For dedicated athletes, losing the ability to compete in the sport they love is devastating. We are here to demystify the process of healthy transition for permanently-sidelined athletes and help supply you with tools to be an effective support to your sidelined son/daughter. Our three-prong program has been developed based on research in sports psychology to help sidelined athletes cope with their loss, feel supported, connect with one another, and eventually move forward in a positive light. Below we’ve offered some suggested resources to help get you started. Be sure to check out our Meaningful Resources page for articles to help guide you as you support your son or daughter during this transition process.
Resources
Read our research-based resources to assist in promoting a healthy adjustment and psychological recovery following career-ending injury, health condition, or repeat concussions. Utilize Sidelined USA’s articles to learn how to better support your son/daughter through the process of grief, loss, and transition forward. Below we have linked a few articles that can serve as a starting point.
Connection
Help connect your sidelined son/daughter with others who personally understand the loss they have experienced. In our Sidelined Stories podcast, sidelined athletes share candidly both their grief/pain as well as their personal path towards finding a meaningful way forward. We also host a virtual connection group for sidelined athletes which meets monthly. Learn more below.
Click for more information or to request a care package.
Our care packages are designed with the two-fold purpose: (1) helping medically disqualified athletes feel seen and understood and (2) providing them with tangible resources from those who have been there themselves. We've worked with our network of "mentor" athletes to design these care packages based on what would have been helpful to them at the time they personally lost their own athletic careers.If your son or daughter is a student-athlete who has experienced a permanent medically-forced exit from sport within the past 12 months, you are eligible to request a Sidelined USA care package. Learn more by clicking the image.
New Pursuits
At Sidelined USA we help permanently-sidelined student-athletes find new fulfillment and adapt to their new reality in a meaningful way. Finding an alternate way for your son/daughter to stay involved with their sport, or with sports in general, can provide an outlet to stay connected to the things that matter most to them.
Our New Pursuits podcast series helps sidelined athletes explore options to stay involved in sports.
Click here to see the different ways to listen.
We understand how difficult this can be for not only your athlete but also you as well. Your athlete may or may not be opening up about what they’re feeling. They may be resistant to help. They may be isolating or turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms. So what can you do to break through and provide the best possible support as they go through this difficult transition? Today’s podcast guests can speak to this topic both professionally and personally. In this episode, a parent of a permanently-sidelined athlete interviews two sports psychologists who personally experienced a medical disqualification themselves. Listen in to glean insights from others who know first hand the challenges of helping a young person through the transition following a medically-forced exit from sport.
Important Disclaimer: Neither Sidelined USA nor its affiliates provide clinical or medical care of any kind via their relationship with Sidelined. At no time should a user have an expectation of clinical care or professional services offered or rendered.