My Journey
I played softball since I was five. Virginia Tech. Ole Miss. Miami of Ohio. I loved being a college athlete. But no one—not one person at any of those universities—prepared me for who I would be when softball ended.
When I graduated, I didn't know what to do with my day. I had no team. No practice. No purpose. And I realized: I had no idea who I was without softball.
The Call That Changed Everything
I got a phone call at 1 AM. One of my teammates wanted to commit suicide.
Our sports psychologist was contacted. We got her into a mental health institute. She got better. She came back. She had a great season. Thank God I got that phone call.
But here's what haunts me: I shouldn't have been the one getting that call.
We had mandatory meetings about gambling. About social media. About compliance. But nothing mandatory about mental health. Nothing about identity. Nothing about what happens when the one thing that's defined you for your entire life is suddenly gone.
Why Next Play Partners Exists
This isn't just my story. This is every athlete's story. And universities don't have proactive solutions in place.
That's why I created Next Play Partners. After years of research, conversations with hundreds of athletes, and collaboration with sports psychologists, I built what I wish had existed for me: sport-specific mental health programs that prevent crisis instead of just responding to it.
Every curriculum is tailored to the specific pressures of each sport. Every conversation card is designed for athletes to use whenever they need reflection, self-discovery, and team bonding. Every assessment helps athletes build identity beyond their sport before they need it.
This is the solution I wish had existed when I was a student-athlete. Now it exists for every athlete who comes after me.
Let's Talk About Your Program
I'd love to discuss how Next Play Partners can support your student-athletes before they reach crisis.
Schedule a Conversation