Hanging Up Cleats at 35: The Transition No One Prepares You For

What does it mean to be an athlete—after the game ends?In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with the one and only April “Scherm” Schermann: Division 1 softball player, award-winning educator, and legendary coach with over 21 years at the helm.Scherm shares her story of growing up as the only girl in a neighborhood full of boys, her competitive drive to play college ball, and the emotional transition that comes after the final whistle.💭 From athlete dreams that still haunt us at night to the grief no one talks about when you stop competing, this conversation is raw, reflective, and honestly? A love letter to the lifelong identity of an athlete.We talk about:-The moment she realized she’d grieved sports for over a decade-Why “mental toughness” needs to evolve alongside mental healthHow coaching became her new way to compete-And why there’s truly no such thing as a former athlete💬 If you’ve ever felt like your body moved on from the sport, but your soul never did—this episode is for you.👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments—do you still consider yourself an athlete?🔔 Subscribe for more real convos about identity, movement, and the athlete mindset that stays with us forever.