Help your kid win the mental game.

I will never forget my dad encouraging me onto my first upside-down roller coaster. I was near tears before getting on, but I trusted him, and deep down I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. We ended up riding it ten more times in a row.

That moment sums up a lot of my life: a ride full of incredible highs and pressure-packed lows. Through all of it, basketball was the constant. I was tall, talented, and people assumed I would pursue it. I did not want to let anyone down, even when my relationship with the game got complicated.

I was deep in a whirlwind of summer AAU tournaments when my coach told me Princeton was interested. It felt impossible, but once again I leaned on someone who believed in me, and I worked relentlessly to prove I belonged.

Princeton was not easy. Injuries stacked up. The pressure, mostly self-imposed, was heavy. I lost my best friend to suicide, and I could not tell where my concussion symptoms ended and the emotional pain began. But there were also unforgettable moments: winning with teammates who became sisters, traveling the world, and writing a thesis on student-athlete mental health.

All of it taught me something I hold onto: the roller coaster of life does not stop, but you can learn to ride it. That is why I founded Power Forward, to help student-athletes make pressure an ally instead of something to fear.