CLSI’s Beyond The Game Podcast

"Something good came out of it in the end." Former D1 and pro basketball player Joel Barkers looked strongest on the outside while carrying the heaviest pressure on the inside — this is the story of how he came through it.
On this episode of Beyond the Game, host Philip Reynolds speaks with Joel Barkers, founder of You Reach I Teach Basketball Academy and former Division I and professional player. Joel shares his journey through competitive basketball, playing overseas, and the mental health struggles he faced after his playing career ended.
The conversation explores the resilience gap for athletes, the importance of identity beyond sports, and how Joel turned a low point into a mission to mentor young players through discipline, character, and community. Along the way, there are practical insights for coaches, parents, and athletes on supporting mental wellness and development.

In this episode of Beyond the Game, host Philip Reynolds talks with Jonathan Carone, creator of Healthy Sports Parent, about shifting how parents view youth sports. They argue that our goal isn’t to produce elite athletes but to raise resilient adults — letting kids fail, learn, and grow so sports become training for life rather than a measure of identity.Jonathan and Philip cover practical advice for parents and coaches: prioritize relationship over results, treat the scoreboard as data not identity, communicate clearly with coaches, rotate kids through positions to aid development, and remind children that parental love and pride are unconditional. They also discuss modern pressures like rankings, social media, and NIL, and why creating a healthy environment matters to keep kids in sport and thriving long-term.

In this episode of Beyond The Game, host Phillip Reynolds sits down with former Division I basketball player Toshay Harvey for a powerful conversation about resilience, identity, and the responsibility of giving back.
Growing up in the projects and navigating the challenges that came with it, Toshay shares his journey to Division I basketball while carrying personal hardships, loss, and setbacks that few people around him fully understood. He reflects on the lessons learned through adversity, the mental and emotional challenges athletes often face in silence, and how those experiences ultimately shaped his purpose beyond the game.
Toshay offers candid advice for young athletes and their families on navigating today’s sports landscape, from choosing the right college program and evaluating coaching culture to avoiding the traps of chasing rankings, constant transfers, and shortcuts to success. He emphasizes the importance of academics, character development, and building an identity that extends beyond athletics.
The conversation also highlights Toshay’s work through Longway Academy, where he is helping develop the next generation of athletes through discipline, accountability, emotional intelligence, and mentorship. Together, they discuss breaking the stigma around mental health, the importance of asking for help, and why preparing athletes for life after sports may be the most important coaching responsibility of all.
Whether you’re an athlete, parent, coach, or mentor, this episode is a reminder that success is about far more than what happens on the court—it’s about who you become along the way.

Former D1 athlete and school counselor Shanay Howard discusses how academics, identity and mental health must be prioritized alongside athletic development. She breaks down the effects of NIL, social media, reclassification and coaching culture, and explains why parents and coaches should protect young athletes’ emotional safety.
Key takeaways: build consistent habits early, define success beyond pro dreams, treat visibility as separate from true development, and center academics and well‑being to keep long‑term opportunities open.

In this episode of Beyond The Game, former professional basketball player and U.S. Army veteran Aida Bakhos shares her extraordinary journey from Beirut to the United States in pursuit of basketball, purpose, and personal growth.
After competing professionally and representing Lebanon on the international stage, Aida balanced the demanding worlds of elite athletics and eight years of military service in the U.S. Army — all while navigating identity, pressure, leadership, and life beyond the game.
Aida opens up about the lack of mentorship she experienced throughout her journey, how discipline and faith became anchors during difficult moments, and why travel and cultural experiences helped shape her perspective on resilience and self-worth. She also reflects on coaching middle school athletes, the responsibility adults have in shaping young people, and why athletes must build an identity beyond sports before the game ends.
Together, the conversation explores mental health, transition, leadership, and the importance of preparing athletes for life — not just competition.
This episode is for athletes, coaches, veterans, and anyone navigating pressure, purpose, and personal reinvention beyond performance.

Coach Steve Turner joins CLSI's Beyond the Game to discuss the growing mental health challenges facing athletes and the responsibility of coaches, parents, and schools to develop the whole person—not just the player. They cover NIL, transfer portal pressures, family dynamics, and why winning alone can’t replace guidance, balance, and long-term development.
Turner emphasizes listening, relationship-building, allowing productive struggle, and seeking professional help when needed, offering a clear call for adults to prioritize care, resilience, and education so athletes thrive on and off the court.
 
00:00 Introducing Copious Life Sports Initiative
03:07 Coach Turner's accomplishments and philosophy
06:22 Early coaching experiences
12:14 Building lasting mentorship relationships
14:50 Balancing academics and athletics
18:25 Debating high school athlete compensation
21:02 Coaching beyond athletics
25:17 Athlete mental health challenges
27:11 Guiding young athletes' development
32:04 Coaches prioritizing health and stress management
35:37 Creating a safe space for athletes
38:24 Mental health pressure on athletes
41:27 Supporting young athletes' mental health
44:55 The importance of continuous learning
46:58 Advice for supporting student athletes
51:24 Discussing athlete mental health
54:08 Developing athletes beyond sports

Welcome back to Beyond The Game, where we go past the stats and scores to get real about what happens when the cheering stops. In this episode, Philip Reynolds sits down with former NFL player Stanley McClover for a raw and revealing journey far beyond the football field. From his days growing up in Fort Lauderdale, an unlikely start in the school band, and a rapid rise to the NFL, Stanley McClover opens up about the crushing identity shifts, the reality of injuries, and the decade-long struggle with depression that followed an unexpected end to his sports career. But his story doesn’t stop there—from pouring into his younger brother’s success to finding renewed purpose as a father to a child with autism, Stanley McClover reveals how true strength is built off the field. Today, he’s the founder of the Hype for Life Foundation, a passionate advocate for autism awareness, and an inspiration for athletes redefining themselves beyond the game. If you’re an athlete facing transition, a parent, a coach, or anyone navigating life’s unexpected turns, this is a conversation about resilience, humility, and building a life that matters—on your terms.
 
00:00 Transitioning from NFL to Fatherhood
05:47 Getting drafted and NFL journey
13:57 Getting advice from Mom
17:08 Football kickoff injury incident
21:37 Realizing the need to take football seriously
30:01 Coping with a major injury
32:46 Stuck in the room overnight
39:06 Life after football transition
46:53 Discussing Importance of Communication
50:03 Honoring unsung father figures
57:54 Sharing personal growth stories
59:02 Recognizing lesser-known NFL players

Welcome to another episode of Beyond The Game, where mental wellness competes. In this episode, Phillip sits down with Johan Martinez-Khalilian, an internationally recognized mental performance coach working with elite athletes across the MLB, NBA, and NHL. But Johan Martinez-Khalilian's story goes far beyond the pro locker room—it begins in Chicago, where growing up as a self-described “kid from the hood” taught him to read people and navigate worlds of struggle, identity, and hope.
Throughout their conversation, Phillip and Johan Martinez-Khalilian explore what it really takes to close the “resilience gap”—the space between pushing through and breaking down that so many athletes experience. They dig into the pressures athletes face, the importance of identity outside performance, and how family, culture, and community shape both well-being and success. You’ll hear how a strong internal foundation, authentic leadership, and the power to reframe setbacks can define one's path, not just on the field, but in life.
This episode is a journey beyond the scoreboard—into the stories, inner battles, and transformations that shape true performance and mental health. Whether you’re an athlete, parent, or coach, this conversation will challenge and inspire you to move beyond results and embrace the person underneath the jersey.
00:00 Growing up in Humboldt Park
10:15 Navigating mixed cultural identity
14:34 The resilience gap in athletes
20:49 Working on skills and growth
22:45 Encouraging others despite long odds
31:25 Creating personal growth through challenge
36:20 Mental health and performance discussion
42:13 Expanding value beyond playing
47:29 The thrill of peak performance
50:52 Steph Curry vs. Michael Jordan mindset
53:44 Finding balance in personal growth
01:02:14 Referring clients to therapists
01:08:27 The mental struggles of athletes
01:10:02 Closing the resilience gap

Welcome to a powerful new episode of Beyond The Game, where mental wellness competes and real stories reveal the pressures behind the performance. Joining Host Phillip, a licensed clinical social worker, is Grant H. Paulson, renowned DC sports journalist and co-host of the Grant and Danny Show, who opens up about his own journey as a child prodigy in sports media, the invisible weight of expectation, and his personal battle with anxiety. Together, they peel back the curtain on how mental health shows up not just for athletes, but for everyone in the high-pressure sports ecosystem—coaches, parents, and even those covering the game.
You’ll hear honest reflections on medication, navigating public criticism, the stigma around mental health, and the importance of telling stories that humanize the people behind the jerseys. Whether you’re an athlete, parent, coach, or fan, this conversation will challenge you to see past the headlines and consider the person beyond the game.
00:00 "Grant Paulson: Sports & Humanity"
03:37 "Early Passion Meets Opportunity"
07:04 "From Radio Star to Grind"
12:17 "When Anxiety Took Over"
14:50 "Understanding Anxiety Through Experience"
18:31 "Respectful Criticism and Empathy"
23:18 "Importance of Mental Health in Sports"
27:00 "Inextricably Tied to Career"
30:18 "Empathy vs. Accountability Debate"
33:14 "Breaking Mental Health Stigma"
36:08 Growing Up with Mental Health Awareness
39:19 "Medication Is Not Weakness"
 

In this episode, host Phillip sits down with special guest Travis Garrison, a former McDonald's All-American and standout at the University of Maryland who built a professional basketball career overseas. Together, they unpack Travis’s journey from high school prodigy to college athlete—exploring the unique pressures, resilience gaps, and unseen mental health hurdles that shaped his path. Travis shares candid reflections on academic struggles, social anxiety, and the hidden cost of athletic success, revealing how those challenges influenced his story both on and off the court.
The conversation dives into Travis’s work with Think First Global, a nonprofit he founded to empower youth through basketball, life skills, and mental health awareness. As Phillip and Travis Garrison explore the intersection of performance and personal growth, they highlight the need for honest mental health conversations in the athletic ecosystem—reminding listeners that athletes are more than their stats, and that confidence on the outside doesn’t always mean confidence within.
If you’re an athlete, coach, parent, or fan, get ready for real stories, practical takeaways, and inspiration to help close the resilience gap for the next generation. This is Beyond the Game.
00:00 "Beyond the Game: Mental Wellness"
04:43 "Eye-Opening Gym and School Experience"
07:44 "Proving Myself Beyond the DMV"
11:39 "Regretting High School Spanish"
16:13 "Schoolwork: Key to Success"
18:51 "SAT Struggles and Prom Sacrifice"
22:29 "Freshmen's Eye-Opening Gym Lesson"
24:31 "Fame's Unexpected Burden"
28:22 "Drinking to Cope with Crowds"
32:01 "Finding Belonging Through Reflection"
35:46 Disconnecting Mental Health from Sports
39:31 "Missed Opportunities Through Choices"
43:14 "Reflection on Athletic Underachievement"
46:42 "Resilience Gaps in Athletes"
48:31 "Think First Global Overview"
52:23 "Practice Leads to Improvement"
55:27 "Anxiety and Disconnection in Sports"