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I took the short cut. The short cut that so many athletes take. The short cut that Allie Kieffer was referring to in her latest interview with Sports Illustrated. Not only did I see skinny as being fast from my own eyes and experiences, but this belief was conveyed loud and clear from the powerful voices of coaches, leaders, and  those surrounding me within my sport. I was a competitive and driven athlete who wanted to be the best I could be in soccer.  At 5’1”, I was without question the shortest player on the college soccer field. I didn’t look like the typical tall andRead More →

Erin Konheim Mandras Blog

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After developing, battling, and overcoming an eating disorder as a collegiate athlete, I learned an incredible amount not only about myself, but of the prevalent issue that so many of us struggle. I believed my success in recovering was possible because of the incredible support system I had within the Michigan State athletic department; stemming from the administration, to the medical staff, to strength and conditioning personnel, and then to my very own coaches. After such a tumultuous event in my life, my dreams became clear, and I knew there was only one career I desired to pursue: and that was coaching. My coaches setRead More →

Jewish and an Athlete - How it led to my downfall

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My last post about being an athlete and being Jewish may not have discussed body image or eating issues directly, but the challenges I faced related to being different from my peers were added stresses in my younger years. Eating disorders can develop as a result of many different causes, whether psychological, environmental, or biological factors. In my case, my eating disorder began when the pressures in my life became so overwhelming, and unbearable, that I clearly wasn’t able to cope, other than turning to food and exercise. As I reflect on specific scenarios in my childhood, I am able to identify experiences that caused immenseRead More →

Jewish Athlete Hall of Fame

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We say athletes come in all shapes and sizes; so, wouldn’t it make sense that culture and religion among athletes is equally as diverse? From my personal experiences, I always felt like the only Jewish kid in school who played competitive sports, outside of school and community leagues, and the only player on my travel and competitive soccer teams who was Jewish. I grew up in a suburb of Detroit, similar to that of any other city’s area where a large population of Jews migrated and settled. It almost seemed like any other religion outside of Judaism was a complete minority. Clearly, these types ofRead More →

Erin Konheim Mandras Blogs About Maryland's Melo Trimble

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A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a University of Maryland basketball game. They played at the Xfinity Center  in College Park against Wisconsin. My husband and I are avid college basketball fans. He went to Maryland, and I went to Michigan State. We can all agree it is much more fun to be a Spartan than a Terp, but we will put that aside for now. Because of him, and Maryland having joined the Big Ten Conference, I accompany him in watching the games. Though I may not be a true Marylander or Terrapin, I can appreciate each player’s storyRead More →

S-t-uperstitions

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Many of us can’t help but worry at the thought of a Friday the 13th approaching on the calendar. That no matter what, we are destined to have bad luck that day. Or, we see a penny on the ground and stare so intently; not at the value of it, but to see if it’s heads up, or good luck. Or, if we spot a black cat, we quickly turn the other way hoping the eye contact we made with it does not bring us bad luck. These are just a few common superstitions we universally acknowledge. As competitive athletes, we strive for perfection and do whateverRead More →