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Genevieve Henderson, is a former collegiate soccer player, therapist, business owner, and the host of What the Hell Do I Do Now? In this 100th episode, Gen reflects on a career and life path that has been anything but linear, sharing how unexpected changes, setbacks, and new opportunities ultimately shaped the work she does today. After stepping away from collegiate athletics, Gen moved through coaching, fitness, graduate school, clinical work, and private practice before realizing how deeply her experiences as an athlete connected her to her work as a therapist. She shares how the podcast, which began as a passion project, eventually became a meaningful way to support athletes navigating the transition out of sport. Gen also reflects on the identity disruption that comes with leaving athletics behind and the common themes she has heard throughout 100 conversations with athletes. She discusses why your athletic identity doesn't simply disappear when your sport ends, the importance of honoring what sport has given you while discovering who you are beyond it, and why the first year after sport can feel especially disruptive. Through her own experiences with imposter syndrome, the pressure to prove herself, and the tendency to equate productivity with worth, Gen offers an honest look at the process of building a life beyond athletics. This episode is a reminder that there is no single path after sport, that it's okay for your journey to change direction. The person you become after athletics can still carry the best parts of who you were as an athlete.

Tom Henske is a former collegiate goalkeeper and three-time national champion at the University of Virginia whose path after soccer unfolded very differently than he expected. After recurring shoulder injuries brought his playing career to an end, Tom found himself facing the uncertainty of life beyond sport — eventually beginning a career in financial planning that would span more than three decades. In this episode, Tom reflects on the lessons goalkeeping taught him about resilience, recovering from mistakes, and putting in the work when no one is watching. He shares how returning to soccer as a high school goalkeeper coach gave him an opportunity to mentor the next generation, and how those experiences ultimately sparked a deeper interest in helping young people understand money and prepare for life beyond athletics. Now a professor of personal finance working with students and student-athletes at UVA, Tom has brought his career full circle. He helps athletes build the financial confidence and habits they can carry long after their playing days are over. Tom discusses financial literacy in the age of NIL, the importance of starting early, and why confidence with money can create greater freedom to pursue purpose and eventually, pay it forward. Tom is also continuing to bring these ideas to a wider audience. His recently released TEDx Talk was selected as an Editor’s Choice by TED, furthering the conversation around financial literacy and empowering the next generation to build confidence with money. Watch Tom’s TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GpcY-mAIRc Connect with Tom: https://www.totalcents.com/about This conversation is about navigating unexpected transitions, trusting the skills sport gives you, playing the long game, and finding meaningful ways to use what you've learned to help the people coming after you.

Shahar Biran is a former collegiate tennis player competing at Old Dominion University for undergrad, and then completing her MBA while finishing her final year of eligibility at the University of South Carolina. Like many international athletes, her transition to college athletics required adjusting not only to a new country, but also to a completely different style of competition — trading the independence of individual tennis for the dynamics of being part of a team. After graduation, Shahar found herself navigating the uncertainty that often follows an athletic career. Inspired by her own experience of navigating the college recruiting process without much guidance, she now works with Momentum NYC, a recruiting agency that helps international junior tennis players pursue opportunities to compete and study in the U.S. Through her work, she now supports athletes through every step of the journey, from recruitment and academics to visas and settling into college life. In this episode, Shahar reflects on the challenges of leaving competitive tennis behind, the unexpected feeling of missing the pressure and adrenaline of competition more than the sport itself, and how she has found a new outlet for that competitive energy by helping the next generation of athletes. She also shares her perspective on navigating cultural transitions, embracing life beyond sport, and learning to let go of the "all or nothing" mindset that once defined her athletic career.

Brett Stern is a former collegiate tennis player whose life revolved around pursuing excellence on the court from a young age. After training at one of the country's most elite tennis academies and competing at both UC Irvine and the University of Florida, Brett faced a reality many athletes encounter: letting go of the dream that had defined so much of his identity. In this episode, Brett reflects on the difficult transition away from competitive sport, the loss of structure and purpose that followed, and the challenge of building a new life beyond athletics. He shares how the mindset that fueled his tennis career — resilience, problem-solving, discipline, and persistence — became the foundation for his success in business, where he has spent the last three decades working alongside his father in the family business. Brett also discusses the importance of finding fulfillment in new pursuits, and learning that purpose can evolve over time. Through honest reflection and hard-earned perspective, he offers reassurance to athletes navigating uncertainty and reminds us that growth often happens long after the final match is played.

Madeline "Maddie" Davis Tully is a former collegiate rower at Princeton University whose athletic journey carried her from the Ivy League to the U23 U.S. National Team and the World Rowing Championships. After stepping away from elite competition on her own terms, Maddy transitioned into coaching, where she spent over two decades developing athletes and helping to build championship programs at Stanford, Ohio State, and Boston University. In this episode, Maddy reflects on the two major transitions that shaped her life: retiring from competition and, years later, leaving a coaching career that had defined her identity. She shares how each transition required letting go of a role she deeply loved while trusting that something meaningful could exist on the other side. Now the founder of her own leadership and performance coaching practice, Maddy works with high-achieving professionals navigating seasons of growth and change. She discusses the importance of moving toward something—not simply away from something—the lessons athletics continue to teach long after competition ends, and how redefining success can create space for a more intentional and fulfilling life. This conversation is a thoughtful reflection on identity, leadership, purpose, and embracing the next chapter with confidence. Maddy's leadership and performance coaching practice can be found at https://www.mdtlead.com/

Lae Kollasch is a former track and field athlete whose collegiate career took her from the University of Northern Iowa to the junior college level. As her priorities began to shift, Lae realized she could no longer give the sport everything it deserved, leading her to make the difficult decision to step away from competition and begin redefining her identity beyond athletics. In this episode, Lae reflects on the emotional challenges of leaving behind the athlete identity she had carried for years, describing the transition as an "ego death" and opening up about the mental health struggles that followed. She shares how leaning on her support system, embracing uncertainty, and allowing herself the freedom to change directions helped her move forward. Lae also shares how she built a career in the fitness industry from the ground up after relocating to Phoenix, eventually launching Offsite Pilates, her own mobile fitness community. We talk about entrepreneurship, creating spaces where people feel connected, and how the lessons she learned as an athlete continue to shape the way she coaches today. This conversation is an honest reminder that leaving sport doesn't mean leaving behind everything it taught you.

Dillon Schoen Toohill is a former Stanford lacrosse player and team captain whose transition out of athletics unfolded alongside one of the most challenging seasons of her life. After losing her father just before her senior year, Dillon found herself navigating both the emotional weight of grief and the identity shift that comes with stepping away from a sport that shaped her for years. In this episode, Dillon reflects on her decision to pursue a career beyond lacrosse, earning a master’s degree at Stanford before building a career in finance and strategy with roles at Apple and in the digital health space. She shares how athletics prepared her for the demands of professional life while also opening up about the uncertainty that followed the end of her playing career. Dillon discusses the ways she has stayed connected to sport through endurance challenges that honor her father’s memory, including half-Ironman races and fundraising efforts for cancer research. Additionally, she offers a unique perspective on supporting her husband through his own transition out of professional football, as they navigate the opportunities and unknowns that come with life after sport together. This conversation explores identity, grief, resilience, and the reality that growth often happens in the seasons when life doesn't go according to plan.

Brandyn Curry is a former Harvard basketball player whose athletic journey took him from the Ivy League to professional basketball overseas. After graduating, Brandyn spent several seasons playing professionally in Europe before a devastating knee injury in Romania ended his playing career and forced him to confront life beyond the game sooner than expected. Now serving as Program Director for The SHIELD Foundation, Brandyn helps former athletes navigate the often-overlooked challenges of transitioning out of sport. In this episode, he shares the realities of a career-ending injury, the emotional and physical toll of losing the game he loved, and how that experience ultimately led him to a new purpose. Brandyn reflects on the importance of advocating for your own health, building meaningful relationships before, during, and after your athletic career, and why the lessons learned through sport can continue to shape life long after competition ends. This conversation explores identity, resilience, and what it means to turn one of life's hardest setbacks into an opportunity to help others find their next chapter.

Aubrey Peterson is a former Division I softball player at the University of Utah and a longtime member of the Great Britain national softball team. Competing internationally for seven years, Aubrey traveled the world while balancing the transition from collegiate athletics to the reality of becoming an independent athlete — navigating sponsorships, training, and life beyond the structure of college sports. In this episode, Aubrey reflects on the unexpected turns that shaped her transition out of elite competition. After COVID paused international play at the height of her career and injuries shifted her perspective on returning to the game, she began building a new life rooted in community, outdoor adventure, and coaching. Now based in Bozeman, Montana, Aubrey owns and operates a batting cage facility while staying connected to sport in a new way. She shares honest insight into athlete identity, burnout, retirement, and the importance of separating who you are from what you play. This conversation explores trusting yourself through uncertainty, finding purpose after sport, and redefining what it means to stay competitive long after the game ends.

Ed Lubowicki is a former Division 1 lacrosse athlete at Notre Dame who now works at the intersection of athlete transition, identity, and professional development. In this episode, Ed joins Genevieve to unpack the often overlooked reality of life after sports — from the identity shifts that follow retirement to the challenge of building structure and purpose in a completely different environment. Ed shares his personal journey from college athletics into the corporate world, including his time in cybersecurity consulting at Deloitte, where a demanding, travel-heavy lifestyle led him to reevaluate what he truly wanted. Now finishing his master’s thesis on athletic identity foreclosure, he brings both lived experience and academic insight into how athletes navigate transition. The conversation explores the parallels between sport and entrepreneurship. Ed also shares how reflective practices, philosophy, and intentional community-building have helped him rebuild a sense of identity beyond sport. This episode dives into the gap between athletic excellence and real-world structure, and what it looks like to intentionally design a life after the game.

Haley Paez is a Denver-based food content creator and former Division I soccer player at the University of Denver. In this episode, Haley shares her journey through college athletics — from navigating multiple coaching changes and transferring schools, to facing the intense internal and external pressures that came with competing at a high level. She opens up about her experience with disordered eating, the physical and mental toll of injuries, and the difficult decision to step away from the sport before she felt ready. Haley reflects on the identity loss that followed and how therapy helped her reframe her past, adopting the mindset that “failure is feedback.” Now a full-time content creator, Haley shares how she’s applied the discipline and work ethic she developed as an athlete to build a career in the digital space. She also talks about rediscovering her love for soccer in a low-pressure environment and learning to define herself beyond sport. This episode explores transition, healing, and what it means to rebuild your identity on your own terms. If you or someone you know is struggling, Visit the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) to learn about eating disorders, find help, and how you can take action to raise awareness.

Chris Duvall is a former professional soccer player who spent eight seasons competing in Major League Soccer, playing for multiple clubs including the New York Red Bulls, Montreal Impact, Houston Dynamo, Portland Timbers, and FC Cincinnati. After retiring from professional soccer, Chris faced the transition many athletes experience — figuring out how to redirect the intensity, discipline, and identity that come with competing at the highest level. In this episode, Chris opens up about a pivotal moment in his career when a serious leg injury forced him to confront the mental and emotional challenges of being sidelined. Initially skeptical of therapy, he eventually sought help after experiencing symptoms of PTSD following the injury — a decision that ultimately reshaped his perspective on mental health and personal growth. Chris shares what it looked like to rebuild his life after sport: finishing his graduate degree while still playing, briefly coaching, and eventually stepping into a new career as a mortgage lender in St. Louis. He reflects on the difficulty of shifting from constantly proving yourself as an athlete, to building a sustainable life where your worth isn’t defined by performance. This conversation explores identity beyond sport, the power of mental health support, and the challenge of learning where to place your energy after leaving a career built on giving everything to the game.

Sophia Woodland is a former Division I soccer player from Boston University, where she competed for four years while studying business and minoring in psychology, graduating in 2023. In this episode, Sophia reflects on the reality behind her collegiate career — from feeling voiceless in a difficult team environment her first two years to beginning therapy and learning to separate her self-worth from her performance on the field. She shares how adopting a new mindset her junior year helped her reclaim some joy, and how a coaching change her senior year allowed her to enjoy the game again. For Sophia, the hardest part of leaving collegiate soccer was leaving the daily access to her teammates and built in community. Sophia speaks candidly about the importance of coaching culture, power dynamics, and the silence many athletes feel pressured into. After the release of a documentary by Alex Cooper highlighting experiences under former coaches Nancy Feldman and Casey Brown, Sophia found herself revisiting her own experience. She discusses the fear of retaliation, the risks athletes face in speaking up, and the lasting impact of negative language — particularly around body image — during formative years. Now based in Denver, Sophia serves as Head of Ratings at 2aDays, a platform designed to bring transparency to college athletics through coach and program reviews. Inspired by the belief that athletes have a responsibility to “leave the program better than you found it,” she is helping create space for honest feedback and systemic change. This conversation explores identity, accountability, the NCAA’s gaps in supporting athlete transitions, and the courage it takes to use your voice after years of being taught not to.

Maya Lorimer grew up in the dance studio, training competitively from the time she could walk and eventually earning a spot on the Arizona State University dance team — one of the top programs in the nation. During her time at Arizona, she balanced game days, appearances, and the pressure of re-auditioning annually just to keep her place. When her senior season was cut short by COVID, her dance career ended without the closure she had imagined. After graduating with a degree in urban planning, Maya found herself in an isolating cubicle job, struggling to adjust to life without the structure, intensity, and built-in community of dance. What followed was a pivot into social media — first as a manager, then freelancer, and now full-time content creator based in Denver. In this episode, Maya reflects on rebuilding identity after sport, replacing the loss of team culture with new forms of community, and learning to say yes to opportunities before she felt fully ready. This conversation explores creativity, confidence, and what it really takes to build purpose beyond athletics.

Mika Mierzwa is a former collegiate volleyball player from Coastal Carolina, where she competed in both indoor and beach volleyball while pursuing a biology degree. Graduating early, Mika stepped away from sport sooner than expected — a transition that pushed her to confront how deeply her identity was tied to being an athlete. After college, she spent time living abroad in Thailand and later in Charleston, using that space to disconnect, reset, and rediscover who she was outside of volleyball. Now a veterinary student at the University of Arizona, Mika shares how her experience as a college athlete prepared her for the intensity of vet school – from discipline and time management to resilience under pressure. She reflects on the challenge of no longer receiving external validation through sports, learning to build her own internal feedback loop, and embracing uncertainty in the seasons where there is no clear plan. This episode explores identity, transition, and trusting that sometimes not having a plan is exactly what you need.