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As if ending the season with the worst record in years, not qualifying for the conference tournament, and failing to accomplish my personal goals wasn’t bad enough. Then pile on studying for finals while, also, being responsible for working tirelessly to stay physically fit. College sports demanded excellence not just during season, but year round—in sport and school. And, finally, on top of it all, the end of the fall semester in Michigan inevitably ended with a winter storm that consisted of sleet, heavy snowfall, and freezing cold temperatures. Michigan State University’s campus is one of the biggest campuses in the nation. Just like many colleges, parking was extremely limiting–causing me toRead More →

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My last collegiate soccer game was in November 2006 against Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament. Eleven years seems like a long time (and, it is), but my memories of playing college soccer are just as clear and vivid as they were then. While watching college games this fall, I could not help but picture myself out on the field…dressed in uniform…crossing balls…high-fiving my teammates…acknowledging a great pass…and leading by example. But, there was definitely one thing I could not picture. And, unfortunately, it goes back to the body image and eating disorders epidemic occurring in society today. Just as styles and trends in clothingRead More →

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Tears welled up in my eyes. My thoughts were painful and overpowering. The last time we had watched a story illustrating Eating Disorders together, my now-husband was frightened. So much that he made the boldest statement sending chills down my spine: “I would never date anyone with Anorexia. I couldn’t imagine who would do that to themselves.” Fourteen years ago, I was determined to be at my best physically. I simply wanted to be able to endure an entire college soccer game; and assure my coaches they made the right decision by offering me a full-ride athletic scholarship. The onset of my Eating Disorder was pureRead More →

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I went for a walk with my kids the other day, and on our way home, our neighbor was outside. We stopped to say hello, and the conversation led to sports, his kids, my kids, and our hopefulness that our kids find success. He made a comment that his kids, unfortunately, got the short gene. And, because of their size they are at such a disadvantage. Then, he asked, “What sport do you think would be best for short boys?” Answering his own question before I was able to respond, he said, “I suppose their determination and desire to succeed is more indicative of successRead More →

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The pressure I felt as an athlete began even at the young age of five. I played forward on my team, and my job was to score goals. If I didn’t score goals, then I believed I failed, or didn’t meet expectations. I didn’t even need a coach to put pressure me–I put it on myself. When a coach did, it became double whammy. And, how long could I go before I hit a breaking point and was no longer able to bear pressure in a healthy manner? “GET ON THE LINE,” were the famous words my teammates and I heard throughout our entire  soccer careers.Read More →

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Muggsy Bogues Spud Webb Pele Lionel Messi Floyd Mayweather Jr. Yogi Berra Emmitt Smith Barry Sanders These were names I heard throughout my entire life, particularly when it came to playing soccer. It all started when I had a private training session with a professional coach. I was twelve years old at the time, and I can recall the exact racquetball court we were working in, focusing on the technical side of the game. She had bleached blonde hair, and in my eyes, was amazing. I idolized her, and I only dreamed of being just like her one day.  I worked my ass off inRead More →

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Upon returning home from Los Angeles, California, and presenting at the largest annual gathering of soccer coaches in the world, I couldn’t help but reflect on this incredible opportunity. It was the second highest attended Convention in the organizations 76-year history. There was an estimated 12,000 people in attendance. For the first time ever, they provided a session on my proposed topic: Pressures of Athletics Can Lead To Eating Disorders. While I had a respectable turnout, I was disappointed that more coaches didn’t prioritize this session on their schedules.  According to National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), one-third of all Division 1 NCAA athletes have anRead More →

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I’m on the airplane headed to Los Angeles, California on this Tuesday morning. I was offered the opportunity to present at the largest annual gathering of soccer coaches in the world. When I first was put in contact with the operations coordinator about the possibility of speaking at this NSCAA convention in January 2017, he responded back with two comments: 1) To please send an outline of the topic in which I’d like to speak on; and 2) To date, they have never had a presenter speak on eating disorders.  I paused for a minute after reading the latter of his comments. In a studyRead More →

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Thinner. Faster. Better. The three words that kept repeating in my mind the summer before my sophomore soccer season at Michigan State. I was a midfielder; an outside midfielder to be exact. In simpler terms, I was responsible for covering a lot of ground, and doing an excess amount of running from end line to end line. It only made sense to me that if I was able to lose weight, it would be easier to gain stamina, and, therefore, be a better player. It was essential that I felt light on my feet, quick, and agile in order to achieve success at that level.Read 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 →