From Germany to St. Jude, motherhood to football—there’s something for everyone in this dynamic podcast episode with Taylor Dore Terry, Maine. Taylor is a mental health advocate, natural connector, community support ambassador and athlete, currently playing tight end for a semi-professional football team.
Taylor’s success stems from her grit and bravery—always chasing her dreams. She joined Tri Delta as a graduate student, drawn to our values, and eventually served Alpha Kappa Chapter as president.
Taylor shares her journey navigating postpartum depression, the power of community and how she helps others prioritize mental health and seek life-changing support. Juggling roles as a mom, wife, connector and advocate, she has still found a way (and the time!) to break barriers by playing tight end for the Cincinnati Cougars, a semi-pro football team.
Her football journey defies societal norms, inspiring women in male-dominated spaces. Learn about the Women’s Football Alliance and building high-powered partnerships (including one with ESPN).
Join us to hear Taylor’s her inspiring words, feel her positivity and discover how she is a role model for women and moms everywhere! Then catch No. 42 and all the Cincinnati Cougars in action through streamed games on cincinnaticougars.org.
Hello, Tri Deltas and welcome to another episode of the Let's Talk Tri Deltas podcast. I am Mindy Tucker and have the honor of serving as Tri Deltas interim chief executive officer and I also am so lucky that I get to interview some amazing sisters as part of this podcast right here.
And as we approach Mother's Day, it's really the perfect opportunity to talk with our guest today, Taylor Dore Terry. She is from our main chapter. She is a mother, mental health advocate,
natural connector of people, a community support ambassador, an athlete currently playing tight end for the Cincinnati Cougars semi -pro football team. I am so excited to get to know her better today and let her share her story with you.
So Taylor, welcome to the podcast. podcast. No, thank you so much. I'm so excited to be a part of this. Me too. I just, I love this story. There's so many things about your story that I love and I'm really excited to delve into it and share it with our members.
Let's go back and start sort of at the beginning. You graduated from high school in Germany, I hear. How did you get to Maine from Germany?
So my father served in the U .S. Army. So that's kind of how we got over there. So I got to graduate high school in Wiesbaden, Germany. Such a surreal experience even to this day.
But I'm actually a descendant of the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Maine. And the University of Maine has this really amazing grant program that brings in students of tribal descent and tribal members.
And that's why I chose the University of Maine. of Maine was reconnecting with that side of my family. And also it is a fully, it covers room and board,
it covers your classes. So it was something that it was just a no -brainer to take up this opportunity. - I love that. It's interesting to hear how your background sort of came into play and you got this great opportunity and traveling as an Army kid.
- Oh yeah. into itself. It's so exciting that you got to experience Germany and see that. Yeah, it was in me, especially as a high schooler, like, I might not have gotten my driver's license at 16,
but like Paris and England and like all these other amazing places that I wasn't over there, I wouldn't have got to experience. That's just such a cool experience and different perspective to bring back to the States.
You know, definitely. - Definitely. - And you joined Tri Delta a little bit different than sort of our typical member would as an undergrad. You joined as a graduate student. - I did.
- And you became the first president for your chapter. So tell us about your Tri Delta experience and how you joined and what it was like for you. - So in my undergrad, I had that want to be a part of Greek life,
but to be honest, the transition of my family. thing in Europe while I came to the states essentially by myself I was just I struggled a bit I needed to like find out who I was and get my feet on the ground and then so I went back to grad school and I was walking to the cafeteria Monday and all of a sudden these women are there talking about oh are you brave and bold are you kind like are you not scared of
like failure like you don't even that's not even an option for you and I was like oh like like, yeah, I like really vibe with that idea. And all of a sudden, they were like, Oh, we're with Tri Delta, we're a sorority. And I was like, No, no, no,
you don't want me, I'm too old. And they were like, No, you're what we're looking for. Like, we would love to have you. So they kind of opened this door that I thought had closed, right years ago,
when I didn't join in my undergrad. So I was really easy to say I jumped on it very quickly. And then you served in leadership in the chapter, what position? were you in? - Yep, so I was the founding president.
So we were trying to, was that you mean? I think several years ago. And then, so they reestablished themselves on campus. And so I served as that first president of being reestablished.
- Wow, yeah. - And it was phenomenal. I mean, 'cause you were a little bit older and you got to come in and sort of provide that leadership at a critical time for the sorority. So I think that's, really interesting and cool timing for you.
And it was a really neat experience too, because I was also serving as a Res Life Director, well, Assistant Director for the University of Maine. So my sisters are also my residents, so it made this like,
it made me also feel like I was kind of back in that undergrad like dorm experience, because now like I'm connecting with all of these like younger, like living members that were in the dorms.
dorms that I was in. So it just created this really cool opportunity. Yeah, I love that. How do you think Tri Delta prepared you for leadership roles you've had in your life?
Oh gosh, I think the first one that's so easy is it really got me confident in myself, which I think you always feel a little confident until you're pushed to a breaking point.
And And there was so much expected of a founding president. We had so many things to set up, so much to get going. And I think being pushed to those points with a guiding hand,
because we had our like, the older like tri -Delta's who had already graduated, they were there helping us reestablish this. And it's just, they really just helped us along and build that confidence.
in us and then learning to speak to this big diverse group of people because that first class that we had we were just a lot of different people with a lot of different voices and a lot of different opinions and learning how to navigate that and ensure that everyone had a great experience.
I think it's set me up for success in every job I've had since then every leadership position I've had since then. And I also had the experience to go and see St. Jude. Oh,
yeah. And that was life changing. And I think that just changed me fundamentally as a person. So seeing what volunteer in seeing what, when people come together for a cause,
what can be created. And it just really showed me like, if you put your mind to something, you can start at the, at nothing and just build up something that is changing people's lives and helping so many people.
Yeah. So many people have that experience when they go and see it. to St. Jude and they get to make that trip in the summertime. - I think you understand on some level like what work they're doing there.
But when you get to see it face to face, it's just, it's... - It's different. - Yeah, it's something that it's hard to put into words. - Yeah, it makes it real. And you're also seeing how you're a bigger, you're a part of this huge thing that Tri Delta's doing.
- Like you're writing letters, you're fundraising. that you're fundraising. that you're fundraising. it's just like you're a part of this huge thing But when you get to see it face to face, But when you get to see... what those funds are really doing, these families who are at such a, as a mom, now I couldn't even imagine it,
like they're at like the lowest of the lows and what we're doing is really, really helping families during this time. - Yeah, yeah, it's so impactful. So do you, what has tried out to look like in your life today?
Are you still in touch with people? How does it sort of live in your life today? - Okay, so I actually just went back to me. and got to see, we didn't have a chapter room yet when we were, 'cause we were brand new. So I got to go back and see that when I traveled to Maine not too long ago.
And then I'm also a part of the alumni chapters. So I was a part of the Charlotte alumni chapter with Peggy. I feel like that name will ring true to a lot of people in that area. She is-- - Shout out to Peggy.
- Oh my gosh, she is phenomenal. She does so many events. They were just at the Ronald McDonald House volunteer. So, but then COVID kind of took over and with my husband's work, we've bounced around a lot.
But being a part of Peggy's alumni chapter there in Charlotte was just, it was a great experience. And it really helped me find some communities after moving there. - I love that. I love hearing that.
And I know they're gonna love hearing that too. Shout out to them. So you talked about being a mom and your son is about three and a half years old. half and first I have kids too,
we're all in that boat. There's so much that goes along with parenting and so many unexpected things that we deal with and I know you after he was born suffered with postpartum depression and you've talked about that in terms of your experience and I'd love to dig in a little bit to that journey for you today and how you found community and support.
and dealt with that as you were facing it. - Yeah, so I didn't, I don't think any moms in 2020 planned on it, but I ended up being pregnant during the pandemic and everything I expected was not what I experienced.
- Yeah. - So no baby showers, no, everyone was excited, but it was a very isolated excitement. And then when I had him, it was, I've always been pretty happy.
happy, go lucky, very Sagittarius energy. And I got brought down to my knees. It was, I, I could cry right now.
Like the experience was the most isolating and humbling thing I've ever had in my entire life. There was points where I was considering taking my own life, like. It's,
I just, I don't think we. I don't think tears are a bad thing. Like I'm surviving this experience. - Tears are a good thing and I want, I mean, I think that's what makes this real. I think this conversation is real for so many people who didn't expect to be in that position.
- And I still like looking back on it, it's like, I don't know how, without the community, without my family, without kind of being like, you know what, like I know society looks and frowns upon this,
but I'm gonna seek professional help. I would not be here today. I hate that you say that, that, you know, society frowns upon it. We do a lot of work in Treadel to around thinking about our mental health,
like we think about our physical health. And if we broke our leg, we would go to the doctor. And no one would question why you went to the doctor about it, and that's the thing. Right.
And so if we're not feeling mentally well, we should seek help. And there's a lot of different. ways to do that. And we try to, we try to instill that in our collegiate members.
But I think when you're a mom, so much of it is unexpected, because you've had this identity of yourself and how you go about your way in life. And then, you know, you get pregnant or you have a child,
my kids are adopted, someone about this a little bit differently. But you end up in the situation where you're having all these feelings that you don't, like you just haven't had before, and you don't know how to deal with them, whether it's mom guilt or postpartum.
postpartum depression or whatever, it's just, it's so rattling for us, I think. - And although I feel like it's changing, like there's still such that conversation of you can do everything,
like you're your own, like you're your own power source and it's like, but I'm depleted, like I need someone to feed into me. And that's why these tears are why I've become such an advocate for mom seeking help,
mom saying, I'm not a woman. okay. Like I need someone to step in and help me. And I unfortunately, my postpartum care,
I didn't receive that support. And my mom and my husband saved my life because they noticed the signs before I did. And they were like, nope, like we're gonna take care of you. This is like,
okay, like we're gonna figure this out. And the sad thing is that there's so many moms so who don't have that support? system. And that's why I'll scream it for moms who like aren't ready to screw it for themselves.
Like you lose for a while you lose so much of yourself because you do have this baby that they need they're completely innocent,
they need that help. So learning that that part of you will come back. It's just the ebb and flow of motherhood, right? - Right. - But sometimes you need someone to throw you a life jacket and it's okay.
It doesn't make you a bad mom. - It's okay to raise your hand and say I need help. I can't do this. I need help. - And I do think that it's starting to change. You see a lot of influencers who are giving you that inside look of yeah,
like I just had a baby. I'm in diapers and I'm sad. Like this is more than the baby blues. And I think that's it. like birds papaya. She's a huge person in transparency and I just think it's gonna affect so many women in such a positive way.
Yeah so I want to ask you I know you you've been through it you know what helped you where where do you direct women today who might be going through those who might be listening to this and saying yeah this is me I don't know where to turn I don't have any idea where to turn.
What what help is out there where should where should women go? I want to encourage people if your medical provider is not helping you with what you need, like seek a different medical provider.
It's okay to leave and try someone different because my OBGYN here in Ohio has been nothing but amazing in connecting me to resources that are helping me as a mom and a woman.
And also, I personally found I joined Pina, which is an app for moms. And it kind of has like a set up like Tinder, where you're swiping with people and you feel like you might connect.
- Oh, it's called Peanut? - Yeah, it's called Peanut. And my mom told me about it. And I ended up joining and making a playgroup and being like, "Hey, does anyone want to get together and just like have our kids play and us talk?" And it's grown to 1 ,500 moms.
And we do almost weekly play dates. dates and so many we have moms who have just found out that they're pregnant to moms whose kids are in college and come for book club so we've really created this sense of community here at least in Cincinnati Ohio yeah where we're building that community that plays up rise bring women up to where they deserve to be and they should be especially in motherhood - I so relate to this.
And I can't, I'm now imagining like I had that ability to sort of join a thing here locally and there was a play group you could join and met some friends and we still have friends from that. But I can't imagine in COVID when the world was shut down and you're trying to navigate this without being able to make those natural connections.
- And I think the anxiety would have been there as it was, but - with COVID you were like, can this baby even leave the house? - Right. - What should I be doing with him? Like I'm not sure, so that, and I'm sure that fed into it is just isolation and motherhood I think is like the worst thing.
Like if you're a mom, I highly encourage you to take the step, go to the play date, even if you don't talk to anyone, you know, they're there and then maybe next time you can say hi. - Right.
- Thank you. Every mom's feeling the same way you do. I can tell you I started the play dates and I was standing there like Should I talk to anyone? You're not gonna be BFFs immediately You got to like pour into it a little bit and get to know people and see how it see how it goes and those especially if they had home moms,
I feel like I had so many work friends and I'd go to work and I would expect to have those conversations. As a stay -at -home mom, I was like, what do we even share in common? Like I haven't made friends since middle school.
Like what am I doing? You know, like I haven't made friends on the playground since I was like 10. - Yeah, how do you do this? Yeah, it's a really different world and it can't be isolating.
Well, I appreciate you being so vulnerable and sharing. I think-- - Yeah, I'm sorry for the-- tears, but just thinking back. - Yeah, don't apologize for the tears. - I'm so proud of getting back to finding myself and just,
this wasn't in the baby books. - Right, right. There was no map for that for you. - Yeah. - Here's what to expect when you get postpartum depression. That is not a book. - No, maybe that's the next one they need to make.
- Right, right. Well, I thank you for going down that road and just sharing with us and being so vulnerable. I thank you. I think there's a lot of women that are going to feel seen and heard just,
just having you share your story. So I appreciate that course and it changed directions a little bit and talk about sports. You have been my bread and butter.
Yeah, this is going to be so fun. You have been an athlete since your early career and you did youth sports and tell us a little bit about sort of how sports came to be in your life. I don't think it was ever an option to not be in my life.
So my mom played college basketball for University of Maine at Machias. And I think we came right out the womb. My mom was ready for us to be in basketball,
but I fell in love with basketball. I played softball, tennis. I just any sport I was willing to try it and see, see where I landed.
I love that. And so how did how how did you end up with football? When did football come along? It's such a crazy story and I feel like my family is still reeling on like how did we end up here?
But I was on Facebook actually I was I think I was updating our mom group in an ad popped up on Facebook like hey women are strong women are fears play football and I was like like,
kind of like my tri -delta experience. I was like, ah, they don't want me, like I'm too old. And so I just reached out though to see what was going on. And they were like, no, we have women from 19 to 55 years old are playing on our team.
Come out to tryouts, let's see what happens. - Wow. That's amazing. And so you went to try out. - And yeah, they were like, we love you.
Like, would you like to join the team? And I got my offer letter and I got my offer letter and I got my offer letter. that's all she wrote. I've been playing for the team since November of last year. We do lifting,
we have cardio, film review, full practices in helmets, pads. This is full tackle football. - Full tackle football. And you played tight end. I know what that is 'cause I'm a little bit obsessed with football,
but for those of you, for those of our listeners who don't, can you explain what that position does on the field? - Kind of, I joke with our other tight end. We're kind of like a jack of all trades.
So we're playing on the line and we're taking hits, we're blocking, but then we're also going out to the sidelines. So we're also playing a receiver position as well. - Okay,
all right. - We're your Travis Kelce's and Grant Kelce's. - There you go, there you go, right? Make that relevant for all our Swifties out there. there. Right. You have to share the story.
So first of all, she shared the story with me before we started talking today. You have to share the story about the Kelce invite. Oh, gosh, so I'm a big person on the answer is no,
if you don't ask. So you might as well ask. So I found Jason Kelce's agent information online. And I was like, gosh, I wonder if he could just even like give us some feedback, like just tell us what his opinion is.
So I reached out to his agent and all of a sudden I got an email back and I was just my mind was blown. And she invited our entire team to the New Heights live podcast filming that just happened here in Cincinnati,
Ohio. And we've got autographs from Travis Kelce. We got to see Joe Burrow, which every Bengals fan lost their mind, I think. And it was just such an amazing bonding experience.
to have this, I mean, one of the greatest in the game, recognize our team and then invite us out to something that they were doing that was really big. So it was just out of this world.
You are, so that's a great segue into you are, you're in this sport that has traditionally been reserved for men. And so I can imagine to have one of them recognize it and say,
hey, we want, we want to bring you in to something. we're doing. But what do you think the significance is of women playing football? And how is it going to change the sport?
Do you see it going-- I mean, it's semi-pron now. Do you see it growing? What's your vision for this? And how is it really going to change the sport? I just think this is such an exciting time in women's sports right now.
Like, we have the Caitlyn Clarks, the Angel Reese's. Like, they're-- blowing up their sport. And then we just had the women's like professional soccer league,
they released a story of reminding everyone that, hey, we started playing on high school fields, and now we're having stadiums built for us. So I think all of this momentum that's coming behind women's sports,
like we're just excited to be a part of it. So we're hoping that we follow the same trajectory that we're gonna, people are gonna, to be excited about us, people are going to want to come to games, they're going to want to support us,
and we're playing high -level competitive sports. We're not just showing up on the weekend, we're practicing three to four days a week, we're having film review, we're lifting,
we're talking nutrition, we've just got a partnership with the University Cincinnati Healthcare System, and we're getting recognized. Now,
I just think it feels great to have all of this effort is not to waste. >> Yeah, yeah, it must be fun to be at the forefront of that as it grows and sort of becomes more of a mainstream thing that people are aware of and know about.
And to be on this ride right now in women's sports, you're right. It's just such a great time. >> Especially on this team, so we, this is only our second year in the league. and we are right now looked at as someone who has a potential to win the entire division.
So we're coming in strong this season. That's really exciting and you you're only a couple games away from the start of the season right. Yes, we have four practices left until our first game.
Okay, all right. We'll be heading to Nashville to play against the music city misfits. Music city misfits. Okay, let's That's funny.
So how do you, one question I'll ask, which I feel like we always ask women, but I think it's relevant. I think it's always interesting to hear how people balance it. You know, you are balancing this and motherhood at the same time.
And how do you, how do you sort of make that work? And I feel like a lot of people use this answer, but I have a husband who is, who thinks I can do things before I do.
think I can do things. So he's like my number one cheerleaders. So right now he's out with the baby to make sure I had the ability to just sit here and speak to you, which is an incredible opportunity. And then I'm lucky enough that my mom and sister also live in the area and they don't hesitate to fill in a babysit or show up in support.
But an amazing thing that the Cincinnati Cougars do is... children are always welcome. You're a mom first and a football player second. So that's incredible.
I love it. Which a lot of jobs, you know, like, you know, I feel like an interview, you have to be like, you know, the warning, I'm a mom. Here it's, you're a mom, let's celebrate that. And it's never once been that I couldn't bring my son to a practice and we would just figure it out.
Yeah, I love that. That must be such a a, that's like a load off, you know? It's like one thing left that you don't have to worry about so you can focus on doing what you're there to do that day. - Especially because I didn't realize how much lingo goes into this sport.
I feel it was like speaking another language for so long and it's just now clicking. - That's funny, that's funny. So one thing I know everybody's gonna wanna know is how do we watch?
Where do we watch semi -pro women's football? So if you go to CincinnatiCougars .org we actually stream our games through our website but the league itself the women's football alliance WFA has just made a partnership with ESPN too so games will be streaming on there as well.
Okay exciting we'll have to figure out your schedule tune in to watch our favorite title to play right yeah I would love to hold that title So you also had a little fun with your photo shoot.
Why don't you tell us about that? Oh, with the team photo shoot. Yeah. Oh gosh. Yeah. We had a great time. I unfortunately took a tumble and got a little beat up during the photo shoot,
but some of our photos came out amazing. So yeah, they're all online. Everyone's ready to see them. We actually. just updated the website so you can see the full team roster on there. Okay,
cool. We're going to have to make sure at the end I'm going to ask you all the places to go to find you so you can share that with us. So what's next for you? What's the next big thing for your life?
Gosh, I think just balancing everything. I'm moving forward. I just want to keep building this community for women. in Cincinnati, whether that be through sports or a small group that I'm going to keep up and running.
So I just, I just want to create a space where everyone has that chance to be authentically themselves. So. And then we're building that I think on two fronts here in Cincinnati.
Wow, I love that. Well, I'd love to, I want to keep you close to Tri Delta. I think there are so many female athletes out there. there that are members who are going to be excited to hear this story and look up to you.
And I think as a mom you're such a great role model as well just in how you've overcome adversity and are willing to you know share that and be vulnerable so other moms can can do the same thing.
So you just have such a fun great story and I'm so glad you were willing to share it with us today. No thank you so much. I just love being able to share this and talk about things I'm passionate about so.
Yeah so um are you on social media how can people find you and the team and all the stuff that we kind of So Cincinnati Cougars are you can find them TikTok Instagram Facebook the website I mentioned there is Cincinnati underscore Cougars and then myself I would say my most popular social media I'm a big book talker.
So you can find me at, yeah, that's Taylor on TikTok, especially if you're a fourth -wing Akatar fan. I just actually met Rebecca Yaros not too long ago.
- Fourth -wing Akatar, is that a book? - Oh yeah, there's some like big like fantasy series, but so yeah, our Columbus library here in Ohio brought in Rebecca Yaros, which was an amazing experience.
- Oh. - Oh, how cool, yeah. I'm sure there's a whole group of people out there that are like, wait, I read that to you. - Yeah, but yeah, that's probably the easiest places. And I just, I always want to keep,
if there's ever a woman that needs someone to speak to about postpartum issues, please don't ever hesitate to reach out to me. I'm not an expert, but I'm always a ear.
So I'm always happy to listen. And I know that made such a difference for me through my like journey. Yeah, what a what a what a generous offer of your time. And I know there's somebody out there that needs to hear that and we'll probably reach out to you.
So thank you for that. Of course. And thank you for joining us. This has been a great conversation. And I know lots of people are going to be inspired by hearing your story. So thanks for joining us today.
Thank you for saying that. Thank you. So - So Taylor showed so much great encouragement to us to pursue our passions and be able to ask for help when we need it.
She's really a true testament to saying that no obstacle is too great to overcome. I love it that when they said, "Are you fearless? Are you ready to jump in and do some cool things?”, she said, "Yes,
I'm here." So I love hearing that story about how she joined our organization. I'm grateful for all of you for tuning in today as we continue to tell these great stories. stories of resilience and empowerment. I hope you're all planning to join us at convention in July in Orlando where we've got some really great keynote speakers lined up and networking and celebrations and just great sisterhood time in the sun in
Orlando this summer so I hope you'll join us. You can find information about that on our website at trydelta .org /events. We hope you'll like, subscribe and rate our podcast. We sure do. love those five star ratings,
even though we only have three stars in our crescent. We love the five star ratings. Thanks for joining us. Until next time, Delta Love.