FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT! When you break down the sporting phenomenon, you get a simple formula on why it’s universally enjoyed. Sports are mostly simple to understand; they all boil down to meritocracy. Look at all the top athletes in the world. The highest-paid athletes are usually the best at what they do, and they justify the large paychecks that they receive. However, meritocracy can go both ways; once athletes pass their prime or end their careers early due to injuries, they will...

CROSSING THE BRIDGE: The Performance Gap! If you know sports, you know this beyond a reasonable doubt: there is an average 10-12% performance gap between elite males and elite females. The gap is smaller between elite females and non-elite males, but it's still insurmountable and that's ultimately what matters. Is this true? It’s Episode 120 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Family Therapist Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former...

THE BEDROCK OF COMMUNICATION: Meaning and Understanding! Many studies have shown the benefits of good communication in competitive athletics. Players who know how to effectively interact with each other will work together better, forming a stronger overall team. However, learning to communicate one's thoughts and feelings clearly and effectively without hurting or offending others can take time. It’s Episode 119 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with...

UNLEARN & RELEARN: Programming the Athlete’s Mind! Elite athletes don't just jump higher and run faster – they think differently, too. Athletic performance does not only benefit from a thinking mind, as the mind also benefits from sports. Mental toughness, focus, and anticipation are just a few mental strategies that the mind develops when playing sports. Sports also enhance specific regions of the brain and cause structural changes. Athletes have sharpened their minds to pay...

ATHLETIC CAREER BUST: The Power of Negative Thinking! Negative external or internal psychological factors can lead to mental blocks, causing breaks in focus and preparation, poor performance, and, at times, injuries to the athlete. They can produce physical disruptions such as muscle tightening, shaking, and increased perspiration. It’s Episode 117 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Family Therapist Dr. Lauren Pitts and Guest Co-Host – Ted...

ATHLETIC SABOTEURS: What Did You Do That For? What Is Sabotaging Your Performance? Thoughts lead to emotions which lead to bodily feelings which lead to performance and actions. Self-sabotage means as soon as we get close to success, something happens within us that pushes us back. Stop sabotaging yourself today! It’s Episode 116 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Family Therapist Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and...

IS YOUR ATHLETIC HAPPINESS A HABIT? Within the sporting realm, there is often ample talk pertaining to words that center around ideas of psychology, be it mental toughness, grit, confidence, resilience, or assertiveness. Are happy athletes, better athletes? It’s Episode 115 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Family Therapist Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and Mental Health Counselor, Ronnie Ransome, Jr with special guest...

RETIREMENT: Fight or Flight! An athletic career entails making important decisions that affect both your career, as well as your personal life. One of the most crucial decisions an athlete has to make is to decide at what point in their career they’re ready to retire. It’s Episode 114 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Family Therapist Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and Mental Health Counselor, Ronnie Ransome, Jr. Join...

THE ANATOMY OF AN ATHLETE! The five physical qualities all athletes should be training: Mobility, speed, power, strength, and conditioning. The best athletes are innately self-confident, and they truly believe that they will win. They also have the confidence to deal with any unexpected situations that may arise and to speak up for themselves or their teammates when appropriate. It’s Episode 113 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Family...

CHAMPIONSHIP: The Coach’s Guide! Do athletes say they want to win championships, but they don’t fully understand or consistently do what it takes? Successful coaches realize that winning teams are not run by single individuals who dominate the scene and reduce the rest of the group to marionettes. Winning teams are more like open forums in which everyone participates in the decision-making process, coaches, and players alike until the decision is made. It’s Episode 111 on HT and you don’t...

RESTORATION: Intimacy After Injury! Injury is often accompanied by depression, tension, anger, and low self-esteem, particularly in competitive, seriously injured athletes. Talking about love, sex, and intimacy can be like unraveling a tangled web. It’s Episode 110 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental Health Empowerment Coach Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and Mental Health Counselor, Ronnie Ransome, Jr. Join the...

ATHLETIC STYLE: What’s Yours? In any movement or sport, there are essentially 4 physical traits an athlete will have to display or use: strength, speed, conditioning, and positioning. An athlete’s style is the foundation of their well-being and potential. It is the set of habits and attitudes that form the pattern of how they go about their daily lives and performance. Understanding optimal performance requires self-awareness about how lifestyle affects your readiness to train, compete and...

THE MYTHS: Let’s Debunk! In the sports world, there is a very fine line between fact and fiction. There are so many myths and misconceptions in sports that are eventually accepted as fact, based purely on the power of endless repetition. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental Health Empowerment Coach Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and Mental Health Counselor, Ronnie Ransome, Jr. Join the HT Pregame...

TOO HIGH: The Detriment of Unrealistic Expectations! Expectations generate tension, anxiety, and pressure. These are the very things that interfere with performance and cause athletes to feel that they constantly fall short. When an athlete with unrealistic expectations experiences adversity, they become devastated and feel like a failure. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental Health Empowerment Coach Dr. Lauren Pitts and...

Supporting Athletes with PTSD! Can sports cause trauma? How does PTSD affect athletes? Symptoms of PTSD may significantly impact athletes' psychosocial and sport-related function through avoidance, hypervigilance, and dissociative behaviors, which, in turn, may delay recovery from musculoskeletal injury. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Family Therapist Dr. Lauren Pitts, Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and Mental Health...

DEPRESSION: The Female Athlete’s Perspective! Does playing sports impact women's mental health? Studies have consistently shown that girls who are physically active perceive their academic and athletic ability in a better light. Lower rates of depression and risk of suicide. Sports and physical activity are linked to the decreased likelihood of symptoms related to stress and depression. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental...

DISTRESS TOLERANCE! Distress - this is a negative form of stress and in extreme cases causes anxiety and apprehension. Depending upon the athlete's level of ability, level of competition, or personality stress can have a big impact on performance. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental Health Empowerment Coach Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and Mental Health Counselor, Ronnie Ransome, Jr. Join the HT...

COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS: What Do the Facts Say? In sports and life, we must face two different opponents in our quest to become champions. The first is the outer opponent (fellow competitors, playing surface, weather, crowd, clock) and the other is the limitations and frailties of our own bodies and minds. Joining us to tease out the facts is Howard University alum and Sports Psychology doctoral candidate, Justice Stafford. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and...

ATHLETIC STRESS & BURNOUT! Simply put, burnout is when an athlete experiences overwhelming exhaustion from training and competition, resents or completely loses interest in the game, and experiences lower achievement than previously demonstrated. How do you combat it? It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental Health Empowerment Coach Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former Scholar-Athlete and Mental Health Counselor, Ronnie...

BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS: The Coach’s Gameplan! Coaches must effectively establish boundaries and build trust by being clear about the learning and development objectives they set, showing good judgment, being patient, and following through on any promises and agreements they make. Is this enough to win a championship? It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental Health Empowerment Coach Dr. Lauren Pitts and Co-Host/former...

ANGER ICEBERG: Are Your Emotions Too Difficult to Handle? Anger has many impacts on performance. The biggest impact of anger on performance is that it doesn't allow an athlete to move beyond whatever prompted the anger. If an athlete is unable to move beyond the issue that prompted the anger, then they are unable to continue to concentrate and focus on continued performance. How do anger and other emotions affect athletic performance? Answering this question and joining the discussion are our...

IS IT WORTH IT: The Cost Benefit Analysis! Playing sports helps you stay in shape, teaches you how to organize your time, boosts friendships, and builds relationships with your peers and adults. Through athletics, you gain skills that can best be acquired on a court, track, or field but at what cost? Answering this question and joining the discussion is our very special guest Zinssou Toviessi. Zinssou is a former Marshall University star and former defensive end for the Denver Broncos...

Self-Acceptance or Self-Rejection! What does every athlete have in common? They all dream about the successes they will have in their career. However, a sports career will be accompanied by setbacks; and one of the major obstacles an athlete will almost certainly come across in some form of rejection. Rejection can be experienced in many forms, be it not being picked for a team, being cut from a team, or being unable to get any playtime. In this blog, we will be looking at three steps all...

Affirming the Man & Woman in Sports! By participating in a sport, an individual is making a social statement about who they are and how they want others to think of them. Athletic identity is developed through the acquisition of skills, confidence, and social interaction during sports. It plays a part in a cognitive and social roles. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and information-packed lineup with Sports Mental Health Empowerment Coach Dr. Lauren Pitts and...

PRIDE in Sports: The LGBTQIA+ Athletic Experience! For millions of Americans, sport embodies our ideals of equality, fairness, perseverance, discipline, and integrity. On the field, court, or track, in the ring, on the ice, or in the stands, we transcend our differences in the spirit of honest competition and perseverance. But in too many places, sports are not always a safe or affirming space for aspiring LGBTQ+ athletes. It’s Season 3 on HT and you don’t want to miss an exciting and...