We used to experience things together. The same moment, the same breath, the same not-knowing. Somewhere along the way, we lost that. This episode is about what we've traded away in the age of streaming, highlight reels, and on-demand everything — and why sports might be the last place where time still belongs to all of us at once.

In an era defined by movement — by the next opportunity, the better offer, the open portal — Keira Hanson did something quietly radical.

She stayed.

A four-year standout at the University of Vermont, Keira leaves Burlington as one of the most decorated players in program history — a thousand point scorer, a three-time conference champion, an American East All-Conference First Team selection, and a multiple-time NCAA Tournament participant. She arrived from Issaquah High School, where she remains the all-time leading assist leader. And if you know what to look for, that detail tells you everything.

This episode is a conversation about what it means to choose a place. To build something slowly. To measure a career not just in points, but in people — in the teammates you elevated, the program you helped shape, the little sister who followed you across the country and now carries what you built.

Joining the conversation is Ben Aguilar, Director of Operations at the Berry Center in Newcastle, Kentucky — the organization dedicated to putting the writings of farmer, poet, and essayist Wendell Berry to work in the world. Ben brings Berry's language of place, loyalty, and belonging into unexpected conversation with the modern landscape of college athletics.

Together, they help us understand what's quietly being lost every time someone leaves — and what becomes possible for the ones who stay long enough to find out.

The third episode of the collegiate mini series.

Before the next episode drops — a pause.

The transfer portal has thrown this mini-series for a loop, and rather than just explain the delay, this felt like the right moment to say something about it. The transfer portal has changed basketball. But this episode isn't really about basketball. It's about what gets lost when the exit is always available — and what gets found when you choose to stay. A personal reflection on identity, heartbreak, and the kind of development that only happens when you remain loyal to the soil.

EPISODE TWO OF THE COLLEGE MARCH MINI SERIES

In this episode of The Bucket Podcast, Sky sits down with Fairfield University standout Kaety L’Amoreaux, 2026 MAAC Player of the Year, to explore the moments that shape a player beyond the stat line.

From a small-town upbringing in upstate New York to becoming one of the top players in the country, Kaety reflects on the path that led her to the Division I level—navigating recruiting, adversity, and the transition into a leadership role on a team with championship expectations.

The conversation moves through the realities of growth: learning how to respond to failure, finding confidence under pressure, and understanding what it takes to compete at the highest level while staying grounded in who you are off the court.

At its core, this episode is about something harder to define—the space where preparation meets instinct… where the game slows down… and everything starts to connect.

A conversation on flow, identity, and learning how to trust what you’ve built—when it matters most.

EPISODE ONE OF THE COLLEGE MARCH MINI SERIES

Host Sky Stickney sits down with former Washington 4A Player of the Year Jo Lee from Glacier Peak High School, now a freshman at Le Moyne College.

After a high school career defined by production, recognition, and deep postseason runs, Jo has arrived at the level so many chase — only to find himself in a new role.

What follows isn’t frustration... In a season of waiting, Jo reflects on identity, faith, and what it means to stay grounded when the game stops giving back.

As the conversation unfolds, a different kind of strength begins to take shape — one not tied to minutes, points, or recognition.

This episode explores the space between who you were and who you’re becoming… and what holds you steady in between.

After the last two episodes reached more listeners than could have been anticipated, host Sky Stickney takes a moment to say THANK YOU, reflect on the growth, the messages arriving from around the country, and what it means to build something that resonates.

This week creates space to revisit recent conversations while also looking ahead. With many previously featured athletes still competing deep into their postseason runs — and an announcement of new special mini-series focused on high-level collegiate transitions on the horizon — the story continues to unfold in real time.

New episodes return next week.
For inquiries and direct communication: hello@bucketpodcast.com

Host Sky Stickney travels to Portland, Oregon to sit down with Central Catholic High School senior Robbie Long III.

Robbie's day-to-day consists of unseen moments where habits are built, trust is formed, and leadership takes shape long before a game ever tips off. Through conversations with mentors, trainers, and those who have watched his development closely, a philosophy begins to take form — one rooted not in highlight plays, but in the details most people overlook.

And on a Tuesday night rivalry game that had been circled on the calendar for months, that philosophy is tested in real time.

Sometimes the moment that defines a game isn’t the shot everyone remembers.

Sometimes it’s the quiet decision made in the margin.

On this episode, Sky Stickney sits down with Oregon girls basketball standout Taylor Donaldson of South Albany high school — a 2,167+ point scorer climbing into the top ranks in state history — to explore what true craftsmanship looks like.

Off the court, Taylor is known for cookies and cake pops she makes for others. On the court, she’s built her game the same way she bakes — through repetition, precision, and care.

Sky is joined by Karen Bornarth, Executive Director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America to unpack the discipline, vulnerability, and generosity behind mastering something...

This isn’t just about the game.

It’s about The Craft.