The Hidden Opponent Admin

Most people who watched Jack Storer play soccer saw a kid with "issues" or "aggression" on the pitch. They saw the different clubs he played for by age 17 and the intensity of his game, but they never saw the chaos happening inside his head. Football was his escape, but it was also where he hid his greatest battles.

For most of my life, being an athlete wasn’t just something I did—it was who I was. It was my identity, my safe place, my anchor. It gave my days a rhythm and my life a clear direction. I played JV soccer and was on the archery team at the University of the Cumberlands, where I earned my B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Sport and Wellness Psychology. I was used to balancing workouts and classes, conditioning and competitions, bus rides and late-night studying. It was hard,...

Originally published by Ithaca College (Patrick Bohn) Andrew McDermott shined on the diamond for Ithaca College after recovering, both physically and mentally, from a series of injuries. (Photo by Ithaca College Student Creative Media) Andrew McDermott was sitting in a dugout at Appalachian State University when his life changed —and nearly ended—in the blink of an eye. While playing a summer game for Queens College of Charlotte, McDermott was on the bench when a batter hit a foul ball...