our Story

The Athletes Guide was created to give professional sports families a safe place to find the resources they need to live their lives all while traveling on a moments notice through the sports world. They current provide for MLB, MiLB, and other professional baseball leagues and NHL hockey teams.

Lory Ankiel is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Athletes Guide, as well as a Director of Baseball. She is a former Miami Dolphins Cheerleader, mom of two boys, Declan and Ryker and wife to retired MLB player, Rick Ankiel. Her experience as an expectant mother in the baseball life fueled her idea to create Our Baseball Life and help others to have the resources they needed to better navigate this unique lifestyle. She joined forces with Brijet Whitney to form The Athletes Guide, covering professional baseball and professional hockey, and later with Alysa and Paige to expand Our Baseball Life. She resides in Florida in the offseason with her family including 3 cats and a Lab!

Alysa is the Chief Operating Officer for The Athletes Guide and a Director of Baseball. She is a mom of two, Joe and Leila and wife to retired MLB player now Arizona Diamondbacks coach, Jeff Bajenaru. Alysa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences from Oklahoma University and takes immense pride in being a community builder. She started Wags in Real Life in 2015 before joining forces with Paige and Lory to expand Our Baseball Life. Her compassion for the people in this unique community drives her to connect women and share stories with the intention of creating a safe space for others to seek support, feel empowered and give back. She resides in Texas in the offseason with her family including 2 cats!

Paige is the Chief Financial Officer for The Athletes Guide and a Director of Baseball. She has spent the last 16 years traveling the country with her husband, retired MLB veteran and now manager in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Donnie Murphy. Her extensive experience navigating the baseball life through 9 different Major League organizations, countless moves and 14 different states has equipped her to help others in their journeys and give them much need support and resources. She teamed up with Lory and Alysa to continue the work of Our Baseball Life and The Athletes Guide. She and her husband share two kids, Liam and Finley and reside in Michigan in the off season with their dogs.

Brijet is the creator of Our Hockey Life. This past year she launched a successful Podcast, under the same name, sharing personal on & off the ice stories from the hockey world told by the ladies & gents of pro-hockey themselves. Her extensive dance background fueled her passion for the creative arts from an early age and eventually led her heart to San Jose with her home-town-hockey-playing boyfriend Ray Whitney, where she started her professional musical theater career and their 23 year NHL journey. Building this first ever official platform for the hockey community & continuing to connect them comes so naturally to her having lived in 3 countries & 13 cities over Ray’s impressive & lengthy career. The couple is currently calling Scottsdale, Arizona home while raising their 3 busy teenage kids and continuing to work for the NHL & stay actively involved with the NHL Alumni Association & the professional sports community. She is delighted to have met her badasss partner Lory Ankiel & join forces to co-found The Athlete’s Guide!