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Creating Safe Sports Environments for Kids with Dr. Leah Avery
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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
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
About your hosts:
- Whitney Heins is a mom of 2 kids, a VDOT-certified running coach for moms who run, and founder of the resource, themotherrunners.com. Coming out of a long injury cycle, she ran a 2:54 marathon and 1:20 half marathon in her 40s. IG: @themotherrunners.
- Shanna Birchett is a mom of 6 kids six years apart, including twins. She returned to running in 2022 after an 11-year break, running a 2:44 marathon in the summer of 2024. She is the co-founder of Endure 365 running, endure365.com, which offers heart rate-based training plans. IG: @motherhood_running.
- Tricia DeNardis is a mom to 3 young kids and a physical therapist specializing in the pelvic floor, pregnancy and postpartum rehabilitation. After running 10 marathons, Tricia completed her first 50k in the fall of 2024, and is now hooked! IG: @burpeesandburpcloths.
- Olivia Garcia is a mom of 2 young kids, who used to work as a paramedic. She fell in love with running in 2019, despite surviving a marathon that didn’t go according to plan. With a 2:57 PR, she's cut more than an hour off her marathon time. IG: @watch_oliviarun...
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