Ep. 117: Kim Ng - MLB's First Female GM Is Building Pro Softball's Future

🥎 WELCOME, AUSL FANS! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & JOIN THE ATHLETE EFFECT™ COMMUNITY 🥎 Athletes Unlimited Softball Commissioner Kim Ng learned everything she needed to become a trailblazing sports executive in two places: The softball diamond and the tennis court. A 4-year starting infielder for the University of Chicago, Kim graduated with a master's degree in dedication, grit, perseverance and the willingness to fail, DESPITE a fear of failure. (Say that last part out loud, and sit with it for a moment.) Perseverance? Critical, as Kim made history as Major League Baseball's first female general manager. Grit? Essential, when she left her dream job as the Miami Marlins' GM, because the fit was no longer right. In this candid conversation, Kim discusses what it took to stand her ground as often the only woman in the room, how she battled an identity crisis during a critical chapter in her career (and won), and her resilience after a gut-wrenching decision that, ultimately, led her back to her softball roots, where Kim is now paving a powerful future for the AUSL. If anyone's ever made you feel like you don't belong. If you've ever questioned whether your dream is worth the fight. This episode is for you. _______________________________________ ***FOLLOW @THE_ATHLETE_EFFECT ON INSTAGRAM TO ENTER OUR UPCOMING AUSL VIP SWEEPSTAKES Grand prize: ► Two (2) tickets to an AUSL 2027 regular season game of your choice ► On-field access for batting practice ► AUSL swag bag with autographed Kim Ng softball _______________________________________ TOPICS COVERED: Kim Ng, Athletes Unlimited Softball League, AUSL, professional softball, growth of softball, women's sports, investment in women's sports, MLB, first female GM, Miami Marlins, Yankees, Dodgers, White Sox, leadership, coachability, resilience, courage, grit, reflection, fear of failure, trusting your voice, breaking barriers, imposter syndrome, Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Title IX, Women's Sports Foundation, University of Chicago. AUSL LEAGUE SITE & HANDLES: ► AUSL Site: https://theausl.com/ ► Instagram: @theauslofficial ► X (Twitter): @theAUSLofficial BONNIE BERNSTEIN SOCIALS: ► Instagram:   / bonniebernstein   ► X: https://x.com/BonnieBernstein ► LinkedIn:   / bonnie-bernstein   THE ATHLETE EFFECT™ SOCIALS: ► Instagram:   / the_athlete_effect   ► TikTok:   / theathleteeffect   ► Subscribe on YouTube:    / @theathleteeffect   ► Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033etu1... ► Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... ► Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1353-t... ► Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/872... ► Listen on Audacy: https://www.audacy.com/podcast/the-at... Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Kim 02:25 Role Models & Representation 04:05 Baseball Role Models 05:25 Growing Up in Queens 07:48 Dreaming Beyond Sports 10:42 Losing Her Father 12:32 Athlete vs. Executive 14:38 Building Resilience 17:22 Learning Leadership 20:37 Breaking Into Baseball 22:05 The Power of Questions 24:26 Impostor Syndrome 29:21 Joe Torre’s Influence 31:52 Becoming a GM 34:50 Leaving the Marlins 37:53 Returning to Softball 41:52 Running a League 44:46 Kim’s Legacy 46:08 The Power of Sports