64. "The Black Female Collegiate Athlete Experience” Founder, Marlene Holmes

Marlene “Marley” Holmes is a former Division 1 volleyball player who is now a Social Worker and Entrepreneur. She  has mastered the art of utilizing her athletic training to adapt and contribute to social work and athletics  successfully. While attending Bethune-Cookman University, she earned her Bachelor's degree in  Sociology with a Social Work minor and completed her Master's degree at the University of Central  Florida. Ms. Holmes currently attends Barry University as a third-year doctoral student in Social Work,  focusing on black female collegiate athletes' lived experience. Throughout her postgraduate studies, she has presented at national conferences for social work professionals, professional athletes, scholars, and student-athletes. Additionally, she has organized numerous public speaking events for local high school  athletes; she is also the recently honored recipient of the Doctoral Fellowship Award at Barry University. As Ms. Holmes' professional career within corporate America advanced, she quickly recognized the  challenges that directly impact student-athletes, particularly student-athletes of color, once the sport  concludes. She identified the lack of professional preparation and inadequate exposure to resources for  athletes of color based on her journey. By creatively combining her passion for sports and social work background, she founded "The Black Female Collegiate Athlete Experience." The BFCA Experience focuses on the athlete's success beneath the jersey by providing tools that prepare, support, and motivate players, parents, and coaches beyond the game. Connect with Marlene on: Instagram: @the_bfca_experience and @yupshesaidit LinkedIn: The BFCA Experience Podcast: Yup, She Said It Podcast Available on over 10 platforms including: Spotify, IHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts Website: www.marleneholmes.com YouTube: The BFCA Experience Pre-order your copy of my new book "Thrive After Sports" today by clicking here! http://www.thriveaftersportsbook.com/ Thank you for your support! Connect with me directly at https://www.tajdashaun.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tajdashaun/ Instagram: @tajdashaun Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coachtajdashaun YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdQgi_hDXaP5-6OtX_Nyf4A