Behind the mask are habits, quirks, and competitive fires that make @aerin.frankel and @gwyneth.philips the fiercest competitors, teammates, and friends.
Tender, premiering on @Allezsports on YouTube on Saturday, February 14th, is the new feature documentary that takes you inside the deeply personal story of the two @thepwhlofficial superstars and @teamusa goalies in the @milanocortina2026 Olympics.
This is a story about a partnership where trust is mandatory, respect earned and the person beside you is also one of your biggest competitors.
🔗 to trailer in bio
Produced by @deannahong and @mc_finney
Keyart 📸 courtesy of @taylorheise9
#PWHL #olympics #womenshockey #hockey #sportsdocumentary
Paris is a movie star ✨🎥
What's it really like being the voice behind the defense? 🥅
In this moment from Tender, the documentary on Allez! Sports, Gwyneth Philips—one part of the gold-winning Olympic goalie duo—shares why connection with her teammates matters just as much as the saves.
From directing traffic on the ice to celebrating every blocked shot, being a goalie means leading with trust, communication, and a little bit of chaos.
Inside the crease, leadership looks different.
Now playing on @Allezsports YouTube
Produced by @deannahong and @mc_finney
#WomensHockey #TeamUSA #PWHL #OlympicGold #WomensSports
🚨It’s here! Tender is NOW PLAYING ▶️ on @Allezsports YouTube.
Behind the mask are habits, quirks, and competitive fires that make @aerin.frankel and @gwyneth.philips the fiercest competitors, teammates, and friends. This feature documentary takes you inside the deeply personal story of the two @thepwhlofficial superstars and @teamusa goaltenders heading to @milanocortina2026 . Trust is mandatory, respect is earned, and the person beside you is also one of your biggest competitors.
This is the story you don’t get to see anywhere else. Watch now. Link in bio. 🇺🇸🏒🔥
Produced by @deannahong and @mc_finney
#womeninsports #winterolympics #pwhl #hockey
How we started 2025, and a bunch of cool stuff that’s happened since ☺️
To be honest, my life felt like it went off the rails after the most devastating professional disappointment of my career a few years back. I feel like I’ve been trying to recalibrate ever since.
Reflecting back on my 2025 though, I realized that I am genuinely happier than I’ve ever been, and I’m feeling so grateful for this past year full of friends, travel, and new opportunities 🥺
A non-exhaustive list of highlights:
- spending time with friends & loved ones in Quebec, LA, Minnesota, Maine, Paris, Geneva, Edinburgh, Indonesia, and Vietnam
- visiting my family’s home country for the first time (and getting a new tattoo to commemorate)
- picking up 2 new Emmys
- studying languages for 200+ hours
- learning to play hockey as an adult (a humbling and thrilling experience)
- more women’s sports work than ever: LOVB, Angel City FC, USGA, UEFA Women’s Euros, US Open, Gymnastics Worlds, NWSL, The 85ers
- also did some men’s sports: Super Bowl, KC Royals, Tennis Channel
It certainly wasn’t without some setbacks and challenges as well (not pictured), but ending this year full of gratitude for all of it. Something tells me 2026 is going to be even better :)
What an honor to be able to tell stories about the best of the best ✨
Before @jwongorantes became a 2x Olympic Medalist and Best Libero of the Tokyo Olympics, she wasn’t even a libero.
From not having a pro contract, to being cut from the national team, to then becoming the best in the world - JWO’s determination & leadership is inspiring.
In fact, she inspires me to follow my personal dream of being a short person with a bunch of really tall friends someday 😂
Full video is on @lovboma ’s feed!
It feels cheesy to get an Olympics tattoo, not being an actual Olympian (don’t worry, it’s not the rings 😂), but I’ve dreamed of working at the Olympic Games since I was a kid. For me, working in Paris marked a career achievement, as well as a personal turning point worth commemorating 🥺
My Uncle Khai, the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father figure my whole life, passed away during my time here. He shared with me this futile desire to capture and preserve life’s precious moments, despite their ephemeral nature. My career trajectory wouldn’t exist without him, and I wanted to honor his impact on my life.
Because photography was a passion my uncle and I bonded over, the symbol within this tattoo represents aperture (ie. how much light is allowed to enter a camera). It also serves to remind me that I get to choose how open I am to life’s opportunities, challenges, and connections.
In both photography and in life, it can feel safer to stay closed. Opening up inherently comes with vulnerability & risk (of an out-of-focus shot or, arguably worse, rejection & hurt) — but I’ve also found that openness often yields life’s most beautiful moments ✨
Amongst Paris 2024’s moments I found:
- light in the smiles of new friends
- inspiration in colleagues who are the best at what they do
- reassurance in teammates who had my back
- compassion in tea & a hug offered by a stranger
- bliss in Parisian sunset laughter
- hilarity in absolute chaos
- companionship in late-night drinks
- glee in midnight McDonald’s runs
- spontaneity in new connections
- acceptance of things not meant for me
- gentleness in an artist’s touch
- accomplishment in a hard day’s work
- and much more ☺️
All of that to say: Merci infiniment, Paris, pour ces moments si précieux. Je les chérirai pour toujours 🥹🇫🇷🫶🏼
Them: “So… what exactly does a Field Producer at the Olympics DO?”
Us:
(Secret: I’m still not sure, but for some reason it requires three phones 🤷🏻♀️)
Covering the Olympic Games here in Paris is a realization of a childhood dream for me. This opportunity (really, my entire career) was only made possible by my dearest Uncle Khai, the most important man in my life, who left us a few days ago after a long battle with cancer.
Many of my memories of him include a camera in hand, eye pressed against the viewfinder, documenting countless moments of our family’s lives.
When I was young, he would let me play around with his camera and patiently teach me about its various settings. When I graduated and got an opportunity to work with UCLA Gymnastics, he gifted me an old camera of his - that camera started my career.
Photography was his passion, but he never pursued it professionally. My mom & her brothers immigrated from Vietnam as children and have worked tirelessly to build a better life for my generation. I’m the first in my family to have the privilege of pursuing a creative career full-time.
A few weeks ago, I had a long conversation with my uncle about film photography, a relatively new hobby of mine. He lit up and recalled his days shooting film, eagerly flipping through my film photos, despite his shaking hands.
Later that night he told me that our conversation had made him feel alive for the first time in a while - a respite from the all-consuming conversations of the past year. A reminder of who he was before cancer.
“I wish I could keep talking with you about photography for a long time,” he said. With tears welling up in his eyes he added, somberly, “It would have been nice.”
As we sobbed together, he hugged me and told me how proud he was of me. None of this would be possible for me without him.
He was always present to help his sister (my mom), a single mother, raise me. He opened his home to us at various points of my life and provided so much for our whole family without ever asking anything in return.
My dearest Uncle Khai, thank you for everything. I will spend the rest of my life aspiring to embody the patience, benevolence, selflessness, and love that you gave us your whole life. I love & miss you so much and will carry you with me forever ❤️
If you haven’t yet heard, @bdownie92 & @elliedownie have been honoured with MBEs for their “services to Gymnasts and to the Sport of Gymnastics” 🤯
(For other Americans like myself - they’ve been distinguished by the king as Members of the Order of the British Empire and the designation of “MBE” will live alongside their names forever - a very big deal, from my understanding 🙃)
What an honor it has been to be a part of telling Becky’s story through “Comeback.” We timed the doc release to coincide with the MBE announcement so that people could hear more from Becky & Ellie themselves about what they’ve endured whilst fighting to better the culture of gymnastics for generations to come 🙏🏼
Here’s some silly BTS of our tiny little team of three (including @lilizwirner & @pulla_carlotta ) who worked super hard and resourcefully to bring the doc to life! No other self-funded, passion project has been as intensive nor as rewarding 🥹
If you enjoyed Comeback and feel compelled to support me so I can continue filming with Becky as she trains toward Paris 2024), you can find more info via the link in my bio 🤗
@bdownie92 , @elliedownie , @jennifer.pinches , @danusiafrancis , & more have displayed great courage in using their voices & platforms to catalyze much-needed change in the sport of gymnastics.
COMEBACK Episode 1 will be premiering on YouTube in just a few hours. Link in bio.
