Like many elite athletes, Kate Daley grew up playing multiple sports and only considered indoor track in high school as it provided social opportunities and allowed her to “get her homework done between events!” However, once she realized the ability to consistently improve, break new barriers and feel a sense of accomplishment, she caught the “running bug.” As her career evolved, she needed to shift her mindset around success but also health and nutrition. As a retired collegiate distance runner, registered dietician and mental health therapist, Kate has combined her own athletic experiences, educational background and personal struggles with an eating disorder to treat athletes struggling with eating disorders through her private practice and is the Athlete EDGE Primary Therapist at EDCare, a residential and day treatment eating disorder center in Denver. She also continues to study weight stigma, trauma, and disordered eating in marginalized populations through her role as a researcher in the Bodies, Eating, and Emotions (BEE) lab at the University of Denver. She is passionate about taking a non-diet, weight-inclusive approach to sport psychology and nutrition as well as instilling hope that recovery is always possible. @katedaleynutrition, @athlete_edge_at_edcare  

Danny O’Connor was an honor roll student, a Massachusetts HS wrestling state champion, and a nationally ranked wrestler as a sophomore in high school. By his junior year, he was failing every class, dropped out of school, fell into substance abuse, experienced homelessness, and had 22 involvements with the criminal justice system before adult age. He was on a path destined for prison or death. In just two years two years after finding boxing, he  became a two-time national amateur champion, ranked #1 in the U.S., and traveled the world as part of Team USA. He made the United States Olympic boxing team, turned professional, won 31 fights, and became the WBC International Champion. He was ranked in the top 5 in all major sanctioning bodies, managed and mentored by the Dropkick Murphys, and fought on HBO, Showtime Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and more. However, the hardest and longest battle he fought was not on a mat or in the ring but rather with his eating disorder. The very same discipline that led to his success also led to his demise taking away his dreams and almost his life. Danny shares his incredible story and struggles in hopes that others can learn from his mistakes and be inspired from his resilience. @therealdannyoconnor, www.doboxingacademy.com

Becca Mann is a writer and athlete. A member of the USA Swimming National Team from 2012 until 2021, Becca is a 2x USA National Champion and was the youngest person ever to place in the Top 10 in 4 events at a single Olympic Trials. She has also represented Team USA at 4 World Championships. Becca initially fell in love with the solitude, power and efficiency that swimming offered but was ultimately motivated by the ability to consistently achieve goals. Whether moving to a more advanced lane, breaking a school record, breaking a state record or becoming a world champion, each small goal led to an even bigger one. No matter how big the goal was, her mindset stayed the same. She maintained the same pre-race routine (as it had worked before) and reminded herself that every meet was the most important meet of her life. After missing her 3rd Olympic team, she decided that if she was going to walk away, she would need to do something that had never been done before. With clear understanding and mastery of her mental strengths and vulnerabilities including OCD, she became the first person to have consecutively swum the triangle between the Hawaiian islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. This life defining experience allowed her to redefine her relationship with swimming and reminded herself that it is supposed to be fun. Becca Mann shares her struggles, insights and knowledge in her latest book, “Outside the Lanes.” @becca__mann

Emily Hawryschuk has been standout player her entire career. She is the all-time career goals leader at Syracuse, 2X All-American and 3X First Team All-ACC Selection. She has been involved with Team USA since 2013 and secured 2 gold medals at both the prestigious Super Sixes tournament and the first ever Women's Box Lacrosse Championships. Most recently she earned the Golden Stick Award and All- Tournament Team Honors at the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) Champ series. However, her introduction to lacrosse was unique and her love for the game came from a perspective of healing exemplifying why they call it “the medicine game.” What most fans don’t realize is that Hawryschuk still considers herself a nervous player and has chosen to acknowledge her thought and accept her feelings and always come back to her preparation. While she appears  naturally calm with a quiet but intentional intensity, she has developed this mindset through extensive training. Whether she is navigating a physical challenge or mental obstacle, she reminds herself that “She will not quit.” As founder and head coach of 51 Stars Lacrosse, she is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of women's lacrosse players by focusing on both on-field skills and off-field personal development, ensuring athletes excel in all aspects of the game. @ejaneh803 @51starslacrosse

Like so many elite athletes, Carly Nelson grew up playing multiple different sports and was attracted to soccer because she could run around with her friends and kick a ball. She was both a field player and a goalie until a pivotal moment at age 15. During a typical game while playing goalie, she saved a great shot and experienced feelings of excitement, euphoria, validation, appreciation and ultimate confidence realizing, “I can do this!” Despite this life changing moment, she was talented enough in college that she didn’t fully understand the work ethic required to be great. That was until she sustained a severe concussion and learned that her sport could be taken away from her at any moment. She also learned the critical values of self-talk, discipline, and effort through the unlikeliest of circumstances. After 4 years at the University of Utah,  achieved her goal of becoming a professional athlete where she has played for the last 5 years for the Seattle Reign, Kansas City Current, Orlando Pride, Utah Royals FC. Carly explains however that while many consider professional sports a dream, it’s really a job and it began to take away the joy, excitement, and validation she once felt. As hard as it was to get into pro sports, she made an even harder choice to step away. By taking care of her own health and wellness and appreciating herself, she is highlighting that if we want people to show up for us, we need to show up for ourselves. Showing up for ourselves might include walking away from something we love. @carly_nelson  

For Katherine Shai, the sport of wrestling is embedded into the culture of her family. Her father was an Olympic wrestler, Olympic coach and was instrumental in growing the sport of women’s wrestling. Her sister was also an elite wrestler. She was drawn into it for its competitiveness and intensity but excelled once she understood the power of choice. By choosing to show up for herself and choosing how to train regardless of the outcome, she created the process to achieve success at every level. She became a 2X College National Champion. Senior National Champion, University World Champion, 7X Team USA National Team member and a 2X Olympic Alternate. More importantly, she helped give the sport a platform where others could advocate for themselves, get more opportunities and achieve the unthinkable like winning Olympic Gold Medals for USA in women’s wrestling. She has also used her experiences to create LuchaFit which is a series of resources including articles and workshops to address gaps in education, mental preparation and athlete well-being. Whether or not you get your hand raised at the end of a match, Katherine Shai teaches us to anchor into our values and choose to come back Monday! @katherineshai, @lucha.fit

Matthew S. Ibrahim, PhD(c), CSCS, LMT, is a strength and conditioning coach, college professor, public speaker, author, and founder of Athletic Performance University (APU). Currently, he serves as Clinical Coordinator/Instructor of Exercise Science and Co-Advisor of The Hidden Opponent chapter at Endicott College. Initially drawn to strength and conditioning for the structure, routine and discipline, he started to see the impact on self-efficacy, problem solving and positive change. He has shared his knowledge and experience in over 25 U.S. states at prestigious venues such as the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), Perform Better, EXOS at Google Headquarters, Sports Academy (formerly Mamba), UFC Performance Institute, Duke University, Stanford University, and Equinox, along with several engagements across Europe. His professional work and expertise have been featured in leading platforms and publications, including Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Journal, NSCA Personal Training Quarterly, Science for Sport, and T-Nation. As an author, Matthew is set to release his first book through Human Kinetics in July 2025: “Train Like a Pro: Programming to Develop Your Inner Athlete”. @matthewibrahim_, www.athleticperformanceu.com    

In the sport of lacrosse, Marcus Holman is the standard of ultimate success. He was a 3X NCAA All-American at UNC Chapel Hill, 11X Pro All-Star, 2017 MLL Championship MVP, 3X Team USA Member, 2023 PLL Attackman of the Year and is currently 3rd All time in Pro Goals Scored. However, he will be the first to tell you that he has never been the best player, but he truly enjoys the process of getting better each day. In addition to training physically, he focuses on being present and remembers, “to play with emotion but don’t play emotional.” Marcus’ is not only the son of a lacrosse coach but also the husband of another professional lacrosse player. He shares both the challenges and unique relationship with lacrosse that he gets to experience. For him, this is truly a family affair! @marcusholman1

Anthony Pecorella is a Division 1 football punter, cancer survivor and mental health advocate. Like so many elite student athletes, he played multiple sports until he became a specialty player as a quarterback, kicker and punter. When given the opportunity to play at University of Maryland, a Big10 program, all seemed to be going well until it wasn’t. One night, while with family and friends, he heard a voice in his head saying that “he would not make it until tomorrow.” In that moment, he learned that “someone could have the biggest smile on their face while fighting the biggest war in their head.” Fortunately, that moment passed but shortly after, he was faced with the hardest but most rewarding period in his life. Diagnosed with cancer, he began his treatments on a pediatric floor where he was inspired by so many young kids who taught him that, “if they can do it (fight), he can do.” In particular, a 3-year-old named Elianna taught him the power of resilience, friendship and how to “Just Keep Swimming!”  While Eli is now gone physically, her legacy and mindset lives on in Anthony as he shares his story, her story, and so many others who are struggling physically and mentally. Through his speeches and advocacy work, the message is simple. “Give each moment your all because tomorrow is not promised and always keep 10 toes on the ground” @ant_pec98, @healthyminds____  

Allie Coyle is the head coach of the Montgomery Blair Boys Soccer Varsity team. Over the last 3 years as the head coach of the Varsity Boys Soccer, she has led the team to numerous titles including: 2x County Division Champions (2022, 2023), 2x Maryland 4A Region Champions (2022, 2024), Maryland 4A Semifinalist (2022), and, most recently, Maryland 4A State Champions (2024).  Through numerous injuries as an athlete that required multiple surgeries, she learned that it doesn’t matter how bad you get knocked down, what matters is how you get up. She knew her teammates needed her, and she needed them. While working as a teacher as an adult, a group of boys lost their coach mid-season and approached her to help. By saying yes and showing up for them, they began to show up for each other. Allie instilled her refusal to take no for an answer coupled with a culture a positivity. The outcome is remarkable. Coyle  became the first female of a boys’ soccer team to win the State Championship in the state of Maryland. This fall she not only brought in the coveted trophy but earned the title of Maryland’s Large Public High School Coach of the Year by the Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer, as well as the Boys Soccer Coach of the Year from the Washington Post’s All Met. @coach.coyle, @montblairsoccer