Unit3d w/ B1G Team at Indiana University

The past few weeks have been painful and heavy for our nation. Conversations are difficult and tensions are extremely high. The Black community is hurting. So many in the White community want to help but feel unsure as to how. Dr. Kensa Gunter, clinical and sport psychologist, talks today with Dr. Josie Nicholson about how to start the conversation and how to be an ally. She also talks about how educational institutions can work to support their student athletes and how athletes can help and support each other

Today’s conversation features two Senior All-American tennis players who had their season cut short by the pandemic crisis. In the midst of their panic and confusion, they sent out a hashtag that resonated with athletes across the nation: #redshirtcaronayear. It was a cry that united many through social media, desperate to not have their sport careers end so unceremoniously. That cry was heard by many, and now Alexa Bortles and Tim Sandkaulen share their story on Unit3d.

It's becoming cliché (in a good way) to say it's ok to not be ok; but it's a lot harder to actually share when we aren’t ok. The culture of athletics often promotes a “never show weakness” mentality, but true courage is being able to be vulnerable. Dr. Brett Haskell, Director of Sport Psychology for University of Nebraska Athletics, shares the benefits and power of vulnerability and how it can help us get through tough times, connect fully with others, and help us perform better.

Spring seasons were cut short and there’s a great deal of uncertainty about the fall. Some athletes are feeling concerned about what coaches may be expecting from them when they do get to return to campus and training. Turns out, coaches want their athletes to be healthy and safe. Two head coaches, Chris Malloy of Ole Miss Men’s Golf and Toby Hansson of Ole Miss Men’s Tennis talk about what it was like for them to have spring games cancelled abruptly, how they’ve been cooping since, and what they are expecting from their athletes when everyone can get back to sports.

We hear a lot about having "the right mindset", but what is the right mindset and how do you get it? Dr. Ryan Pittsinger, Assistant Athletic Director, Director of Counseling and Sport Psychology at Texas A&M University, describes the Growth Mindset, a mindset that can help us get through and learn from difficult times.

This episode features two amazing men sharing their stories of resilience and love. They both happen to be quarterbacks at SEC schools, but it’s their passion for helping others that bonds them together. Ryan Hilinski and Brian Mauer talk through having overcome dark times and their commitments to reducing the stigma that is a barrier to others seeking help.

Right now is a time that many of us, particularly student atlhetes, may feel lost without school tasks or sport to tell us what to do or who we are. The college years is a time when most people find their identity, and for athletes so much of their day is consumed with their athletic identity that there isn’t much time or space to explore other parts of themselves. During the Covid-19 crisis, however, student athletes are not immersed in their sport and they may not have much to do in school. Dr. Michelle Joshua, Director of Sport Psychology for NC State Athletics, shares some ways that we can intentionally explore various areas of who we are. Here are some recommendations of things that were mentioned in this episode:Find ways to stretch yourself creatively.Pay attention to where your mind goes when you have still time, notice where your energy goes and what you tend to do in your activities.Find a journal that has prompts. Some good ones are: Start Where you Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration, Present, Not Perfect: A Journal for Slowing Down, Letting Go, and Loving Who you Are, and True You:A Self-Discovery Journal of Prompts and Exercises to Inspire Reflection and GrowthSet up a time with a friend or teammate and find a list of questions to ask each other. There are some packs of cards you can buy or lists you can get of the internet. Here are a few suggestions: Table Topics: Questions to Start Great Conversations, So Cards: A Collection of Questions for Deeper Discussions and Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark Conversations

This “bonus” episode features three athletes. David Ball, senior member of the BYU Men’s Tennis Team, is the creator of Untold Athletes, an online community of athletes sharing their story of overcoming obstacles and the loss they experienced having their season cut short because of Covid-19. Sydney Anderson, senior member of the Notre Dame Women’s Lacrosse Team fought hard to get to her senior season and has benefitted from sharing her story. Max Hazzard, senior member of the Arizona Men’s Basketball Team overcame obstacles to continue his basketball career only to have it cut short as well. These athletes talk about how having a platform to connect with other athletes has been helpful and hopeful.

We have all heard that its only the strong who survive, but its actually those who can adapt who get through tough times! Dr. Mac Brown helps us to see that there’s more strength in flexibility than in standing our ground. When we can go with the wind we can get through any storm.

Three Head Athletic Directors share their experiences, concerns, and insights into planning for an uncertain future in this Unit3d conversation. Keith Carter of Ole Miss Athletics, Dr. Nicki Moore of Colgate University and Ross Bjork of Texas A & M University talk with Dr. Josie Nicholson about their time as leaders through the global pandemic.

Whether it’s the loss of routine and connection or the loss of a loved one, everyone has experienced loss during the Covid-19 crisis and everyone is missing something. Dr. Ken Chew of Indiana State University talks today about the importance of recognizing and attending to the grief we all experience at some point. We can be tempted to dismiss our experiences by comparing our loss to others, but when we acknowledge what has been difficult we can more easily move through the tough times that challenge us.

Today's episode kicks off Mental Health Awareness Month! Mark and Kym Hilinski, the founders of the Hilinski's Hope Foundation and Morgan Chall, Chair of the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and former gymnast at Cornell University, will discuss how conversations around student athlete mental health have shifted in the past few years and how these conversations will be impacted by the current pandemic. We will learn some creative ways to continue spreading awareness and end the stigma surrounding mental illness as well.

As student athletes head into finals we all need to put in one last push to finish out what has been heck of a semester! Dr. Kelli Moran-Miller, Director of Sport Psychology at Stanford Athletics and Certified Mental Performance Consultant, helps us understand why we may feel drained at this time and how to manage the renewable resource of energy.

Gratitude is more than just feeling thankful. Dr. Nicole Gabana, Assistant Professor of Sport Psychology at Florida State University and Certified Mental Performance Consultant, helps explain what gratitude is and how we can use it to help us cope with difficult situations.

When we hear a suggestion to engage in self compassion there can be resistance thinking that we will become indulgent, make excuses or generally let ourselves off the hook. But Dr. Jeni Shannon, Director of Mental Health and Performance Psychology for UNC Chapel Hill, explains that having self-compassion can actually allow us to perform better and push ourselves in ways we can’t when we fear failure and criticism. Self-compassion is not only an important tool in getting through this difficult time, but is a skill that can improve our performance in athletics, academics, work, and our lives.

No one knows when we can return to campus or what things will look like in the fall, or any time in the future for that matter. The unknown creates fear and there is so much unknown right now that anxiety is almost an expected part of this ordeal. However, there are some practical things we can do to keep our anxiety manageable and to prepare for the future. Dr. Cody Commander, Director of Sport Psychology for the University of Oklahoma Athletics, walks us through how anxiety can be helpful in some ways, as well as how we can take control and add some certainty to this uncertain time.

It’s very common right now to be struggling with sleep. So many have been thrown out of routine, sent home to a different time zone, and the daily demands of the current situation are very different. Dr. Michael Grandner, Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, discusses these and other sleep struggles and gives useful advice for getting better ZZZs.

For many of our student athletes, this time has brought the added bonus of quality family time…a LOT of family time. Although in many ways this is a blessing, it can also bring with it tension and difficulties as most of us are not use to having this much concentrated time together in one space. Also, some student athletes are not returning to ideal family situations. Dr. Rhea Merck discusses the challenges of so much togetherness and ways that we can bring more quality to the quantity.

Gyms are closed, fields/courts/tracks are locked up, and no one is able to train like they want. But does that mean you can’t improve? Dr. Adrian Ferrera, Director of Counseling and Sport Psychology for Auburn University, talks about some ways to improve your mental game while away from formal training. Return to play mentally stronger and you have an added element that elevates your game and gives you a competitive edge.

Boredom, stress, uncertainty and feeling overwhelmed can make it difficult to have balance in the way we eat, exercise and love. Dr. Jen Carter, Counseling and Sport Psychologist at Ohio State University Sports Medicine, discusses the difficulty in achieving balance during these times and gives some practical suggestions for a healthier way.

We are physically distant, but are virtual social connections enough? (And how import is it?) Dr. Dave Botsford, Clinical and Sport Psychologist at UC Santa Barbara, talks about the importance of connecting meaningfully during this stressful time.

Boredom, stress, anxiety and not having a time line for our next end goal can all be reasons that can lead to temptations to turn to drugs and and alcohol. But is it worth the cost? Dr. LaTisha Bader, Chief Clinical Officer for Women's Recovery, will speak about these temptations, ways to avoid the pitfalls and keep a focus on health, drawing from over 18 years of experience in the field of mental health, addiction and sport psychology.

Having a solid, predictable routine can help us move effectively through tough times. Dr. Chris Bader, Assistant Athletic Director for Mental Health and Performance at the University of Arkansas, discusses ways to create and maintain an effective routine in a time when structure doesn't come easily.

Dr. Jamey Houle, lead sport psychologist with Ohio State Athletics, discusses how mindfulness can help us manage our anxiety and reduce our stress. He explains R.A.I.N. as a helpful acronym to follow in a mindfulness practice.

Why is our mental health so vulnerable during this strange time of COVID-19? Dr. Tom Golightly, licensed/team sport psychologist for BYU athletics, will address this question as well as things we can do to look after our mental health. He will discuss signs that may suggest we need to spend extra time tending to our mental health, as well as signs that might signal to us that our friends and loved ones may be struggling.

-