Sage Steele is one of the most recognized faces in sports broadcasting, a trailblazer who spent nearly two decades at ESPN bringing us all closer to the games and the athletes we love. She’s a journalist, a mom, a podcaster, a self-proclaimed “Army brat”, and a champion for staying true to yourself, even in the face of adversity.

In today’s episode of The Resilient Life, Sage opens up to host Ryan Manion about recently becoming an empty nester, divorcing her college sweetheart, growing up in a mixed race family, being proud of her faith, navigating the highs and lows of her career in sports media — including her decision to speak up during the pandemic — and all of the lessons she learned about resilience and authenticity along the way.

Sage tells Ryan: “I know that I have principles and that I’m stronger than I thought and I pray that it helps others – starting with my kids – so they don’t wait 50 years to be true to themselves… Our kids see everything – good, bad, ugly. I think it’s a beautiful lesson for us parents to know that they’re watching and if we’re telling them to go be strong and stand up and have that tough conversation with their teacher, friend or coach, or to take a chance… and we’re sitting here on our hands — No! We have to practice what we preach as parents.” 

This Resilient Life episode is also available on iTunes and Spotify. You can follow the team on Instagram here: @theresilientlife.podcast. Ryan Manion has dedicated her life to supporting our nation’s military, veterans, and families of fallen heroes. She is inspired by the character, leadership, and sacrifice of her brother 1st Lt. Travis Manion, USMC, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Al Anbar province of Iraq while drawing fire away from his wounded comrades on April 29th, 2007. You can also follow Ryan on Instagram here: @rmanion.