As a Young Athlete, I Thought My Diet Didn’t Matter As a younger football player, I believed my training would cancel out my diet. I thought I could eat whatever I wanted, and my body would be able to eliminate it due to the high amount of calories I burnt on a daily basis. Cookies,…
There’s a lot going on for a student-athlete in college. From day one on campus, you’re balancing a literal full-time job with a full-blown 16-hour student schedule. (At least it used to be this way. And we also weren’t being paid like they are now. I’m totally not salty about it.) Here’s the…
The Resilient Mindset: Embracing Growth Over Immediate Results Showing up to practice for the first time as a Razorback was intimidating, to say the least. As a freshman, I walked onto the field after months of training alongside new teammates—upperclassmen, transfers, walk-ons, and my freshman roommates. I looked around and wondered if I had what…
The Competitor’s Blueprint As you can imagine, in the NFL, the competition is incredibly stiff. Walking into practice, you quickly notice that every linebacker is the same size, strength, speed, and intelligence. They all have that undeniable swagger, and the defense’s quarterbacks possess the team-leading bravado needed to counter an exceptional offense. Think of guys…
HOW TO MAKE MORE BIG-TIME PLAYS The Impact of a Big-Time Play The best part about football is that just one play can completely transform the energy and outcome of a game. All it takes is one player to make an interception, cause a forced fumble, break one tackle, and take it into the endzone,…
Understanding the Competition Unfortunately, you’re not the only athlete or coach who wants to win. You’re also not the only person who works hard. Your desire to win the starting job or the game is not a bold approach—everyone on the team, on the field, and in the stadium is hoping for a victory, planning…
“We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.” – Carlos Castaneda The warrior is a force to be reckoned with and the most feared and dangerous of all character types. They are capable of causing death and destruction to anyone at any time if they so…
Scoring touchdowns, crossing the finish line, hitting a game-winning home run, and winning the championship are the moments athletes sacrifice their time, blood, sweat, and tears for. We play to experience the thrill of winning, the culmination of overcoming a significant challenge that most cannot say they’ve experienced. However, this external display of excellence and…
Peace Within Despite the constant attention and hype athletes receive for their prowess on the field, being an athlete is not nearly as glamorous as some make it look. To be successful as an athlete, you must learn to balance the rigors of relentless training and a pressure-packed season with schoolwork and attending to your…
The Silent Struggle of Professional Athletes In a 2019 article, researchers found that 35% of professional athletes have mental health concerns, which include burnout, anxiety, depression, and more (1). Further, 30-40% of athletes are often overtrained and undernourished (2). When an athlete arrives in this state, it leads to a greater risk for injury, poor…
