Creating Safe Sports Environments for Kids with Dr. Leah Avery

Send us a text Today, we have guest Dr. Leah Avery; a mother runner, physical therapist, & former competitive swimmer who was abused by her high school coach. Leah bravely shares her story & offers advice for us parents on how to create a safe environment for our kids involved in sports. We also discuss what parents can do to ensure our children don’t place too much of their identity in their sport. Leah also talks about the powerful role running played in her recovery. At the start, we have our usual banter—today about our summers so far including the good, bad, & ugly. We hope this important episode helps keep your kids safe as they progress in their sports. More about Leah: Leah has been a practicing PT for over a decade which is also when she began her running career. Prior to that she was a competitive swimmer starting at the age of 8 and retired her senior year of college. During her career she was a D1 All-American and competed at the Olympic Trials. Leah’s athletic career was anything but linear and she faced many hardships which originally led her to a career in physical therapy. However, after starting her running journey, it was clear she had an unhealthy relationship with athletics largely because of past as a young athlete. Her mission is to help runners reach their potential in a healthy manner by treating the person, not just the runner. And help them understand that running adds value to our lives but it is not what makes us valuable. Instagram: @Leah.runs.dpt @trainsmartrunstrong www.trainsmartrunstrong.com 01:01 Summer Reflections and Mom Guilt 14:26 Leah's Experience in Competitive Swimming and Its Impact 18:26 Identifying Signs of Control and Abuse 21:13 The Journey to Acknowledgment and Healing 23:07 The Role of Social Media in Sharing Stories 26:32 Finding Strength Through Running 30:53 Setting Boundaries with Coaches 34:12 The Importance of Open Communication 38:50 Balancing Athletic Drive and Self-Worth 50:26 Finding Fulfillment in Running 58:45 Lighthearted Moments and Humor Whitney Heins is a mom of 2, a lifelong runner, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com . When training for her first marathon as a mom, she found a dearth of information related to running and motherhood. She also felt extremely isolated as a new mom. As a former TV journalist and a freelance writer she decided to use her skills to fill the void with an online resource and community, called The Mother Runners. Whitney also recognized a need for run coaches who understood the demands of motherhood, so she also became a running coach—unearthing a passion for helping moms reap the rewards and empowerment of running. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. She lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, two kids, and three dogs. www.themotherrunners.com Instagram: @themotherrunners YouTube: The Mother Runners whitney@themotherrunners.com