Q & A With Former Collegiate Athlete, Bethany Brausen

Q: What was your sport and how many years did you play? A: I played hockey almost simultaneously with walking. My dad flooded a back yard rink and I was skating by 3. I began playing organized hockey when I was about 5 years old. So in total I played every year for about 17 years. I also played soccer and fast pitch growing up, but hockey was my main sport. Q: Did you find it beneficial to play other sports as well? A: Absolutely. I am a strong advocate for athletes to play multiple sports, especially when you are young. There are a couple reasons for this. First off, […]

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Reflect, Be Present, and Embrace Hope

Janus: the Roman God of beginnings and transitions. The double-faced God looks in opposite directions; toward the past and also toward the future. The month of January has been named in remnant of this Roman God, representing the doorway into a new year. As 2015 approaches, we can take time to use Janus as a guide to look both at the past year and what the New Year has in store for us. The beginning of the New Year is a time for fresh starts, new creations and a chance to begin again. The importance of looking forward to what lies ahead in the upcoming year and what may rise within you, your sport, your relationships […]

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At Last, Sleep For Everyone

Ask anyone how many hours of sleep, on average, they get per night. What do they get? Somewhere between 5-7, if you’re lucky. Then ask a doctor how many hours of sleep, on average, you should be getting per night. What’s their answer? Somewhere around 8, but with a push towards getting somewhere closer to 10. So then ask anyone what their response to that recommendation is. What’s that going to look like? Something along the lines of “Yeah, right” but probably with some more expletives worked in. But then what if I told you that there’s some new research happening at Harvard that might end insomnia forever, and make […]

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The Pressure Behind the Pain

Most athletes, at some point in their athletic career, encounter an injury to some extent. The intensity and duration of the injury may vary significantly from one situation to the next, but there seems to be an overriding theme to injuries. It is seemingly undeniable that with any physical injury there is a set of challenges an athlete will face, and these challenges include a mental component. Not only is it frustrating for athletes to battle back from an injury, but also the pressure to do so in a hurry makes a bad situation worse. USA Today released an article that tackles this topic from the standpoint of an NFL […]

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Play Ball! …Or Hoops, A Round of Golf or Anything for that Matter!

Trent Klatt played in the NHL for 14 years before becoming the head amateur scout for the New York Islanders. With years of experience, he is offering one bold bit of advice: to become a better hockey player, get off the ice. Klatt sat down with USA Hockey to discuss his advice that most may disagree with initially. Growing up, Klatt played three different sports: football, hockey, and baseball. Rather than draining all of your energy into one sport, play a variety of them and focus on developing as an athlete. During the recruiting process, Klatt is looking for just that: an athlete. There is something to be said about […]

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Success with Sport Psychology: A Comparison of The 2014 Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs

Entering the 2014 Major League Baseball post-season, two of baseball’s longest streaks were going strong: the Baltimore Orioles had not made it to the playoffs in 28 years, and the Chicago Cubs had not won a World Series championship since 1908. For one of these teams, the start of the post-season marked a change in history. The 2014 Baltimore Orioles won the American League East Division and entered the American League playoffs as the #2 seed. The 2014 Chicago Cubs finished with a 73-89, earning them last place in the National League Central Division and ensuring their streak would continue. So what ties the two together? In 2014, the Baltimore Orioles […]

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