18: Kate Fagan On Mental Health & The Power of Surrender

For episode 18 of The School of Unlearning podcast, I sit down with author and journalist, Kate Fagan. Kate and I discuss the state of mental health in sports, her recent book, “All the Colors Came Out” and her relationship to surrender in work and in life. Kate is genius at noticing whats interesting and creating a story worth listening to, I think you’ll love what Kate brings to this episode.  

In this episode, you will learn: 

• How the book, “What Made Maddy Run” shaped the conversation around mental health in young women and in sports
• How athletes struggle to lose perspective and get into flow state. 
• What Kate’s superpower was growing up 
• How noticing what is most interesting is Kate’s superpower as an adult
• How Kate feels about the state of sports media today 
• Why the conversion around women’s basketball “being more fundamental” is in some ways stiffalying the creative and playful part of the game. 
• Having swag on the court and off has nothing to do with being fundamental - both can exist. 
• How Kate has learned to redefine what quitting meant for her at ESPN and also in her Dad’s fight with ALS. 
• How strength and grace exist during times of surrender. 
• How sports can allow more space for surrender
• How the Las Vegas Aces are blending team dynamics and individuality for a more cohesive and healthy team
• Kate’s journey with listening to her body 

About Kate: Kate Fagan is an Emmy-award winning journalist and the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of WHAT MADE MADDY RUN, which was a semi-finalist for the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sportswriting. Her first book was the coming-of-age memoir THE REAPPEARING ACT, and her third book, ALL THE COLORS CAME OUT, will be released in May 2021 from Little, Brown. She currently works for Meadowlark Media and co-hosts the podcast Free Cookies. Kate previously spent seven years as a columnist and feature writer for espnW, ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. She was also a regular panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn and host of Outside the Lines. Kate covered the Philadelphia 76ers for three seasons and played college basketball at the University of Colorado. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her wife, Kathryn Budig, and their two dogs.

Check out Kate and Kathryn’s podcast, “Free Cookies” and Kate’s books, “What Made Maddy Run” and “All The Colors Came Out”. 

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