Millions of FIFA World Cup fans watch incredible displays of talent, resilience, and determination. We see the goals, the celebrations, and the unforgettable moments that unite people across the globe. What we don't always see are the challenges athletes face behind the scenes. Mental health doesn't discriminate. It doesn't matter whether you're competing in a World Cup final, balancing school and sports, starting a new job, or simply trying to get through the day. Anxiety, d

For many athletes, the end of a season, graduation, retirement, or injury is more than just the end of competition. It can feel like losing a part of yourself. For years, your schedule was built around practices, games, teammates, coaches, and constant goals. Your identity may have been closely connected to your sport. When that chapter ends, many athletes experience uncertainty, grief, loneliness, or a loss of purpose. These feelings are incredibly common, yet they are often

For many athletes, the end of a competitive career can feel like stepping into unfamiliar territory. Whether the transition comes after college, injury, retirement, or simply choosing a new path, leaving sports often means leaving behind a structure, identity, and community that have shaped daily life for years. While this transition can be exciting, it can also bring uncertainty, self doubt, and emotional challenges. The good news is that these feelings are normal, and there

For many athletes, sports are more than a hobby or activity. They become a central part of identity, daily routine, relationships, and purpose. When that chapter comes to an end, whether through graduation, retirement, injury, or personal choice, it can leave athletes wondering: Who am I without my sport? The transition out of sports is not simply about moving on. It is a major life change that can affect self confidence, mental health, and overall well being. While challengi

Hello everyone, and welcome to Life After the Jersey: Navigating the Athlete Transition blog series. My name is Bryce Trail, the owner of Trail of Potential Mental Performance Consulting (TOPMPC), and I have partnered with Resilience Rally to provide tools to help collegiate athletes navigate the challenges of being collegiate athletes. This fourth and final blog in this series will look at future planning that athletes can use to make the transition smoother. Athletes thrive

Hello everyone, and welcome to Life After the Jersey: Navigating the Athlete Transition blog series. My name is Bryce Trail, the owner of Trail of Potential Mental Performance Consulting (TOPMPC), and I have partnered with Resilience Rally to provide tools to help collegiate athletes navigate the challenges of being collegiate athletes. This third blog will look at the skills athletes can use to make the transition smoother during challenging times. There are challenges athle

Hello everyone, and welcome to Life After the Jersey: Navigating the Athlete Transition blog series. My name is Bryce Trail, the owner of Trail of Potential Mental Performance Consulting (TOPMPC), and I have partnered with Resilience Rally to provide tools to help collegiate athletes navigate the challenges of being collegiate athletes. This second blog will look at the transition experience and the unforeseen toll it can take on athletes. For many athletes, sport was seen as

Navigating the Athlete Transition Hello everyone, and welcome to Life After the Jersey: Navigating the Athlete Transition blog series. My name is Bryce Trail, the owner of Trail of Potential Mental Performance Consulting (TOPMPC), and I have partnered with Resilience Rally to provide tools to navigate the challenges of being a collegiate athlete. This first series will tackle one of the biggest challenges athletes face in their careers: moving on from the sport they participa

Taking care of our mental health is just as important as taking care of our physical health, and one of the simplest ways to support both is through movement. Walking and running are powerful tools that can improve mood, reduce stress, increase focus, and help us feel more connected to ourselves and others. You do not need to be an athlete or run long distances to experience the benefits. Whether it is a short walk outside, a morning jog, or joining a local running group, eve

Let’s Not Wait Until Another Person Dies By Julian Bell My name is Julian Bell, and I am a medically retired student athlete at Clemson University. I played lacrosse from first grade through my sophomore year of college, until I medically retired due to chronic stress reactions and chronic shin splints in both legs. I tried every treatment imaginable, but nothing worked. Eventually, we resorted to surgery: 8 inch plates and 6 screws in each shin during my freshman year of co

The ominous “post-grad transition” is approaching. It’s been on your mind for a while. Jaded adults warn you of its mighty force. Countless self-help books have been written on the subject. You can prepare… but this time will look different for everyone. The cliché is true: the only constant is change. Three years after graduating, I’m still in the transition. It’s been messy, unexpected and beautiful. I’d compare it to a butterfly's metamorphosis set against the scenery of a

My name is Sophia Denison-Johnston and I’ve been rowing for the past dozen years. As a young adult post-college, navigating my sport and pursuing a rowing career without the support network that college provided has been an incredible growth experience— It’s been rewarding, devastating, and anything but easy. A few days ago USRowing made an announcement about changing the structure of high performance rowing to better support athletes. To be honest, it had me a little emotio

https://www.fliqueeditorial.com/opinionpieces/the-quarter-life-crisis-of-a-college-athlete @christina_chenault wrote an incredible article called “The Quarter Life Crisis of a College Athlete” which discusses how student athletes transfer into a different time of their lives. She talks about her personal experiences as an elite Track & Field athlete and the important topics of the cyclical lifestyle of an athlete, ego depletion, and identity foreclosure during the transition

To say the least, for me, being a student athlete at Duke was amazing. My four years on Duke Women’s Rowing Team (DWR) were something special. DWR got a bid to NCAAs twice, I had the honour of being captain for 2 years, and DWR got its first ever gold medal at ACCs my senior year. Accolades aside, DWR has my heart; my team means the world to me, I’ve made friends for life, I have incredible mentors, and the lessons I’ve learned and the memories I have will always be with me a