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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 →

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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 →

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Dear Michael, I have the absolute utmost respect and admiration for you. Of course, just like millions of other people, I have found your success in the swimming pool to be superhuman, unbelievably remarkable, and your ability to conquer feats that no other individual has accomplished. This past week, you earned yourself a record-breaking career with 23 Olympic gold medals. That, in itself, has placed you on an elite pedestal in sports; one of the greatest athletes of all time. But, my appreciation goes far beyond just your race times, medal counts, and victories; and that is what you have demonstrated as a human being,Read 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 →

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Be kind… For everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. My mom’s ongoing words my entire upbringing were, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” I never truly appreciated or understood the consequences words may have on someone until I battled and overcame anorexia. She played for Indiana University. She had matched up against me each time we had played, and this particular time was no different. I would like to give her the benefit of the doubt, and believe she was a nice person who just used the wrong language to talk smack. But,Read More →

Michigan State Dream

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“Wow. I never knew any of that,” said an assistant coach of one of the men’s athletic teams at Michigan State University following my speech. This coach happened to be a contemporary of mine. One who I actually have known since I was twelve years old. As I looked at him, and smiled, I thought, “Well, of course you didn’t know any of it.” Until Kick The Scale became established and publicized, the thought of anyone knowing I suffered from a psychological or physical disorder was horrifying. Why would I have wanted anyone to know I struggled, or needed anti-depressant medication, or that I evenRead More →

The Pressures That Kept Me From Loving Soccer

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From the time I was a little girl, I strived to please others. I thrived on praise and attention, and put all my efforts into being recognized and acknowledged. It was something I felt internally, but was never able to look inside, and see that was where my troubles were brewing. I happened to have gravitated toward soccer at the age of four. Not only did I enjoy it, but I stood out, and it came more natural to me than it did to others. It provided me a sense of accomplishment. It was clear from the start that soccer was my sport, and wasRead More →

Athlete's Anxieties When Eligibility Expires

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I spent countless hours in the weight room as a college athlete. Each session, I entered through the double doors, opened the drawer, and routinely pulled out the sheet of paper with my name at the top. There it listed each exercise, and the goal for the amount of repetitions I perform on each one. I embraced the challenges, and felt satisfaction from the pain I endured throughout each lift. I pushed with all my might as my arms trembled from the bench press, and watched through the mirror as my legs shook uncontrollably; true signs of strength, muscle gain, and resilience. The feelings were bothRead More →

Erin Konheim Mandras

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It’s like signing up for a race, not really preparing or training for it, and setting out and finishing with an unbelievable time. If you don’t beat that time the next race, do you feel as accomplished? Or, it’s like setting a personal record in collections in one week’s time. The following week, if not matched or beaten, do you feel like a failure? For me, I have a tendency to set a goal, and once reached, anything less feels unfulfilling. According to Entrepreneur and Online Marketing Expert, Neil Patel, in Entrepreneur, “When we don’t get fulfillment, our psychological response is anxiety or tension.” Based on myRead More →

sports-illustrated-three-covers

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Sports Illustrated Made Monumental Statement; but, it is not the answer. I have often dreamed of.. …having long, skinny legs. …not having my inner thighs touch. …fitting in a size double zero. …owning long, wavy hair. …being sized in a double “D” bra. …possessing a flat stomach. …having narrow shoulders. …having zero fat on my body. When I think of a Hollywood “model” and “beauty,” I think of all the above qualities. The standard of beauty has been illustrated in a way where, as a society, we all have the same vision of beauty and of the perfect body. As somebody who suffered terribly fromRead More →