Tara Davis-Woodhall and Hunter Woodhall became household names in the Summer of 2024 when they earned their moniker as the Golden Couple as the first husband and wife to win gold at the Olympics and the Paralympic Games.
Two years later, their story is still being written — both online and as two returning Team Captains for DICK’s Sporting Goods’ 2026 Varsity Team orientation in Tampa, Florida, this week.
“I think sports and content creation work together so well because there’s a story. Everyone has a story and everyone’s story matters. You can always find someone that you connect with. Although we’re all so different, we’re all the same — we have a heart, we have a brain and we’re all existing at the same time,” Davis-Woodhall told TheWrap. “It’s special that we can share these stories that are usually only captured through television in a minute or two seconds, where on social media it lives forever. You can actually find out who this person is, understand where they come from, understand their background; actually connect with the person instead of the name.”
“The hardest part about making content is constantly coming up with ideas, brainstorming, always trying to be creative. But when you’re making content about sports, that is the content,” Woodhall added. “We just film practice every single day and share that process, share the behind-the-scenes. It just makes sense, because that authentic thing that you’re doing, the thing you love, becomes the thing you share.”
The pair was joined by fellow Team Captains Coach RAC and Emily Harrigan to help lead 59 hand-selected content creators and influencers on a three-day, activity-filled excursion throughout the city. It was a massive event filled with surprises, just like the world of sports itself.
“The uncertainty is what makes sports exciting. Cheering for the underdogs, the game-winning shots, you never know what could happen,” Woodhall explained. “The story isn’t written, you’re watching it being written in the moment.”
“People connect with sports way more than anything else. Everyone was in sports growing up, everyone has some type of background toward sport,” Davis-Woodhall continued. “It’s pure entertainment. The entertainers just happen to be human beings, and their goals push them to where they are.”
And while Woodhall enjoyed getting to follow the 2026 Winter Games as a fan after winning gold for the men’s 400 m T62 in 2024, his women’s long jump-winning wife picked her favorite moment from Milano Cortina.
“Figure skating took over the entire world, it was like gymnastics for Summer. Alysa Liu is the queen to me and I found so much inspiration from her,” she shared. “I love learning the mental side from these athletes. Yes, they’re out there performing their hearts out, but hearing all these athletes and their struggles that they had to come through just to get to this moment is the part that inspires me.”
The second half of DICK’S 2026 Varsity Team orientation (hosted by Coach Nicole Marcus) included an On-sponsored fun run, a fitness fest HIIT workout, pilates with Free People Movement, a paparazzi-filled green carpet, a Stanley speakeasy and a final sit-down dinner, complete with dueling electric violins, aerialists on silk, live pastry construction and a dance floor led by Eli’s Band.
“It’s pretty awesome to see all these inspiring athletes and creators be themselves. Everyone here has one goal: To be in the sports world, while also being on social media at the same time and collab those things together,” Davis-Woodhall concluded. “Watching everyone’s joy being here, hearing their stories and sharing our story is so inspiring.”
“We love community, being around like-minded people. We have so much fun in the sport and getting active with people, so just being in a group that feels the same way and learning about their sports, the camaraderie is so fun,” Woodhall agreed. “Coming up, there weren’t a lot of people who were taking bets on us or really believed in what we were doing, so seeing DICK’s Sporting Goods really take initiative to bet on athletes, coaches, creators who are trying to grow and share their sports — why would you not want to be here?”
