Podcast: Breaking Records, Building Leadership You’d Walk Through Fire For with Lilly King
Lilly King — Fierce, Fun, and Fostering the Next Generation of Leaders
In this episode of More Than an Armband, Anja sits down with seven-time Olympic medalist and Indiana University swimming legend Lilly King. Lilly traces her path from a competitive Evansville household to becoming one of the most outspoken leaders in American swimming — including the moment at age 12 that convinced her an Olympic career wasn't just a dream, but a plan.
The conversation digs into what it actually means to lead an individual sport wrapped inside a team: how Lilly learned the hard way that being the fastest swimmer in the pool didn't automatically make her a good teammate, the pep talk she gave her Indiana team before Big Ten Championships that she credits with a mindset shift, and the moment she got disqualified mid-meet and had to compartmentalize her own disappointment to support five teammates racing their only event of the day. She also opens up about being the team's go-to spokeswoman on hard topics — including calling out doping — and what it meant to be voted captain by her peers again and again, even in years she wasn't wearing the title.
The episode closes with Lilly's reflections on retiring at the IU Natatorium where her career began, her new chapter mentoring the next generation of swimmers with Lead Sports Co., and her one piece of advice for any young athlete stepping into leadership for the first time: trust yourself.
In this episode:
Building an Olympic dream from a competitive household
Learning the difference between task-oriented and relationship-oriented leadership
Holding a team accountable before a championship meet
Compartmentalizing disappointment to support teammates
Being the "spokeswoman" for hard conversations
Closing a career full circle at home
Captain’s University is a leadership development platform that empowers women leaders in sport and beyond. Founded by former UC Berkeley and University of Portland soccer captain Anja Koehler, CU gives student-athletes, captains and coaches practical tools built on three pillars: Clarity, Communication and Confidence. CU is also home to More Than an Armband, a podcast on what leadership really looks like. Learn more at CaptainsUniversity.com.
