monique's first season with the
LA Reign / NPGL
“My first team practice...It was a bit of everything (in terms of
training)...It was really cool because it was my first time meeting
my teammates and my first time working with them and seeing
how we get along and where we would be (during the
races)...Everyone was so willing to work together and sacrifice...As
we got to know each other more, I got more and more
comfortable (around my teammates) and people I could count
on.”

Monique's tip for someone that wants to try GRID
“I would say go for it...Go find (a match). Do it at your box or at your
gym or go to one of the semipro leagues...Go all-out and have
some fun and figure out if you love GRID...Even if you just want to
be fan. Go have fun (with it).”

How does the co-ed nature of GRID make it such a unique sport
“It makes it all that much better (of a sport) for it to be co-
ed...To have to work with a male and be on the same playing
field and support one another is just awesome...”

The major pro athlete that would make the best GRID
competitor
Monique goes with Usain Bolt – “He's used to being a pro,
anyways, so he can be a pro GRID athlete.”

Monique's Social Media All-Star to follow
Her team @TheLAReign on Instagram; the best Instagram follows on
the Reign are:
Sheila Barden (@sheila_sue)
Calvin Davis (@cdrcalvin)
Noah Olsen (@nohlsen)
Kristan Clever (@cleverhandz)
Also, her teammates. Any and every athlete on the GRID – “They all
have a great story to tell.”

Where to find Monique on social media
@mo_dubb45 on Instagram
The LA Reign on Facebook

Thanks again to Monique for sharing her insight experience with the
Digital & Social Media Sports podcast!
Listen to the podcast and find more episodes and content on iTunes
and at www.DSMSports.net.
You can also follow me on Twitter @njh287

Episode 55 of the DSMSports Podcast w/ Monqiue Williams of the National Pro GRID League

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Episode 55 of the DSMSports Podcast w/ Monqiue Williams of the National Pro GRID League