Riley's Reflection

This is a bittersweet post this month, as it will be my last with Elite Performance Psychology. I have been fortunate to write for you all over the past two years, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share some of my passion with you. EPP gave me a place to learn, grow, write, and better understand the kind of practitioner and person I hope to become. I wanted to take this final chance to reflect on my time here and my own sport psychology journey. I hope you enjoy.

My love for sports started when I was young, as it does for most athletes. I played nearly everything, sometimes even two or three sports in the same season. I even earned the nickname “soccer shoes” because I would run directly from soccer practice to baseball practice  (luckily in the same complex), where my bright blue shoes contrasted greatly with the typical baseball cleat. Out of all the sports I played, soccer was my favorite, and the one I was most proficient in. I was lucky enough to be recruited to play abroad, and following my high school graduation I moved to England to begin my professional journey.

Like most soccer-loving children in the United States, I always dreamed of playing in Europe. I finally had my chance, and I made the most of it. However, in the second-to-last game of the season I was hit by a reckless slide tackle that left my leg in serious pain. I later found out I had torn my meniscus. Recovery was hard, and I continuously hit setback after setback. The anger and frustration of losing such a large part of my identity slowly drained my passion for the game. Eventually, I decided to move home, still unable to play because of my knee.

I elected to pursue an education, eventually winding up at the University of Michigan. I bounced around majors during my first year, trying to find a new passion to throw myself into. By the winter of my junior year I had begun to lose hope that I would find something as fulfilling as athletics for a career. Then, one night while watching a college football game, the announcer brought up the relationship one of the star players had with his sport psychologist. A sport psychologist?! That’s a real job?! I immediately googled the career path, found little to no information, but changed my major the very next day. I had found my calling.

I finally found something I could pour all my restless energy into and got to work immediately. I became involved in any sport-related research I could find, eventually landing a research fellowship working in a concussion laboratory at U of M. Then I stumbled upon EPP. They were accepting internship applications, so I threw my hat in the ring and waited impatiently. After a few weeks I received a voicemail from an unknown number informing me that I had been selected for the internship.

Getting a front-row seat to watch some of the best sport psychology clinicians work has truly been one of the most transformational and educational experiences of my life. I have rarely been around a group of people with such a genuine love and passion for what they do, and the lessons I have learned here have shaped not only my professional development, but my personal development as well.

After graduation I found myself at a crossroads. However, one by one, I received the email every college applicant dreads: “I regret to inform you…”. Still, I received positive news from two universities: Columbia and Northern Michigan.

This became one of the many defining choices in my life. Although I was drawn to the opportunities and reputation Columbia could provide, Northern Michigan offered the sport psychology-specific training I knew I truly wanted. After weeks of sleepless nights and endless pros and cons lists, I committed to Northern and chose passion over prestige. I am incredibly glad I did.

This application cycle was kinder to me, and I was fortunate enough to earn a position in the incoming PhD program in Counseling Psychology with a Sport Psychology specialization at Indiana University, one of my top choices. There, I will continue my professional journey while learning from incredible peers, mentors, and experiences along the way.

Looking back on my journey so far, if I had to give one piece of advice, it would be this: Be curious. Approaching each interaction with an open mind and a willingness to learn can make a world of difference.

Sport gave me an identity early in life. Sport psychology gave me purpose when I lost it.

I want to thank you all again for your readership over the past two years. Keep learning, keep excelling, and keep pursuing what you believe in.

Signing off,

Riley