Ep 9 Who Are You When You Can’t Play | Overcoming Injury with Austin Turkington

In this episode of The Crunch Time Performance Show, Caden is joined by UC Berkeley pitcher Austin Turkington for an honest conversation about the mental and emotional challenges of injury. Caden opens the episode by sharing his own injury history, including multiple surgeries throughout his playing career, to provide context for the discussion and highlight the shared experience many athletes face when the game is taken away from them.Austin, a senior pitcher at UC Berkeley and former Friday night starter, shares what he’s currently going through as he navigates another injury after already enduring Tommy John surgery earlier in his career. Together, they explore how injuries challenge an athlete’s identity, force discomfort, and create opportunities for growth beyond the field.The conversation dives into the importance of having a strong support system, and leaning on competition as a driving force during rehab. Austin reflects on what he’s gained from injury, how it’s shaped him as both an athlete and a person, and offers advice to anyone currently facing the mental grind of recovery.This episode is for any athlete dealing with injury, adversity, or uncertainty — and serves as a reminder that setbacks don’t define you, but how you respond to them does.