Ep. 10: Beyond the Scoreboard: The Human Side of Football’s Biggest Games

In this special college-football-bowl-season episode, Dr. Debra Kawahara sits down with two distinguished guests: Aaron Taylor, former Notre Dame All-American and College Football Hall of Famer, Super Bowl champion, CBS Sports analyst, and mental-wellness advocate, and Dr. Ron Stolberg, acclaimed sports psychologist and distinguished professor at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant. Together they explore the emotional, psychological, and performance-related challenges athletes face during one of the most pressure-packed times of the year. The discussion spans identity transitions after sports, the role of preparation and mindset, social media pressures, team culture and leadership, and the importance of joy, purpose, and connection. With vivid personal stories and actionable psychological tools, this conversation gives listeners a rare look at the human side of competition.