Bianca McCall. A story and a journey that transcends the AAU courts and professional basketball in Italy. Her story on the Athlete Mindset podcast touches on valuable lessons learned both on and off the court. Witnessing the limitations of access to youth sports, Bianca champions efforts to make it more inclusive. Her transition from athlete to advocate highlights the challenges and triumphs of a life beyond the game. Reach-In Now, Bianca's platform connecting athletes through mental health resources exemplifies her passion for building a supportive community.

Topics discussed on Hoops and Healing with Bianca McCall, Reach-In Now:

• Playing basketball professionally in Italy
• Traveling with AAU teams was a big learning experience
• Keeping AAU cost-efficient and accessible for families
• Bianca's battle with mental health issues is what led her to pursue a career in mental health
• Athletes aren’t trained to connect with the world around them when they aren’t playing their sport
• Reach in now, Bianca's app, allows people to utilize anonymous text chat where people can share their stories and build a community

About Bianca McCall:

• Athletic Trailblazer: Former women’s basketball pro excelling in sports, healthcare, and education.
• Overcoming Odds: Battled a career-threatening knee injury, rising to prominence in the Pacific 10 Conference, earning All-American honors.
• Trauma Advocate: Devoted Second Act to helping others heal from trauma, crises, and preventing violence, contributing to mental health education.
• Educational Milestones: First-gen master’s degree earner, licensed clinical psychotherapist specializing in trauma and crisis management.
• Influential Speaker & Author: TED Speaker and mental health expert with board seats on national committees, authoring courses at the University of Reno.

Production Team for Hoops and Healing with Bianca McCall:

• Athlete Mindset is part of the podcast network, QuietLoud Studios
• Presented by SportsE Media: a digital sports media brand for entrepreneurs engaged in sports

Social Media:

• Lisa Bonta Sumii: LinkedIn | Instagram | website
• SportsE Media:  TikTok | Instagram | X
• Bianca McCall & Reach-In Now: Website | LinkedIn | X

Related episodes to "Hoops and Healing with Bianca McCall, Reach-In Now":

• The Unstoppable Drive of Dre Baldwin | Basketball & Entrepreneurship
• The AthMindset Workbook
• Simplifying Sports Science and Overcoming Adversity with Dr. Erik Korem, Founder of AIM7

Music credit:

• Beat Provided By freebeats.io | Produced By White Hot

Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW | CEO & Founder of AthMindset® 

Lisa brings a high level of expertise to the athlete mental health space, from both a clinical and performance focus. She works with elite youth athletes, collegiate student-athletes, Olympians/Olympic hopefuls, professional athletes, coaches, teams, and the entire sport ecosystem.  

Lisa is the first-ever Mental Performance Coach for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, a men’s professional soccer team, in the USL, working alongside other coaches on the Technical Team, as well as the Sports Medicine staff.  

Lisa is listed in the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Mental Health Registry, the NFL Player Association’s Clinician Directory, and the Major League Rugby Mental Health and Wellness Directory. 

As a direct response to need, Lisa founded AthMindset® – a diverse team of athlete-centered, licensed mental health clinicians and mental performance consultants, serving across several states.   

Lisa is a professional podcast host and podcast guest. She hosts the Athlete Mindset Podcast and co-hosts Roots Radio. She is a keynote speaker, an accomplished TEDx Speaker, speaks nationally and internationally, and is often invited to speak at conferences and contribute to expert panels. 

Lisa has been quoted in Time Magazine, Teen Vogue, Women’s Health Magazine, as well as being interviewed on the BBC World News and Radio Bliss, in Jordan. Her first book, The AthMindset® Workbook: Training your mind for optimal mental health in sport and in life is now available. 

Lisa received her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from Smith College School for Social Work and attended the University of California at Santa Barbara as an undergraduate. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.