For those that do not know, Boston radio station WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 has a program called “Exceptional Women” that airs Sunday mornings at 7:30 p.m. eastern time. Among previous guests on the show were Suze Orman and Whitney Cummings.
Its most recent guest was former WNBA player and current Boston Celtics Developer of Player Development Allison Feaster. She played 10 seasons in the WNBA, including time with the Charlotte Sting, Indiana Fever and Los Angeles Sparks. Feaster has also worked in the G-League.
Feaster sat down with Sue Tabb and Kendra the Entertainer and discussed a wide variety of topics – including her aspirations to be a professional athlete. When she went to school at Harvard, she did not have those aspirations because the opportunities for women who were basketball players were practically confined to playing overseas.
Feaster felt going to Harvard would help more in her pursuits outside of basketball, particularly since Harvard did not have the acumen that women’s basketball “blue bloods” such as UConn and Tennessee enjoy.
I saw going to Harvard as a springboard to the workforce, to get a job and help my family out.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
She gave much of the credit for being able to balance life as a student and life as an athlete to her mother because she looked at her as an example of someone with a blue-collar, lunch-pail attitude. Feaster said this particularly became apparent after her parents separated.
Feaster also credited her mother with being able to set a balance between her personal life and her professional life.
My daughter spent the first 10 years of her life with me in Europe when I was playing professionally. So, she was used to the – we live here for a year, mom gets a new job, we go somewhere else for two more years.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
We finally got back to the States in 2016 and she had a community and she decided to hang out back in North Carolina with her dad. So, I don’t have that demand, that daily demand that’s having to … balance that work and personal life.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
Feaster mentioned how her daughter is now in middle school and playing basketball. She described her daughter as a “decent” player, but separated herself somewhat from her daughter’s hoop dreams because she wanted it to be one that’s her trek to bigger and better things.
On charitable work – which is something that is widespread throughout the W, Feaster always relished the idea of partaking in philanthropic initiatives because she believes one should use the platform of professional basketball to improve communities.
It’s always been about being a role model and being a person young women and young girls and young boys, for that matter, can touch and aspire to be where I was at the time. And the NBA, WNBA and other leagues associated with the league do a great job at growing the game and help providing a platform for us athletes to use that platform to give back.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
She said her philanthropic initiatives through basketball took her to many places – including Europe and China. When she traded her jersey for a business suit, she admitted that she was unsure if the skills she gained through basketball would be enough to transition to a career in the corporate world.
Then, she mentioned a program the NBA created for former players – including WNBA players – that would allow them to transition to a successful career in an NBA front office after retirement. She said she had the chance to sit down and learn from five NBA front offices – one of them being the Boston Celtics.
As a woman holding such responsibility in a powerful position in a male-dominated industry, one may think there would be trembles and nervousness. Feaster says that things have been much easier because of how welcoming the Celtics’ staff has been to her. Having another former WNBA great in Kara Lawson as an assistant coach to Brad Stevens certainly helps.
Feaster mentioned that she has had other instances where she was either the only woman or one of a few women on staff, but that the WNBA and NBA have made a league-wide commitment to diversity.
In terms of her daughter, Feaster says she gets asked about not being able to be near her daughter on a regular basis, but that those are not difficult questions to address.
I don’t struggle with those questions because I know the foundation that I had growing up with a strong female role model. I know what it meant to me to see my mother pursue her dreams and work hard to provide for the family. I know that my daughter appreciates the path I’ve chosen – we’ve chosen as a family. And when she comes to Boston, she looks out with pride in the arena and she knows that her mom is a part of the organization.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
Feaster also talked about if there was anything from her younger days that she wishes her older self had known. She recalled being in Mexico City on a panel and that included writing a letter to the younger selves.
I recall writing about fear and stressing out over missteps … and I would definitely tell my younger self to relax and enjoy the ride and don’t be so stressed out about foregoing one opportunity to take another, because in the end, when you keep your head down and you work hard and you’re a good person and you treat people with respect – those things that we all hopefully learn at a young age, things generally work out.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
According to Feaster, she has had conversations with women where it appears that they can be afraid to do certain things because they may defy gender norms. Those gender norms are being erased one by one and she credits her mother with pushing her to do what she can to break glass ceilings.
You learn to raise your hand and not be afraid … and, there’s a way to do things, a way to approach any situation, but we as females certainly can’t be afraid to do so.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
Tabb talked about how both she and her co-host both have daughters of their own and that brought up how it is every bit as important top advocate for yourself as it is to be for other women as a whole.
As a professional athlete, as a high school athlete who received little attention, you’re taught to be pretty humble and downplay things and always defer back to the team setting. While all of that is true, when it’s time for Alison, the individual or whoever it may be, the individual to get a job or to advocate for yourself, it’s hard to kind of separate those two personas.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
What has it been like to work with the Boston Celtics? Feaster had glowing words to mention about her experience, saying that the organization is filled from top to bottom with people that want to see others thrive.
Being a part of an organization you’ve always admired and … people who you thought were quality people before, but once you are on the inside, you are amazed at … that folks are really genuine, down-to-earth and eager to help you learn and achieve and be at your best.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
Feaster has definitely made her mark in her post-WNBA days as someone who is making a way for women in the male-dominated sports industry. A debate has since taken place in WNBA circles regarding women as head coaches after Walt Hopkins was hired as New York Liberty coach.
Only four woman head coaches exist – Nicki Collen (Atlanta Dream), Sandy Brondello (Phoenix Mercury), Marianne Stanley (Indiana Fever) and Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx). Feaster says she would like to see more women get opportunities, but also believed some of the onus should be on women to prepare themselves to land said gigs in the sports industry.
Be ready, continue to prepare yourselves, challenge yourself, step outside of your comfort zone to grow. I think the NBA is doing a great job with promoting diversity and inclusion to creating these opportunities. So, I don’t doubt that there will continue to be progress in this space and…yeah…I say go for it. Don’t be afraid. We’re here and we’re representing.
–Allison Feaster, “Exceptional Women,” WMJX-FM Magic 106.7 Boston
