Butterfly Road

Picture this: You've been counting down the days to your vacation, or maybe it's that much-needed semester break, or you've finally reached the off-season. You've worked your tail off to get here, and now you can't wait to kick back and enjoy some well-deserved downtime. But as the return date approaches, a sense of dread starts creeping in. Suddenly, you're bombarded with questions: Am I ready to jump back into the grind? Did I make the most of my time off? And what's waiting for me when I get back? You're caught in this transition where you can't shake off the worry about what's coming up next. 

But fear not! This week, we discuss how to shake off those post-vacation blues. Join us as we share some tips and tricks to smooth out the return to reality and make the most of your precious time off.

It’s a Christmas miracle! We’re back to discuss pressure, the different kinds, and how to handle them!

While we acknowledge pressure is a privilege, we know it can be daunting and overwhelming. If you’re not prepared to embrace your own pressures, you may not reap as many benefits from those experiences. Tune in to hear about the pressures we face on and off the field and the tricks we use to alleviate them.

This week we sit down with Monica Flores. Monica is an integrative health practitioner who looks to enhance the lives of others through holistic measures. Recently retired from professional soccer, Monica is now continuing her journey to change how people understand the connection between diet and mental health.

During this episode, we discuss the mind-gut connection and how important a healthy diet is to mental health. Flores works with numerous athletes and attempts to shift their focus from societal expectations of appearance to fuel and performance through small changes. Flores also dotes on how the way one eats is a form of self love and nourishment, rather than restriction; through this, she candidly opens up about her own struggles regarding her relationship with food. We are so grateful to have our good friend and former teammate on the podcast with us — make sure to tune in!

Individuals are no strangers to the ups and downs of life. And with those ups and downs comes a struggle to maintain your confidence and self-worth. Factors out of your control, like playing time, injuries, job success, and outside opinions can threaten your identity. How do you maintain a steady mindset in the midst of it all? How do you stay confident through adversity?

This episode, we answer those questions and discuss how to build self-confidence and self-worth on and off the field. It’s a common struggle we all face. But it’s manageable with the right tools. Join us!

For as long as we can remember, Sundays have been our least favorite day of the week. The excitement and activities of the weekend are gone, and you’re staring at five days of responsibilities until another weekend comes around. The temptation to be a couch potato is strong, but you know it’ll make things even worse. So, what do you do?

Join us this week as we discuss creating your own Sunday routine and things you can do to hit the ground running on Monday.

This episode we dive into the life of five-time NBA All-Star, John Wall. Wall made a name for himself as a point guard for the Washington Wizards, starting in 2010. He faced a storm of hardships including his mother’s death, a ruptured Achilles tendon, as well as getting traded from the Washington Wizards. Through these events, Wall battled with clinical depression and detailed his struggles in a Players’ Tribune article. 

We discuss the hardships, but more so, the inspiration Wall used to pull himself out of his depression. Once again, we see the positive effects of vulnerability and how speaking out can not only help your own healing, but others’ too.

One of the biggest universal experiences all humans face is transition. Transition in where you live, transition in where you work – transition is unavoidable. And often, transitions bring about a ton of stress and anxieties. This episode we discuss the transition from high school to college, and the obstacles you face with this change in relation to your sport. Suddenly, you’re in an entirely new environment, learning the ropes, trying to make new friends, all while fighting for a spot in the lineup.
 
Join us as we discuss our experience with the high school to college transition, what helped us cope, and what we would tell ourselves now looking back to freshman year.

Expansion teams come with a lot of press, buzz and excitement. But rarely does the public hear about the growing pains of the team's first season. An entirely new roster, coaching staff, front office, and routine are a few of the obstacles expansion teams face. That paired with the transition from your previous club can be a daunting task to face. But with this challenge comes immense growth, and ultimately, amazing life experiences that make you stronger and better on and off the field. Experiences Cari wouldn't trade for anything! 

Join us as we discuss Angel City's wild ride as one of the NWSL's two expansion teams this year!

DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls’ dominant shooting guard, is no stranger to success. With five NBA All-Star games under his belt, he’s shown poise and consistency in the league since his induction in 2009. However, our admiration of DeRozan is for something that can’t be found on the stat sheet. It comes from the vulnerability to talk about his depression and ignite a long-overdue conversation in the NBA about mental health. 

Join us as we discuss DeRozan’s background, playing history, and the ways he changed the NBA for the better! 

This week we sit down with Diego Bocanegra-- the first coach to ever join us on Butterfly Road. Diego spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Notre Dame where he coached us. After, he led the University of Houston women's soccer team to their most successful season in program history as a head coach. 

During this episode, we ask Diego all the questions we couldn't as players and where he sees the future of soccer as it relates to mental health. He shares the pillars he stuck to as a coach and details his perspective on players going through hard times. We couldn't be more grateful for Diego's vulnerability and willingness to divulge on the podcast. Tune in!