Team Sidelined Sidelined USA

In this episode we explore the physical, mental and social aspects of dealing with chronic illness as an athlete —— navigating the physical challenges , learning how to advocate for yourself, and managing the tension of the “athletic mentality" with the realistic need to listen to your body. We cover various psychological components such as the impact of a lack of understanding from others, the burden of self-doubt, the unpredictable and confusing nature of chronic illness, feelings of w...

It’s not uncommon for athletes to experience body dissatisfaction and body grief in the transition following their retirement from competition. After all, it’s not especially realistic to maintain the same physique as schedules and priorities shift when the competition days come to an end. What’s much less common though, is meaningful conversation on the topic. Body dissatisfaction and body grief can at times lead to maladaptive behaviors related to food and exercise as it can take some time ...

Every athlete goes through it at some point when the playing days are over — athlete transition. Whether an athletic retirement is caused by being medically sidelined, not being good enough to continue to the next level, or aging out, there are common themes and pitfalls many athletes in transition experience. Today we’re having a conversation about “life after sports” . . . the good, the bad, and the ugly. Where does an athlete begin to channel that "inner competitor" to move forward? How do...

We understand how difficult this can be for not only your athlete but also you as well. Your athlete may or may not be opening up about what they’re feeling. They may be resistant to help. They may be isolating or turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms. So what can you do to break through and provide the best possible support as they go through this difficult transition? Today’s podcast guests can speak to this topic both professionally and personally. In this episode, a parent of a permanent...

What a crazy thing to emerge from a full academic year of pandemic impact on sports! You may be tempted to just try and forget about the 2020-2021 athletic season and move on. We get it!!! But what if by taking some time to decompress and process what was lost and what was not to be, we can gain valuable perspective which can help “redeem” this year’s disappointments for a purpose greater than just "getting through"? Consider the possibility that this year in sports has potentially chan...

It’s something we can take for granted — our personal identity and how it shapes our view of self, our perceptions, and our challenges. Often times due to intense personal schedules for athletes, it’s challenging to find time for personal reflection on “lofty” things such as how we find our self-worth and where we find meaning. But what if those “lofty” things were impacting us in significant ways? What if taking the time to think through our identity could change everything? It’s import...