PyData Global 2022

Discover Inspirational Insights in Motivational Sports Speeches Using Speech-to-Text
12-03, 15:30–16:00 (UTC), Talk Track II

Inspirational sports speeches have motivated and reinvigorated folks for years. Whether you’re a developer or an athlete, they’ve withstood the journey because even the smartest, the bravest, and the most resilient need some encouragement on occasion.

During our time together, we’ll use Python and a speech-to-text provider to transcribe sports podcasts that contain inspirational speeches. We’ll discover insights from the transcripts to determine which ones might give you a boost of energy or rally your team.

We’ll discover common topics of each sports podcast episode and measure how they leave us feeling: victorious or perhaps overcoming the agony of defeat. We’ll also investigate if there are any similarities and differences in the sports speeches and what makes a great motivational speech that moves people to action.

By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of using speech recognition in real-world scenarios and using features of Machine Learning with Python to derive insights.

This talk is for developers of all levels, including beginners.


Inspirational sports speeches have motivated and reinvigorated folks for years. Whether you’re a developer or an athlete, they’ve withstood the journey because even the smartest, the bravest, and the most resilient need some encouragement on occasion.

During our time together, we’ll use Python and a speech-to-text provider to transcribe sports podcasts that contain inspirational speeches. We’ll discover insights from the transcripts to determine which ones might give you a boost of energy or rally your team.

We’ll discover common topics of each sports podcast episode and measure how they leave us feeling: victorious or perhaps overcoming the agony of defeat. We’ll also investigate if there are any similarities and differences in the sports speeches and what makes a great motivational speech that moves people to action.

By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of using speech recognition in real-world scenarios and using features of Machine Learning with Python to derive insights.

This talk is for developers of all levels, including beginners.


Prior Knowledge Expected

No previous knowledge expected

Tonya is a former Professional Basketball player turned Python enthusiast. She is currently a Python Developer Advocate for Deepgram, a speech-to-text company that has revolutionized the market. Her path to Python is unconventional. Her career started in athletics and then transitioned to pharmaceutical sales. She finally landed in her destination spot, the tech industry. Driven by her passion for teaching, she takes pride in helping others and loves connecting with her fellow Pythonistas! Outside of coding, Tonya enjoys all things sports. She is also an avid reader who loves writing and spending time with her nieces and nephews.