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Why Personal Growth Drives Business Success

About Icebug Icebug is a Swedish footwear brand on a mission to empower people to get outside — regardless of the season. Founded in 2001, the company is best known for its innovative traction technologies, making it a go-to for runners, hikers, and outdoor lovers facing slippery or challenging terrain. As the first outdoor footwear […]

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Why Personal Growth Drives Business Success

About Icebug

Icebug is a Swedish footwear brand on a mission to empower people to get outside — regardless of the season. Founded in 2001, the company is best known for its innovative traction technologies, making it a go-to for runners, hikers, and outdoor lovers facing slippery or challenging terrain. As the first outdoor footwear brand to become climate positive, Icebug leads with bold sustainability actions, transparency, and a commitment to doing business differently. Headquartered in Jonsered, just outside Gothenburg, Icebug combines nature-first values with cutting-edge design and a deep respect for the planet.

Directly to the Questions

CEO David Ekelund believes this connection to nature is essential for both mental health and in-novative thinking. With mandatory “Wellness Hours” three times a week, all employees spend at least an hour outside — whether walking, running, or simply breathing fresh forest air. It’s part of a bigger shift: a commitment to inner development and new ways of working in a changing world. As Ekelund shares on a walk through the forests of Västra Götaland, breaking with business-as-usual has helped Icebug thrive — from the inside out.

David, you want to increase mental health in your company with the help of mandatory „Wellness Hours“. How does that work?

It’s quite difficult to isolate where mental issues are coming from. Is it really because of work? Or can it be a parent who is ill or a child having problems at school? But it’s for sure, that you’re not one person at work and then you’re another person in your private life. We are basically one person. 

The underlying assumption is, that people get more dusk worn down at work. They need the weekend or a vacation to rest. I think it’s not a really good way of having it. What if instead, we can make the workplace the place where actual health and well-being are increased? Where people can develop towards their full potential.

ISPO Talk
David Ekelund gave valuable insights about his vision for the sports industry.
Image credit:

Thomas Plettenberg/Messe München

And three free working hours per week are the right way?

We know that physical activity also gives mental well-being, but that’s only one part of it. About 3 years ago, we decided that we wanted to work on inner development. This was really a departure from business as usual.

Sounds like it’s way more than just doing sports together…

The core idea of business as usual being professional at work. But we all have strong sides and weak sides. And if we go to work, spending a lot of time trying to hide our weak side and always show our strong side, our “better side”, we lose a lot of opportunities to learn. Instead spending a lot of energy doing that, we could use it to develop together.

Verschneide Berge mit einer Wandergruppe in der Ferne

More business opportunities. More visibility. More influence.

Position your brand, ideas and innovations in a holistic context. ISPO 2025 is designed to increase your success and at the same time provide an overview and outlook of the entire sports market. Thanks to the new retail initiative and the increase in media presence, you and your brand will receive the attention you deserve.

What led you to the idea, what was the turning point?

It happened during the spring of Covid, when me and a few others in leading positions were confronted with the weekly thrown up of the situation. It became clear to me, that I had an image for myself as a CEO, that I was trying to kind of execute to others. Like that only if I come up with the best plan and we just follow my plan, we’re going to have a good outcome.  

But during this time, I felt that if I would have tried to hang on to this, it would have broken me completely. So instead, I embraced vulnerability. Saying that I don’t know what will happen, because things will likely keep changing a lot. But that I think we have the capacity to work on this together. This didn’t make me weaker, but stronger. And I also noticed that it unlocked the participating in joy at work for me and being able to express gratitude.

Pretty unusual for a CEO, isn’t it?

Yes, until then I had this kind of underlying assumption that if things would be too joyful at work or if I would say thank you that maybe people would get lazy. But the effect is the contrary: People want to contribute more, if you show gratitude and approach things in a joyful manner, even pretty heavy things. 

About David Ekelund

David Ekelund is the CEO and co-founder of Icebug, the Swedish outdoor brand leading the way in climate-positive footwear. At Icebug, he’s championed a workplace culture rooted in well-being, purpose, and bold sustainability goals. A regular speaker at ISPO, David shares his insights on transforming sustainable business through supply chain management for a massive reduce of emissions on the one hand and on the other how inner development and reconnecting with nature can help companies and people thrive.

Was there something that helped you during this process and inspired you to change?

I had some coaching during this time and read a book which was very, very helpful to me. It’s called “You are your best Thing”, written by Brené Brown. It led me to the conclusion, that I couldn’t change the situation, but I could try to change myself.

How did you integrate that awareness into the company?

We started thinking about how we can set up an environment that people get the chance to grow personally. There was this newly established framework called inner development codes, which is kind of a response to having global sustainable development goals: we basically know what to do, but in many cases, we’re moving in the wrong direction. It’s not that we lack knowledge, but we lack in the capabilities as humanity to move in the right direction and know what’s actually good for us.  

We had this framework with a definition of inner development goals, grouped in different themes like being, thinking, relating, collaborating and acting. Nobody had worked with it before, but we don’t mind pioneering old trail blasting. So, we decided that we want to work through this framework with all the employees and basically kicked off in our teams for 100 days each.  

How did these 100 days look like?

We already worked with an external facilitator for team development. She helped us working through those skills and capabilities to link them to some evidence. The most successful way of using the framework was finding something at work that you want to get better at. We have this principle at Icebug that nobody should only work with things in their workflows that they already know how to do. Everybody should always have something that they need to learn and stretch to.  

That’s why we often have some situation where we would like to work better or feel better. And then you can try to link that to some helpful skill and a situation where you can practice this. We’ve established a one-hour reflection group every two weeks, where people across the company meet to share what they have tried, how it worked out und what they’ve learned or what has been useful or difficult. 

How did your employees react on the change?

This development program is designed for people to find their own inner motivation. It was no surprise that there were some concerns and skepticism. But with the participation of everyone in the company, it was very helpful and good to question several parts of the program to grow together.

Have you ever had doubts or feared the risks of failing with this program?

I struggled a little bit with changing things, because I felt we were in a good state. I needed some logical motivation and asked the opposite of a positive outcome: What if people in the organization don’t grow and develop their inner compass, their integrity and authenticity? If they get worse at perspective taking, critical thinking, and sense making and lose their optimism in action? To me it’s pretty obvious that the organization would be a worse place to work. But if we get better at these things, we will also work better and increase the capabilities of the organization. That’s why I think it’s a much bigger risk to not try it, as the world around is changing, too.  

What is your resume after three years in the program?

Today, almost all of our employees reached the recommended physical activity level from the World Health Organization. But my thing here is also the dare trusting in what I experienced. The trust that I feel in the organization. People are feeling much more secure at work and it became easier to address more difficult issues. We are much faster in collaborating around real problems that matter. That saves us a lot of time and energy at Icebug. And I also noticed that I became a more enjoyable partner and Dad.  

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Would you say this was one of the boldest decisions you made in the past years?

Maybe, yeah. I never really framed it that way for me personally. I think the boldest talk was when I did it myself first, I started opening up. And I didn’t see that much risk in trying to do it for the company because we also were clear that, we wanted to try this. 

It’s a complex program and we didn’t plan everything ahead. But we’re still finding our way and I think in that sense you decrease a lot of risk in decisions if you stay agile. If it doesn’t work, we’ll just abandon it and try to find a way forward. 

Do you think it’s adaptable even for bigger companies?

Sure, maybe not exactly how we do, but I think it’s doable and beneficial. There are big companies already working with inner development goals. IKEA is working quit a lot with it on leadership levels. But you can do it in smaller departments as well.  

I know that there is some skepticism and worry, that this cannot spill into performance reviews and salary discussions. Whatever I share here or in the book we recently published about our journey, I think that you need this trust that learning and development is a good thing. You will see that people get less stressed and they are fine with sharing difficulties as well.  

Could you maybe share an example where you really failed hard once?

We had our biggest problems with Cash flow issues that were kind of self-inflicted first time I think that we were we were growing. We had like 3 years when we grew an average of 35% and took for granted that we would keep growing. When that didn’t happen, we ran into real cash flow problems. We had a similar scenario when we wanted to hit it up in North America and gave too much leeway to somebody leading that operation.  

But profitability and growth somehow got missed. So we just had the growth and that was also. Quite and took some restructuring. I think a lot of that is is. I think our biggest failures has been when we have been too locked into growth earlier. So you do things to grow. Broader than growth as a result of doing the right things. 

What was your learning from that?

I think as a company you have to stay very agile and have a high degree of resilience. You need cash reserves for not being too stretched. That’s one part.  

And then the other more philosophical part we want to promote is the return of the virtue. Contribution and seeing what you can contribute, not looking at, just us getting what we could get. It’s not that if somebody else wins that I automatically lose. A lot of people can win at the same time through collaboration.  

Our role models are companies that do something for the common good. We want to do so, too, because I think that we’ll also benefit. If we all do a little bit more, the world will be a better place.  

Zwei Personen im Verkaufsgespräch auf einem Stand der ISPO Munich

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Are you really that optimistic? How do you see the future?

We haven’t maybe been as collaborative lately as we were before. But the outdoor industry has always been a strong community. We are trying to move the same things: to increase participation in sports or outdoor activity. The future we are looking for is where people can thrive on a planet in balance.  

Being physically active and doing it together with others while connecting with nature increases people’s well-being. And that is where we have a real chance to be part of the solution. Also because we’re not such a big part of the problem. Yes, our industry does pollute and we need to take care of reducing our emissions. But the real imact we have is in moving people’s awareness for a sustainable future. Which is actually what to strive for because it will lead to more flourishing lives.  

It’s the wrong direction to just pick up pages from fashion playbooks and try to create trends and sell as much stuff as possible. The challenge for most CEOs is finding a plausible hypothesis and set business targets to prove that the company reaches them. But that triggers overconsumption and is not good for us. The challenge is to find a viable business model that contributes to people’s well-being. And flourishing life or nature on the planet as well.   

With that in mind, how this can look in practice and how brands can implement it meaningfully is at the heart of ISPO 2025. Here, brands come together to exchange knowledge, build partnerships, and discover fresh ideas. Through focused talks, workshops, and networking events, you gain valuable tools to drive your business forward. Be part of it – 30. NOV. – 02. DEC. in Munich.

Conclusion: Leading with Well-Being, Growing with Purpose

  • Workplace as a Source of Health: Icebug envisions work not as a burden, but as a source of physical and mental well-being – with mandatory “Wellness Hours” outdoors.
  • Fostering Inner Development: Instead of traditional performance metrics, Icebug focuses on personal growth within teams, guided by the “Inner Development Goals” framework.
  • Leadership through Vulnerability: During the pandemic, Ekelund chose openness and collaborative problem-solving – a turning point in his role as CEO.
  • Positive Company Culture: Trust, gratitude, and room for growth help employees feel more secure and work more effectively together.
  • A Learning Organization: Regular reflection sessions and the principle of always learning something new enhance ownership and innovation.
  • Sustainable Business Mindset: Icebug doesn’t chase growth for its own sake – it aims to contribute meaningfully to its team, the industry, and the planet.
  • Outlook: Ekelund advocates for more collaboration and a business model that centers on human well-being and planetary health.
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Bedford County School Board debates student athlete mental health and COVID

This article was created by AI using a video recording of the meeting. It summarizes the key points discussed, but for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Link to Full Meeting The Bedford County Public Schools Board meeting on January 14, 2021, highlighted significant concerns regarding student mental […]

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July 16, 2025

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Bedford County School Board debates student athlete mental health and COVID


This article was created by AI using a video recording of the meeting. It summarizes the key points discussed, but for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting.

Link to Full Meeting

The Bedford County Public Schools Board meeting on January 14, 2021, highlighted significant concerns regarding student mental health and the impact of COVID-19 on school sports. As the board navigated the complexities of maintaining educational and athletic programs during the pandemic, discussions revealed a deep divide among members regarding the best course of action.

A primary focus of the meeting was the mental health of student athletes, particularly in light of increased stress related to academic performance and the challenges posed by online learning. Board members expressed the need for enhanced mental health services, with plans to initiate sessions for athletes to address these concerns. However, the effectiveness of these measures was questioned, particularly regarding whether students would feel comfortable discussing their mental health issues with coaches or school counselors.

The conversation shifted to the implications of COVID-19 on sports, with board members debating the necessity of mitigation measures and the feasibility of allowing students to compete. Some members argued that the desire to play sports was overwhelming, suggesting that students would prefer to compete under strict health guidelines rather than not play at all. Others raised concerns about the potential risks associated with sports activities, especially given the rising positivity rates in the community, which were reported to be at crisis levels.

The board also discussed the use of surveillance cameras to assist in contact tracing during positive COVID-19 cases. While some members supported this approach as a necessary tool for ensuring safety, others questioned the legality and ethics of monitoring students in this manner.

As the meeting progressed, tensions escalated, with board members expressing frustration over the lack of consensus on how to proceed. Some members emphasized the importance of representing community voices, particularly those advocating for the return of sports, while others maintained that prioritizing health and safety was paramount.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the ongoing struggle to balance educational needs, mental health support, and the safety of students and staff amid the pandemic. With rising COVID-19 cases and community concerns, the board faces critical decisions that will shape the future of sports and mental health services in Bedford County. The next steps remain uncertain, as the board continues to grapple with these pressing issues.


Converted from School Board Meeting 1/14/2021 – 5:00 PM meeting on July 15, 2025


Link to Full Meeting

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CAREGD Trademark Hits the Streets for Mental Health Month

Atlanta and Los Angeles: CAREGD Trademark Leads Mental Health Check-In Tour. The culture-forward wellness brand activated barbershops, fire stations, and courts with emotional check-ins, bold merch, and real talk-reminding communities across ATL and LA: your headspace comes first.Image: https://authoritypresswire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CAREGD-me-first-then-sports-Ranch.jpg Atlanta, GA – CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png, a culture-forward wellness brand, activated across Atlanta and Los Angeles during […]

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CAREGD Trademark Hits the Streets for Mental Health Month

CAREGD Trademark Hits the Streets for Mental Health Month: Real

Atlanta and Los Angeles: CAREGD Trademark Leads Mental Health Check-In Tour. The culture-forward wellness brand activated barbershops, fire stations, and courts with emotional check-ins, bold merch, and real talk-reminding communities across ATL and LA: your headspace comes first.
Image: https://authoritypresswire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CAREGD-me-first-then-sports-Ranch.jpg

Atlanta, GA – CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png, a culture-forward wellness brand, activated across Atlanta and Los Angeles during Mental Health Awareness Month-hosting check-ins with athletes, barbers, and firefighters to make emotional wellness visible in overlooked spaces.

Through a series of grassroots conversations-some filmed professionally, others raw and real on a phone camera-founder Lisa C. Williams and her team brought visibility to emotional wellness in spaces that are often overlooked. From athletes to barbers to first responders, CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png showed up where mental health often gets buried under performance, pressure, and silence.

“We didn’t always have perfect lighting or a full camera crew-and we didn’t need it,” said Lisa C. Williams, founder of CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png. “Sometimes, it was just me, a couple of young men, and a mic-asking real questions that don’t get asked enough. This month was about presence, not perfection.”

Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/3wfzACb3AIU?rel=0&modestbranding=0&rel=0&showinfo=1&controls=1&autohide=2&showinfo=0?ecver=2

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/3wfzACb3AIU

Where CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png Checked In

B.E.S.T. Basketball Program (Building Effective Solutions Together) – Stockbridge, GAAthletes reflected and recharged in nature-proving that rest is performance, too.Coach David McRae | bestprogram.me [https://bestprogram.me/]

BallinIsMoney AAU Basketball – Atlanta, GA High school boys opened up in interviews while rocking merch that reminded them: Me 1st. Then Sports. Coach Avery McGinnis | @ballinismoney_hoops [https://www.instagram.com/ballinismoney_hoops]

Barbershop Pop-Up – Atlanta, GAWe checked in on culture shapers for National Barber Mental Health Month-because barbers are always checking on everybody else.Ike Thomas & Tez Angelo | @tez.angelo [https://www.instagram.com/tez.angelo]

Centric Barber Lounge – Union City, GADre Dennis, Owner | @chopgod_ [https://www.instagram.com/chopgod_] | @centricbarberlounge

Ballislife All-American Games – Long Beach, CAAt Long Beach City College’s Hall of Champions, CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png paused the hype to spotlight headspace and emotional wellness. Matt Rodriguez, CEO | @ballislife

Athlete Wellness Fair – Westlake Village, CAWe tapped in with LA Rams Sports Psychologist Dr. Carrie Hastings and Monica Wurst, a Yoga x Mindset Coach for elite athletes. Dr. Carrie Hastings | @sportpsychbydrh @monica.wurst

Firefighter Tribute at Station 28 – Porter Ranch, CA CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png closed the month by honoring LA firefighters who battled the 2025 wildfires-true heroes carrying invisible emotional weight. In partnership with @mayweatherfitporterranchca

Interviews & Collaborators

* Devean Walker – LA Valley College Men’s Basketball | @theyyluvdev
* Roberto Bell – Barber | @berto._.bell
* Phillip Johnson – Founder, Black Men Need Hugs | @blkmenneedhugs
* Lisa C. Williams – Founder, CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png

Videography Credits

Select interviews and footage were captured by an incredible team of visual storytellers who brought this movement to life:

* Hassan Wells | @hassanhaze
* Bernard “Nate” Brisbane | @natesoul
* Dez Brown | @dezzy.world

We thank them for amplifying our message through powerful, authentic visuals.

ABOUT CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png

CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png (Compassion, Awareness, Resilience & Emotional Grounding Delivered) is a culture-forward wellness movement making emotional check-ins visible, normal, and necessary. We bring mental health awareness to the frontlines-whether in locker rooms, lunchrooms, barbershops, gyms, or battlegrounds. If you show up for others, we show up for you.

Signature Campaigns:

Checking In – Are You Good?Image: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png A national visibility campaign rooted in community, making honest mental health convos normal-where people already are.

Me 1st Then SportsImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png A bold initiative flipping the focus from performance to personhood across the entire sports ecosystem.

You Matter MoreImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png A merch-driven affirmation campaign reminding people they are more than what they produce . This is care for the ones who rarely get it.

“Mental health is not just about therapy rooms and hotlines,” Williams added. “It’s about showing up where people already are and reminding them they’re not alone. That’s CAREGDImage: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72×72/2122.png in motion.”

#CheckingInCampaign #WeCheckInLoud #Me1stThenSports #YouMatterMore
Media Contact
Company Name: CAREGD
Contact Person: Sara Hudson
Email: Send Email [http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=caregd-hits-the-streets-for-mental-health-month-real-conversations-real-checkins-and-real-care]
Phone: 770-264-0002
Country: United States
Website: https://caregd.com

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This release was published on openPR.

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Ryan Clark Calls Naomi Osaka a Very "Necessary Human Being" for Making Tough Choices …

“It’s O.K. to not be O.K.,” Naomi Osaka famously wrote in 2021. That year, Osaka courageously declared to the world that she would be stepping away from tennis to take care of her mental health. She shared that after winning her first Grand Slam in 2018, she suffered from anxiety and depression. Advertisement Osaka’s decision […]

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Ryan Clark Calls Naomi Osaka a Very "Necessary Human Being" for Making Tough Choices ...

“It’s O.K. to not be O.K.,” Naomi Osaka famously wrote in 2021. That year, Osaka courageously declared to the world that she would be stepping away from tennis to take care of her mental health. She shared that after winning her first Grand Slam in 2018, she suffered from anxiety and depression.

Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the 2021 French Open and temporarily step away from tennis to focus on her mental health left many puzzled at the time. However, many also lauded her for taking the brave decision despite the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

According to Ryan Clark, her choice to prioritize her well-being over competition helped ignite a broader, much-needed conversation about the intense pressures athletes face and the significance of mental health and self-care in professional sports.

“I think Naomi Osaka is a very necessary human. As an athlete. Unfortunately, there are these people who go through these things publicly that allow the entire sports world to learn, and she has just been chosen to be that one. What she did at the French Open years ago, stepping away and saying, ‘I gotta focus on myself.’ That was groundbreaking.”

Lauding her for her openness in the face of personal struggles, Clark added:

“And then to explain why she did it. You know that by choosing to be open about it, there’s going to be criticism, there’s going to be disappointment, even in explaining it, there’s going to be criticism.”

Adding to her struggles, Naomi also underwent postpartum complications due to her “traumatic” birth experience. Osaka welcomed her daughter, Shai, in July 2023, marking a deeply meaningful chapter in her life.

Naomi Osaka’s struggles continue

She described motherhood as “so fulfilling,” but also candidly acknowledged the challenges of juggling her return to professional tennis with the demands of being a new mom. Osaka admitted the transition was “tough,” underscoring the critical role of a strong support system, and noting that raising a child truly “takes a village.” Once she returned to the court, she admitted, “I don’t feel like I’m in my body.”

“And then she had a baby. And I think for female athletes, when you give birth to a child, it’s so much different than it is for us… I think it’s super cool of her to let us see it because so many people hide it,” Clark said on the Pivot podcast.

The former world No. 1 continues to navigate the emotional and physical challenges of her return to tennis. In May, she was visibly emotional during her media interview after Osaka fell in the first round of the French Open to Spain’s Paula Badosa. Despite a promising start, Osaka’s performance unraveled with 54 unforced errors and five double faults, hindered further by blisters on her hands caused by the clay surface.

Last week, the Japanese player suffered a tough 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at Wimbledon. It marked yet another early exit for Osaka, who hasn’t advanced past the third round of a Grand Slam since winning her last major title at the Australian Open in January 2021.

After her latest Wimbledon loss, Osaka was candid about her frustration: “Yes, [I feel closer to a deep run], but honestly, right now I’m just really upset. I’m just going to be a negative human being today. I’m so sorry. I have nothing positive to say about myself, which is something I’m working on.”

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How some veterans are using recreational activities for mental health

PEWAUKEE, Wis. — Transitioning out of the military and into civilian life can put a toll on mental health.  According to the most recent data from Veteran Affairs, there were 136 veteran suicides in Wisconsin in 2022 and suicide was the 12th leading cause of death for veterans in 2022. What You Need To Know Jeremy […]

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July 13, 2025

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How some veterans are using recreational activities for mental health

PEWAUKEE, Wis. — Transitioning out of the military and into civilian life can put a toll on mental health. 

According to the most recent data from Veteran Affairs, there were 136 veteran suicides in Wisconsin in 2022 and suicide was the 12th leading cause of death for veterans in 2022.

What You Need To Know

  • Jeremy Lyon said the military experience runs deep and it can be difficult to transition out of the military
  • He said it is important veterans know what resources are available or to at least find a sense of community when they exit the military


Jairo Javier enlisted in the Marines in 2014 when he was only 17-years-old. 

“My uncle was a Marine. I idolized him as a kid growing up. So, I always had a desire to be a Marine, even though I did not fully understand what that fully entailed,” said Javier. 

Javier served nine years total, six of which were active duty and three years in the reserves. He said he misses many things about it. 

“The brotherhood, the comradery, the high stakes environment, just the intensity behind the job,” said Javier. “You don’t truly appreciate it until after you leave. At least that was my case.” 

(Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)

When Javier retired from the military, he had taken up skydiving as a sport to keep him busy. 

Now, he says he spends a lot of his free time out on the water boating. 

“Regardless of what background you have, getting out on a boat and coasting across the water or floating on the water is something that is a stress reliever,” said Javier. 

Jeremy Lyon works for the division of veterans’ benefits at the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

He said the military experience runs deep and it can be difficult to transition out of the military. 

(Spectrum News 1/Cody Taylor)

“There’s that fundamental fact that you are now missing that fundamental mission you were a part of and missing that team and the comrades you had besides you,” said Lyon. 

He said it is important veterans know what resources are available or to at least find a sense of community when they exit the military. 

“I have heard of a number of veterans who go fishing, go boating, go horseback riding, these are all great experiences,” said Lyon. “They bring us together as a community, they give you a peer network of other veterans to talk to.” 

While Javier said he found boating to be a good pastime, Lyon said veterans can also get involved with the American Legion or one of the other veterans’ groups in the community.

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Century of School Sports

MHSAA marks a century of prioritizing health and safety in school sports across Michigan. From its inception, the organization has driven initiatives alongside defined health guidelines, addressing issues like head injuries, heat management, and cardiac incidents. Executive directors have promoted mental health awareness and implemented policies to ensure safety through comprehensive physical assessments and emergency […]

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3 days ago

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July 13, 2025

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Century of School Sports

MHSAA marks a century of prioritizing health and safety in school sports across Michigan. From its inception, the organization has driven initiatives alongside defined health guidelines, addressing issues like head injuries, heat management, and cardiac incidents. Executive directors have promoted mental health awareness and implemented policies to ensure safety through comprehensive physical assessments and emergency action plans. Insurance programs supporting youth in catastrophic situations have also been foundational. As conversations around sports often overlook these issues, the MHSAA remains committed to keeping athlete safety at the forefront.

By the Numbers

  • MHSAA introduced updated physical forms in 2011, incorporating family health histories.
  • Since 2015-16, MHSAA has mandated reporting of all potential head injuries among athletes.

State of Play

  • MHSAA continues developing policies for heat and humidity to enhance hydration practices during activities.
  • The organization has integrated mental health training in annual meetings and promoted suicide prevention initiatives.

What’s Next

The MHSAA plans to further refine safety protocols and expand educational resources for coaches, focusing on emerging health issues and athlete well-being. Upcoming initiatives may also explore innovative approaches to enhance mental health support and athlete safety in increasingly stress-inducing environments.

Bottom Line

The emphasis on health and safety within school sports is essential for sustaining athlete participation and success. The MHSAA’s proactive stance ensures that athlete well-being remains a priority, reinforcing that safety measures are foundational to any successful sports program.

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Iga Swiatek's Family Includes an Olympian Father

Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek is ranked #4 in the world and is playing Amanda Anisimova in the Wimbledon final. Her athletic gifts run in the family. She is the daughter of a father who was an Olympian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swiatek’s dad Tomasz Swiatek, “represented Poland in rowing at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul,” […]

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July 13, 2025

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Iga Swiatek's Family Includes an Olympian Father

Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek is ranked #4 in the world and is playing Amanda Anisimova in the Wimbledon final.

Her athletic gifts run in the family. She is the daughter of a father who was an Olympian.

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Swiatek’s dad Tomasz Swiatek, “represented Poland in rowing at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul,” according to People.

She also has a sister Agata Swiatek who has some athletic talents.

Agata competed for Poland in that country’s junior tennis, leaving in 2013.

Olympics.com explained the importance of Swiatek’s dad to her tennis career.

In 2020, Iga Swiatek “announced herself to the tennis world when she won the French Open at Roland-Garros without dropping a set throughout the tournament. She was the first Polish player, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title,” the site wrote.

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“Swiatek’s family had a major influence on her path to success from a very young age. She was born into a sports-oriented family in Warsaw. Her father Tomasz, who represented Poland in rowing at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, strongly encouraged her to pursue a career in sports,” Olympics.com reported.

By 2016, she won a major professional tournament before she was even 18.

Her dad spoke to a Polish news site about his daughter, whom he previously coached.

“There are still matches where it’s clear that Iga is struggling from the start, struggling to play her tennis. This hurts me as a parent,” Tomasz Swiatek told Sportowefakty.

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“Iga is so intelligent and independent that we don’t even discuss it. I don’t suggest or advise anything. She has coaches for that. I’ve stepped aside,” the dad said. “Tomasz Wiktorowski is responsible for tennis matters, Maciej Ryszczuk for general preparation, and Daria Abramowicz for psychological matters. The team works very well, and they themselves ensure the workload is at the appropriate level.”

Her mother is named Dorota Swiatek, and she is an orthodontist, People reported. Her sister Agata is now an orthodontist as well, according to her bio.

Her parents are divorced.

Related: Iga Swiatek Dating History: Is She Married or Single?

Iga Swiatek’s Family Includes an Olympian Father first appeared on Men’s Journal on Jul 12, 2025

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