Athlete Mindset

In this episode of the Athlete Mindset Podcast, host Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC, speaks with Oz Marginean, former NCAA D1 athlete, professional basketball player, and Head of Community at The True Athlete Project. They discuss the complexities of athlete identity, transitioning out of sport, and the power of mindfulness, playful movement, and creativity in athletic development. As part of the True Athlete Project Series, Oz shares her journey of overcoming performance anxiety, finding purpose beyond basketball, and redefining success and fulfillment.

Key Takeaways from “The True Athlete Project Series: Embracing Identity and Purpose with Oz Marginean”
  • The importance of exploring other identities while still playing sports to ease the transition process and prevent identity crises post-retirement.
  • Performance anxiety and burnout are common challenges, especially when tied to perfectionism and external validation.
  • Mindfulness and playful movement can enhance body awareness, presence, and connection, helping athletes find balance and reduce anxiety.
  • Creativity and identity exploration beyond sports are essential for holistic well-being and personal growth.
  • Building relationships outside the athletic bubble helps in developing a well-rounded identity and support system.
  • Starting the transition process while actively playing, including exploring values, passions, and relationships, leads to a healthier adjustment.
  • The True Athlete Project integrates mindfulness, creativity, and social responsibility to create a compassionate and holistic sport culture.
For more on Oz Marginean and The True Athlete Project, visit: thetrueathleteproject.org

Credits: Athlete Mindset is part of the SportsE Media platform.
Produced by KazCM and featured on the QuietLoud Studios podcast network.

Support the Athlete Mindset Community: Click Here to contribute to the Athlete Mindset Community.
By supporting the Athlete Mindset community, you will contribute directly to the mental health of athletes. With your amplification, we can ensure more voices are heard and more individuals are impacted. Thank You for making a difference!

Connect with the guest, host, and podcast production team:
Related content to “The True Athlete Project Series: Embracing Identity and Purpose with Oz Marginean”:
Music: Beat Provided By freebeats.io | Produced By White Hot

Creators and Guests

Host
Lisa Bonta Sumii
Athlete Mental Health & Performance| Oakland Roots SC|CEO & Founder of AthMindset®|Published Author|Pro Podcaster & Guest|Speaker: Tedx, Keynote, International|Listed -NFLPA Directory, USOPC Registry, MLR Directory
Producer
SportsEpreneur
SportsE Media is a digital sports media brand & production co for executives & entrepreneurs engaged in sports.

What is Athlete Mindset?

This is the Athlete Mindset podcast. Presented and produced by SportsEpreneur. Part of the QuietLoud Studios Podcast Network.
And this podcast is all about mental health in sports.

This podcast series is a space for conversations with athletes, coaches, practitioners, and stakeholders in sports. And it’s where those individuals share their perspectives, experiences, and thoughts on mental health in sports.

Hosted by Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC

Eric Kasimov, Founder of KazSource and the creator of SportsE Media, is generously hosting the Athlete Mindset podcast on his platform as he deeply believes these conversations are essential and deserve to be prioritized.

If you are looking to start a podcast or create original content, you have to talk with the team at SportsE Media. I work with them and I vouch for them. It’s that simple.

About Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC

Lisa is a mental health therapist with over 21 years of clinical experience, licensed in both CA and NV. She is a private practice clinician and the CEO and Founder of AthMindset, LLC.

Lisa supports the elite athlete to achieve optimal mental health and peak mental sport performance. She works with adolescent sport teams, collegiate student-athletes, Olympians/Olympic hopefuls, as well as professional athletes and teams.

Lisa is the first-ever Mental Health & Sport Performance Specialist for the Oakland Roots Sports Club. The Roots are a men’s professional soccer team and purpose-driven club. Seeing the elite athlete as a multidimensional human, navigating various roles and identities, is integral to Lisa’s approach. Focusing on the role that interpersonal trauma, culture, race, gender, and sexual orientation play as the athlete navigates life on and off the field, is at the center of her work.

Lisa is listed in the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Mental Health Registry and the National Football League Player Association’s Clinician Directory.

Lisa is often an invited podcast guest and conference speaker. Besides hosting the Athlete Mindset podcast on the SportsE+ podcast platform. She spoke at TEDxWilmington on the intersection of race, mental health, and sport.

She has been featured in Time Magazine, Teen Vogue, BBC World News, and Women’s Health Magazine.
AthMindset, LLC, supports the mental health of the elite athlete and their ecosystem. This includes serving the spouses/partners, family members, coaches, teams, referees/umpires, agents, and athletic trainers, with clinical services and sport performance consultation.

To get more content like this check out https://sportsepreneur.com and https://quietloudstudios.com/