121 | Football Player and Entrepreneur Will Bartholomew: The Gift of Perseverance

The Injured Athletes Club

“Injuries, you can use them as opportunities to go do something great. I feel like that was ingrained in me early on in my life. I look back now and I'm very fortunate for having those injuries because they set me up for some great things.”

This week, Coach Carrie and Cindy chat with Will Bartholomew, founder and CEO of D1 Training. Will shares his journey from being a promising football player who faced career-altering injuries to the founder of a successful nationwide network of athletic training facilities.

Will discusses the significant moments in his athletic career, including an injury in eighth grade that ultimately set him up for success; his time as a football player at the University of Tennessee, encountering a pivotal injury during NFL training with the Denver Broncos; and how these experiences fueled his passion to establish D1 Training. He also talks about the importance of good coaching and surrounding yourself with positive influences.

While anyone can learn from his advice about mindset and resilience, this is an especially great episode for parents. Will has three kids—two D1 athletes, and one aspiring collegiate athlete—and he shares what it’s like to watch them go through injury as a dad, as well as what his coaches at D1 teach young athletes about inner and outer strength.

Resources/links:

• D1 Training website
• Will’s Instagram, and the page for D1 Training

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DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.