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It was just eight days ago that I spoke at the world’s largest gathering of soccer coaches. As I stood at the podium to present not just once, but twice, I so proudly and confidently discussed a serious issue within the sports world right now—an issue that has affected me, personally; in fact, it consumed my life during a particularly tumultuous time in college—at Michigan State University—and it nearly took my life. I had developed an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa to be specific— which has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness—as a student-athlete in East Lansing, Michigan. In 2003 I hit my rock bottom, and asRead More →

Dreams

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After several phone calls, text messages, and in-person questions, I feel it is necessary to share my thoughts on this latest scandal—a scandal that should be heard and seen by everyone—to stop it from ever happening again. As I have watched and listened to countless brave and strong women stand in court to confront and publicize their horrific, personal, and life-altering experiences related to a sick man, Larry Nassar, I have an array of feelings. First, and foremost, my heart goes out to each and every one of the 160 (and I’m sure more) innocent victims who were sexually assaulted and taken advantage of forRead More →

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Merriam-Webster defines empathy: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner. I have never been sexually assaulted. I can’t claim to know the impact and weight sexual assault leaves on women, but I certainly can feel empathy. There must be more empathy in this world. If we were able to put ourselves in other people’s shoes for even just a second, and attempt to feel what they are experiencing, I am confident thisRead More →