Truth is, my toughest battles were never on the football field. The real struggle was mental, the pressure of the game and the weight of life outside of it. At times, those challenges held me back as a teammate and as a player. Facing them head-on became a turning point. It forced me to understand what I was feeling, open up, and connect more deeply with others. Like many athletes, when my sport ended I experienced identity collapse. Who are you when the sport that defined you is gone? Through injuries, losses, being told I was replaceable, transferring schools, and finishing my career at the University of Buffalo, I learned a hard truth, mental strength isn’t given. It’s trained. We train our bodies, but few of us train our minds with the same intention. Mental Reps was born from that realization. It’s the daily practice I wish I had earlier.