Category Archives: All The Rest

In early April, I was supposed to speak on a panel at a global sports summit with the Global Sport Institute on the topic of mental health and student athlete populations. The panel had a former wrestler from Arizona State University, Ryan Milhof, who had been public about his mental health struggles as well as Kristin Hoffner,Continue reading “Is Sports Culture Toxic to Athlete Mental Health?”

Location: Durham, North Carolina. Date: Late November/Early December, 1994 Event: worst game of my collegiate career. There are only two details I remember about this match. That I played the absolute worst match of my collegiate career and the epic tantrum I threw in the locker room after. Now, if you want details of saidContinue reading “Chicken and Broccoli: Putting Whole Thoughts Into Your Mind”

I try to keep this blog to sports content as much as possible, but the truth is, I’m not just a former athlete, mom and wife, turned coach … I’m also just a regular person with regular issues and stuff I deal with like everyone else. I don’t have all the answers, but I doContinue reading “Diagnosis. Human: A Story of Childhood Anxiety.”

There are two times my brain is quiet and still: when I’m sleeping when I’m training. See, I’m a processor. I am constantly taking in information whether spoken or sensory or relational dynamics or environmental or that mosquito that just landed on your leg and now I’m focused on … (slap. sorry). I don’t tryContinue reading “Why I Like Training “By Myself””

Two years ago, I made the decision to get back into coaching. I didn’t come from a particularly decorated coaching career (if you can even call it that). A short three-year stint as a club coach in Southern California for a 16-3’s team and one season as the 4th assistant at Long Beach State (basicallyContinue reading “Coaches in China Shops – What’s Your Role in Coaching Youth Sports?”

Six rotation outside hitters. Liberos, defensive specialists. Contesting a play to reverse the call. Sideout scoring. Jump float. Kick saves. Number of substitutions. Purple cards. It’s safe to say our sport has changed quite a bit in the past decade. As a former player turned coach who has been told way too many times “thingsContinue reading “5 Things That Haven’t Changed About Volleyball”

In 2006, I met Zeke Bratkowski. Bratkowski, who played for The University of Georgia in the early 1950’s, was a standout quarterback for the university who went on to play professionally for the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers. He also served two years in the U.S. Air Force (while he was still with theContinue reading “A Lesson In Chill From One of the Greats – Zeke Bratkowski”

There’s a phenomenon in volleyball these days. The genesis is unknown, but if you watch any high school, club or college match you will hear one common thing said over and over again – “we’re fine.” It’s unclear when it changed from older versions of self-soothing, like, “my bad” or the rather demanding, albeit whiny, motivators of yoreContinue reading “WE’RE FINE! (no, seriously) WE’RE FINE!”

CHAPTER 1 Mrs. Cockshutt was my first ever coach, well, she was actually my P.E. teacher. I was eight years old in the 4th grade and was beginning my year at a new school. Having skipped 3rd grade, I was a year and a half (if not two full years) younger than everyone else inContinue reading “From Player to Coach: Understanding My Coaching Philosophy”