Sidelined USA
Supporting, resourcing, and advocating for permanently-sidelined student-athletes

Resources

Insightful articles for helping permanently-sidelined athletes find a meaningful way forward.

Posts tagged retired athletes
Guilt, Shame, and the Sidelined Athlete
Guilt, Shame, and the Sidelined Athlete

As a former sidelined athlete I can tell you that guilt and shame were very specific feelings I experienced when I medically-retired. At the time, I really didn’t feel like I had the right to grieve and I was ashamed of how depressed I had become. I didn’t realize that it was normal - more importantly - that it was OKAY to be mourning the end of my athletic career. Changing the narrative starts with understanding where the guilt and shame behind medical retirement comes from.

An athlete’s natural mindset in performing is to overcome and defeat opponents. To win. But what happens when you can’t even compete?

Read More
Becoming SidelinedChristine Pinaltoretired athletes, grief loss of sport, grief athletes, guilt loss sport, struggling loss of sport, struggling injury sport, sidelined athlete, sidelined, medical retirement, medically disqualified athlete, support medically disqualified athlete, Help Athletes Career Ending Injuries, help medically disqualified athlete, helping sidelined athletes, medical disqualification, helping an athlete medical retirement, how to help an athlete with medical disqualification, loss of sport, identity crisis, guilt athlete
Adjusting Your Gameplan:  Transitioning from One Dream to Your Next Play
Adjusting Your Gameplan:  Transitioning from One Dream to Your Next Play

As a child, you never expect your biggest dreams to come to an end so suddenly. As an athlete, you hope that you’re able to control your own destiny. Unfortunately, the reality is that for many of us, these hopes and expectations take a U-turn when we’re least expecting it, and force our hand in life a bit earlier than we had planned for. 

Grasping the reality of an early end to your athletic career is certainly a tough pill to swallow.

For some it may be all they have ever known and loved.

Read More
Beyond The GameChristine PinaltoSidelined athletes, sidelined athlete, sidelined athletes, sidelined, coaches sidelined athletes, sport retirement, permanently sidelined, helping sidelined athletes, post-retirement, post sports days, career ending injury, Career Ending Injuries, career ending injuries, end to sports career, athlete for life, athlete transition, athletes, gameplan, grit, mental health athletes, mental vigilance, early retirement sports, sports psychologist, sports psychology, loss of sport, competitive spirit, sports coping strategies, transition sports, sport retirement concussion, coping mechanisms sports, athlete, athletic identity, athletic injury, athletic trainers, Athletes Forced Retirement, medical disqualification, medically disqualified athlete, coping strategies, rebuilding, competitive edge, MDQ athlete, emotional recovery, identity crisis, Help Athletes Career Ending Injuries, retired athletes, Recommendations Permanently Sidelined Athletes, life beyond the game
Beyond the Game: The Power of Mental Vigilance in Overcoming Challenges
Beyond the Game: The Power of Mental Vigilance in Overcoming Challenges

When we witness the likes of LeBron James compete at highest level of play, when we watch in awe at the power behind one of Serena Williams’ serves, or when we behold the command of Clayton Kershaw’s fastball: what factors do we immediately contribute their success to?

As fans (or haters) we can speculate advantages or debate statistics, but few would dare to argue that these dominating athletes have not worked tirelessly to achieve success. What is less often considered, is the work these athletes have done within the confines of their own mind. As anyone who has competed in any arena can attest to; change, improvement, and success take hard work. If we were able to work as hard on our minds as we do in our work, sports, and relationships, we would see big change in many facets of life.

Read More
Beyond The GameChristine Pinaltomental vigilance, mental health athletes, Sidelined athletes, sidelined athlete, sidelined athletes, sidelined, coaches sidelined athletes, parents sidelined athletes, helping sidelined athletes, forever sidelined, permanently sidelined, self-talk, sports psychology, sports psychologist, sports coping strategies, sport retirement, life beyond the game, retired athletes
Becoming Sidelined: Managing Negative Self-Talk
Becoming Sidelined: Managing Negative Self-Talk

Being forced to retire from competing in a sport that you love is objectively heartbreaking. You’re allowed (even encouraged) to let yourself feel every negative emotion that comes with grieving the loss of a really important aspect of your life and identity. What remains important throughout this process though, is that you treat yourself with kindness and patience. You owe it to yourself to alter any internal-dialogues which threaten to convince you that these circumstances are more disastrous than you are strong.

As we begin to analyze our internal dialogues, we should be wary of unhelpful thought patterns that have manifested themselves so deeply that they impact our entire perception of the world, our experiences, and ourselves. These thoughts are not reality-based and overtime they are reinforced, resulting in biases, irrational thoughts, and groundless beliefs.

Read More
Becoming SidelinedChristine PinaltoSidelined athletes, sidelined athlete, sidelined athletes, sidelined, coaches sidelined athletes, parents sidelined athletes, helping sidelined athletes, forever sidelined, permanently sidelined, athletic trainers sidelined athletes, career ending injury, Career Ending Injuries, career ending injuries, cardiomyopathy athletes, end to sports career, early retirement sports, emotional recovery, self-talk, depression athletes, teen athletes, retired athletes, healing athletes, sports psychologist, sports psychology, sport retirement, sport retirement concussion, sports coping strategies, loss of sport, transition sports, coping mechanisms sports, internal healing sports injury, internal coping mechanisms sports, negative self talk, cognitive distortions, athletes identity, athletic injury, athletic trainers, Athletes Heart Conditions, brain health risk, TBI sports, concussions athletes, connective tissue disorders athletes, coping strategies, mental health athletes, heart conditions athletes, Athletes Forced Retirement, internal coping strategies, internal coping skills, internal coping mechanisms, life beyond the game, mental vigilance, Recommendations Permanently Sidelined Athletes, repeat concussions