February 9, 2024 • 36 mins
Host Clifton Brown talks to Dr. Tricia Bent-Goodley (Team Clinician) and Dr. Lori Robinson (Player Engagement Manager) about their focus on the team's mental and personal well-being.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Every NFL player that I interview has far more athletic
talent than I do. However, in other ways we are similar.
We have wins and losses in our personal lives, challenges
we face daily, and friends and family who depend on us.
Welcome to Black in the NFL, and I'm your host,
Clifton Brown. This episode is entitled There's a Doctor in
(00:24):
the House to celebrate Black History Month, I'll be speaking
with two black women who are key members of the
Ravens organization team clinician doctor Tricia Bent Goodley and player
Engagement manager.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Doctor Lorie Robinson.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
They will discuss how they help and connect with every
player who wears a Raven's uniform and why their jobs
are so rewarding.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Let's get started.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I have the pleasure of speaking with two extraordinary black
women who are key members of the Ravens organization, Doctor
Tricia Bent Goodley, the Ravens team clinician, and doctor Lorie S. Robinson,
a member of the team's player Engagement team at Raven's headquarters.
They are affectionately known as Doctor Trish and Doctor Lorie,
(01:11):
and in my opinion, they are Ravens Royalty. In her
role as team clinician. Doctor Ben Goodley provides clinical care,
crisis management, program development, mental performance support, and organizationalwide mental
health education.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Doctor BENK.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Goodley is a member of the NFL Team Clinician Advisory
Council and a board member of the NFL Player Care Foundation.
Doctor Ben Goodley is a nationally known speaker, author, and
expert in areas of interpersonal violence and mental health. She
retired as professional emeritus and maintains an academic appointment in
(01:49):
the public health program at Howard University. Doctor Ben Goodley
is the immediate past editor in chief of Social Work,
the flagship journal of the National Association of Social Workers.
She is the second African American woman to serve in
this role in the journal's nearly sixty year history. She
volunteers and leads in multiple national and local roles and
(02:11):
board memberships. She has received numerous county, state, and national
awards for her scholarly achievement and mentoring of students, and
commitment to service. She receives her BA from Queen's College
of the City, University of New York, her Master of
Social Work for the University of Pennsylvania, and her PhD
from Columbia University in social policy planning and analysis with
(02:34):
a specialization in public health. She is proud of being
a wife and mother. Now, doctor Lourie S. Robinson is
a member of the player Engagement team with the Balmer Ravens,
and prior to joining the Ravens, she had professional stops
at LSU, the University of Tennessee, Texas A and M,
and Baylor University, mainly working in academic and student athlete
(02:58):
development spaces. Robinson earned her doctorate and Educational Leadership Research
and Counseling with an emphasis in higher education reading, instruction,
and educational research methods from LSU. She is a two
time alumni of Syracuse University and holds a master's degree
in Instructural Design, Development and Evaluation and a bachelor's degree
(03:20):
in sports management. Robinson currently serves as a member of
the Merging Leaders Council in the Fault College for Sport
and Human Dynamics at Syracuse University and was recently appointed
to serve as a liaison on the SPM Advisory Board.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I'm exhausted just hearing.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
How accomplished both of you are, but you's both obviously should.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Be very proud and welcome to black in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Thank you so much, Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Sure, I'm going to start with you, doctor Trish. I
kind of describe your job, but if you could sort
of give our listeners a dale a day in the
life of doctor Trish normally, what does that entail a
day in the.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Life Well, I would say starting nice, bright and early
in the morning and really just kind of being a
resource and support to our players, our coaches, our staff
along the way, So that means it can be anything.
I usually come in not with any sort of set
plan of exactly how my day is going to go,
(04:24):
because it can change pretty quickly. So I just try
to make sure that I'm available when people need me.
So that might mean I'm in my office for a
good amount of time, or i might be in the
hall someone catches me and I'm there with them for
a good amount of time. So I really just try
to be open to whatever the need is during the
(04:46):
course of the day and just try to be supportive.
And then when I get home, that might be when
I follow up with other things that might be going on,
or if someone still needs support, I'll be there for
them as well. So whether that is an early call
in the morning or a late call at night, I
will be there to respond.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Wow, okay, how about you, doctor LORI.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So in the Player Engagement department, we are designed to educate,
equip and empower our players, coaches and families for life
beyond football. So there are four NFL pillars continuing education,
financial education and literacy, career and professional development, and personal
development and anything in between. So what a day looks
(05:31):
like doesn't really exist. There's no script. We have a
loose plan. We try to be as proactive as possible,
try to anticipate the needs based on different parts of
the season in the schedule, and then adjust as needed. So,
for example, during the season, we do have workshops that
we implement for our rookies, our second and third year
(05:54):
and then occasional workshops for our veterans as well. Then
during the off season we have various workshops some topics
available for players, coaches and their families and so depending
on the point of the season, we implement those workshops.
And so that's a combination of implementing content from a
player engagement standpoint as well as administrative tasks that come
(06:17):
with the nuances.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Of the season. So just kind of follow up on that.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
So you're walking into the building and say on a
Wednesday morning, and after some time passes, a particular player
may say, Hey, I need to talk to you about something,
or you may be told that a player needs something.
Tell me a little bit about how that would work.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Typically, what will happen is a player will just walk
into my office. They'll just come in and we can
just chat. They'll text me if they want to get
together to make sure that I'm in the office at
the time that they've asked me to be there, So
it could just be that, and then following that we
head out to practice, and then after that it very
(06:57):
well might be that somebody might come by or we
might schedule a time where they come in. So it
really just depends on what the need looks like for
that day for.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Either one of you.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Are the situations where you will sense someone might need
or talk to you, and you approach them before they
even approach you.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
So I would say for me, oftentimes I'm pretty observant
and if I get the feel or if I see
something that I feel like I need to follow up on,
the person will get a text message from me just
kind of saying Hey, can you stop by. Let's just
chat for a little bit, and that'll give us a
(07:39):
chance to talk through what I saw.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Okay, for you, Lord, how did you come to work
with the Ravens.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I worked in a variety of spaces in the collegiate arena,
and what I knew is that there was a role
of player development, specifically usually with your higher profile revenue
gating teams, so football, men's and women's basketball, where a
person was responsible for a number of things, a lot
(08:08):
of the random things that student athletes need to take
care of and handle. But oftentimes those things would fall
on my doorstep. And so after thinking about how I
could better serve the student athletes, the coaches, the administrators,
this role of player engagement player development became really interesting
(08:30):
to me, and so I made a phone call to
the director of player Engagement, Jimial McClain, and asked what
a day in the life looked like for him, and
so he shared those things. I shared what a day
in the life looked like for me, and there was
a lot of commonality that I think neither one of
us expected. And so from there a position was created,
a fellowship position. A number of people were a part
(08:52):
of that interview process started with Jimial McLain, then with
doctor Trish and ultimately culminated with an interview with Ozzie
Knewsome which Ozzi is one of the most humble human
beings that I have ever met, ever been around of.
He knows who he is, a lot of people know
(09:12):
who he is and the things that he has accomplished
on the field and off the fields, but those things
don't even compare to how his presence and his leadership
transcends anything that you could ever think of. For me,
it was we just had a conversation. He asked me
(09:33):
questions related to the job. I answered those questions, and
then at the end he said, do you have questions
for me? And so I asked him questions. But more importantly,
fast forward to now me being the successful candidate for
the role in the building. Since day one, Ozzie has
acknowledged me and said my name, and simple things like
(09:55):
that mean the world to someone a career professional, new
to a space, new to an environment, moved across the
country as a woman, as a woman of color. But
interviewing with him gave me so much confidence being in
the building, so that I am forever grateful to Jamil
(10:16):
for the opportunity to work alongside him, and to Ozzie
for his leadership in his presence and how he's impacted
me here.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
How about you, Well, I'll say I believe that I
got into this position in a pretty non traditional way.
I actually had a grant through Howard. As you mentioned,
I was a professor at Howard before I retired, and
one of the individuals who was working on that project
(10:49):
happened to be NFL affiliated and also had been doing
some workshops here with rookies under player Engagement, And then
he approached me and just said, I think it would
be really great if, you know, if you were able
to meet with some rookies and talk to them about
some of the topics that we talk about here in
the grant around men and different issues revolving men. And
(11:13):
it just worked out. I came, I interviewed, I came
for about two years, and I did rookie sessions, and
then when this position became available, I went through an
interview process and, as Laurie said, was able to make
this pivot. So it was pretty non traditional. A lot
of people, I think really try to search out this role.
(11:36):
I always say, it kind of found me, and I'm
really grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
So you peak my curiosity that when you came in
to be and who interviewed you for the rates?
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Oh wow, there were a collection of people actually who
interviewed me. But I always say the toughest interview I
think I've ever had was with Ozzie Newsome and it
was because he asked me questions that I had to
really think very hard about and it was off script.
You know, you're kind of used to people asking you
(12:07):
all the scripted questions, but he didn't. And it was
the best interview experience I think I ever had, but
also slightly intimidating at the same time.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
It was really great.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I'm not surprised now when you were done with Ozzie's interview,
How did did you feel good about it?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Like I crushed that or I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
You know, I felt I felt good about it, but
I also just did not know because I didn't know
what direction they would want to go in for this position.
At the time, very few clubs had a team clinician,
and we were able to get this role in place
three years before it was required by the PA. And
when was that so I actually four years now that
(12:53):
I think about it. So I started in twenty fifteen
in the role of team clinician, and the CBA requirement
happen until twenty nineteen. Okay, So I felt really great
about the fact that I could come into this role
and really sort of nurture it and develop it and
see what it could become. And that all happened way
before we had any of the NFL requirements.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Okay, Now that the Lorie, I'm just curious, this is
still a male dominated profession and there are a lot
of more and more women getting into all types of
areas working with sports organizations. What advice would you give
to young female listeners out there who want to either
(13:37):
do what you do or want to work with a
team and i'm such a male dominated space, what advice
would you give them to feel comfortable and to enjoy
what they're doing and to successfully pursue that.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Sure, I think one of the things that stands out
to me is understanding kind of who you are and
what your individual values are, not being focused on the
sport or the people that you get to be around
or the area that you're in, really just focusing on
your values and what's important to you, and then how
are you also serving the people that you're supposed to
(14:11):
be working with. So for me, it's serving the players,
it's serving the coaches, it's serving their families, and that's
one of the largest parts. So game day, serving the
families is amplified because obviously our guys are on the
field coaching and playing, but I am to be of
service to those folks and taking pride in that and
owning that. So it's making sure that whatever the task
(14:32):
is that I'm doing, whatever the task is that someone
else is doing, that you are being true to who
you are, being true to your values, being confident in
those things, but also being professional, understanding the space that
you the space, the energy that you bring into a room,
and realizing some of those dynamics. I have always been,
I think a professional woman in a sense. When I
(14:54):
was an undergraduate intern I still showed up business professional
for all of my internships, and so I show up
in a space like that. There's a time where you
can maybe dress a little bit more casual. There's a
time and a place for that. And understanding what those
times and places are I think have been really important
for me to one feel comfortable in the space, not
be alarming to anyone, but also make other people feel
(15:17):
comfortable and be comfortable in myself. And that's how that's
how I have been able to be here and take
up room.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Okay, And would you add anything to that, doctor.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Tricia, I would add, learn how to be comfortable with
your own voice. I think too often we come to
environments that maybe we don't know as well or are
less familiar with, and because we've not used our voice
(15:49):
in other places in our life, we don't quite know
how to show up. And I think it's really important
for anyone who's interested in working in this space. You
need to know what your voice is sounds like. So
that means you need to know.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Who you are.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
As doctor Lori said, you need to know how you
speak up and speak into different situations. You need to
understand strategically when do you use your voice and when
do you not. And I think the way that you
do that is you have to learn how to use
your voice before you get into a space like this.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
So woll now, this is a high player pressure environment,
you know, pressure of winning and losing, players under pressure
to perform to stay on the team.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
So it's stressed.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
This is how they can't get away from the stress
of working for an NFL team. What advice would both
of you give to There's so many people in this
world dealing with stress at their job, their family, all
aspects of life. What are some COVID message mechanisms, particularly
at work, to deal successfully with stress.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Well, I tend to take a mind body approach with
most things, so I'll respond in that way with this question.
I think we've got to do things to take care
of our mind, whether that is using breath work at work,
meditation practices, so really trying to do things to take
care of your mental space, setting boundaries in terms of
(17:14):
the body, work out, get yourself into a nice, good
rhythm and a good sweat during the course of the
day if it's possible, but make sure you're taking care
of your body, your nutrition, things like that. And then
for the spirit. I'm a person of faith, and so
I spend time in my word when I'm here at
(17:35):
work to make sure that I'm as grounded as I
can be. So I think use a mind body spirit
approach to how you balance your stress.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Ditto, No, so I'm a woman of faith as well,
and I start my day meditation and prayer. I love music,
so oftentimes I will have either a sermon, a podcast,
a faith based sermon podcast, or music in the back.
And when I recognize that I might need a minute,
I need to shift, I need to just have a
(18:06):
second to myself. Sometimes I'll close my door, say a
quick prayer. Solitude is also helpful before after practice, getting
a workout in, or just taking a minute to just
breathe and have a second to myself during high pressure moments.
It's always helpful.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Now.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
I know both of you are huge Ravens fans now,
but I'm just curious before this position, were you huge
football fans And how stressful is it for you watching
us play? Because there's Ravens fans all over Baltimore and
all over the world who go through all types of
changes watching the Ravens play football.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Wow, two important questions here. Let me start with the
last one for me in terms of how I manage
game day. For myself, I feel like I try to
make sure that I've done everything that I can possibly
do before we get to game day, and then at
that point I'm probably in a lot of prayer, probably
(19:08):
a little too protective of the players and the coaches
on the field, and really just trying to send them
as much positive energy as I can. I think I
go through every wave of emotion that everyone else goes through,
and at the same time, I'm feeling really great about
(19:29):
what it is. I know that we've done to prepare
for the week, so I have a range of feelings
I think during the course of game day.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
So game day is interesting. Most of the time. I
actually don't see home games. I see little to none
of it, and partly because what role is amplified is
my role with families and so just making sure that
they have what they need so they can enjoy the experience.
So oftentimes I have no clue what is going on.
I hear the cheers and I'm like, yes, hopefully that
means we're doing something great. But I often have no
(20:01):
clue what's going on, so I don't have to they
don't have to, but I don't get to see much
of it, so that stress isn't there. Watching away games
can be stressful, but I usually just am very focused
on the task at hand, just like sending positive energy
and positive vibes as much as I can during those
(20:23):
During those moments.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yeah, so just to clarify, and I guess to give
more description on at home games, correct me if I'm wrong.
You're kind of running the family room and at the
stadium and I guess, tell us what, Yeah, exactly, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Sure, So game day starts with me going to Team Chapel.
So that's how I set my day, go to Team Chapel,
troubleshoot any problems, questions, concerns, or anything that a player
family or coach family may have. So it could be
additional riskbands to get in some of our family spaces.
We do have two family spaces. We also provide game
day childcare, so I'm the point of contact for both
(20:58):
of the family spaces as well as our game day
childcare and anything in between. So if a player forgets
a specific drink that they like at their house or
their favorite cleat at their house, I'm helping to coordinate
just any last minute things that might need to take
place that their person gets it to them in the
locker room, if someone forgets something in their car, coordinating that.
(21:19):
So it's really just being a resource for whatever it
is that players and coaches may need on that day,
and it could be it's not scripted. You just don't know.
You have no idea what you're gonna get on that day.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
So we've had someone leave their favorite clead or there's
something you know at the house and.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
We may or may not have had that at one
point in time.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
That's interesting, Well, your life saving that now now the truth.
I was just curious, you know, preparing for this, what
you're thinking about sometimes during a game, and I know that,
you know, during the course of a week, player coach
may have come to you with a problem, going to themselves, families,
something going on in their life, and now you're out
(21:59):
there wanting them play. You know, a few days after
they've had a serious conversation with you.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
What is that like?
Speaker 1 (22:06):
And do you ever think about that while you're watching
someone play that they were just in my office a
few days ago and wondering where their mind is even
though they're playing the game.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
So I never wonder where their mind is because I
know on game day players are really locked in and
they want to win, So that part I never I
never wonder about that at all. I think I do
think about how much our players and our coaches, how
much they have transcended over the course of a week,
(22:38):
and I probably am sitting with you know, feeling really
good about the fact that no matter what the obstacles
have been, they figured out a way how to make
sure that they're out there, they're playing, and they're playing
or coaching to the best of their ability. So I
think about things like that and it just makes me
(22:59):
superroud of them as they go out and soldier on
the field because I know what so many folks have
to do to be able to do that, and it
just makes me that much more proud of who they are. Sure,
So I think just being able to kind of watch
them play or coach having gone through whatever they've gone
(23:22):
through in the course of a week, for me, that's
pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Yeah, both of you live day to day, you know,
dealing with players and coaches, and you know that they
are people. But it's always, in my opinion that in
our society sometimes put them on pedestals for lack of
a better term, and feel that because they have money,
they have fame, that they don't go through the same
(23:46):
things we do. I'm just curious from your perspective, do
you feel that that is something that most people still
don't get that, like, after this game is over. They
are just or in every people dealing with the same
things that we do.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
For sure, players and coaches. They are humans. They experience
life in very similar ways as other humans do on
this planet. They have a very unique job and perspective
and experience and their roles and what they get to
do for their careers and their professions. But at the
end of the day, they are still human beings. But
(24:23):
I understand that perception is reality, and when you are
living in a space or you have access to a
certain space, the things that you experience, only other people
in those spaces will experience those things, and those outside
of those spaces won't be able to understand. And so
I think it's giving everyone grace and opportunity to be
(24:46):
human for life.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
So I will say I started watching football because I
realized very early in my marriage if I wanted to
see my husband on Saturdays and Sundays, I needed to
learn about football. He's a big football guy, And so
I started to watch football. And then when we moved here,
there was something about the Ravens that I loved. The
(25:11):
energy of the team, the grid of the team, like
I just aligned with that, and so I had a
familiarity with the team at the point that I was
first introduced into coming into the building and working with rookies,
and I would say before then, I didn't really understand
all of the different challenges that I think our players,
(25:33):
our coaches and family have to go experience, you know,
in these in these different roles. What I would say
is that what I've learned is I don't know if
I would have had the poise that so many of
our young men have at this age if I were
at this age now. So when I look at the
(25:56):
ways that they have to navigate social media, the fact
that football is always and forever on, I mean, there's
never a time that football is not being discussed someplace somewhere,
and our guys navigate that with such poise. From my perspective,
it's just for me really remarkable to be able to see,
(26:18):
because I don't know if I would have had that
when I was twenty one or twenty three, twenty five,
So it's been really great to be able to watch
them navigate. So, yes, they are human beings, they are
in extraordinary circumstances too, and they have to navigate through
all of that. That is really wonderful to be able
to see.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
For each of you, Doctor Lord, what do you think
is the most rewarding part of your job and what
do you think is the most challenging.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
I'll start with the most challenging part. The most challenging
for me is thinking about how we create and can
impact the experience in a positive way every single day,
every single week, every single month, every single season. What
are the programs that we can create, enhance, improve That's
(27:11):
the challenging part of it. How do we bring something
that's different and unique to help the players, the coaches,
and their families have an amazing experience while they're here
taking advantage of the different resources. So for us, we
have a very particular approach to how we want to
impact the experience. But every year it's a little different
because the team is going to look different, the roster's
(27:33):
going to look different, the people in the building will
be a little bit different. So the needs will change
based on the personnel in the room, and so how
do we continue to build relationships understand where different guys are.
So you can have a twenty year old that maybe
left college early because he was going to get drafted early,
and then you also have your thirty seven year old
pro quarterback that's been around for several years and seasons
(27:56):
with different teams, So how can you positively impact both
guys and their family and thinking about how we can
create something that's special and unique and memorable for them.
So the continuous challenge is being able to educate and
impact the player, coach and family experience, wanting to be
(28:19):
innovative and creative, meaningful, thoughtful, and in that process also
gives The rewarding part of the role is knowing that
you did that, knowing that you kept players, coaches, families
and their experience at the forefront. And when you can
(28:43):
see that they have had a positive experience because of
what you were able to create, You're able to help
them solve problems. You're able to provide information and resources
that help them navigate life in the ways in which
they desire to in a positive way, in a helpful way,
in an effective way. Those are the rewarding parts of
(29:05):
the job. Is that the challenge of the job, the creativity,
the innovative workshops, the dynamics speakers, being proactive and solving
challenges or problems. That those things then become the rewarding
parts is knowing that you were able to be of service,
to help, to guide, to provide in amazing ways for players, coaches,
(29:30):
and their families.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
How about your doctor, true What I love most about
this job is seeing changing growth, whether it's watching rookies
start out the first day they come in to where
they are in game eighteen, you know, just being able
to see how they've shifted, or I'm so fortunate I've
(29:55):
been in this role since twenty fifteen, so most of
the players I've had an eye opportunity to see. So
many of them come in as rookies and now they're vets,
and I love being able to watch them then mentor
somebody who's coming behind them. That has been so so rewarding,
(30:15):
And I would say the most challenging piece is to
really try to always provide cutting edge, up to date
kind of content and information. So I have to be
good at what it is that I'm doing so that
I'm offering the best that I can offer to our players.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
So that means that.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I have to keep growing, keep doing my own work,
keep trying to get better, whether it's a different approach
to something or adding to my clinical knowledge, whatever That
is I think I am challenged to be better because
I'm around a group of men who every day are
working to be at their best.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
So for anyone out there who might specifically be interested
in doing what you do, what advice would each of
you have with them?
Speaker 4 (31:07):
So some suggestions that I would have is one, do
your research, I think so for instance, the title of
player Engagement manager. It is a random title, a title
that people may be unfamiliar with. But take the time
to do informational interviews with people. Maybe ask for fifteen
minutes of their time, connect with them on LinkedIn and
say hey, I'd love to learn more about what it
(31:28):
is that you do during the off season during a
time that might suit best for your schedule. Connect with
that person. Make sure you have an updated headshot, make
sure your resume is up to date and current, as
well as your cover letter and any other bio information
that you might have, just so you want to put
your best professional foot forward. Social media is a great
(31:49):
tool to connect with people, but be mindful of how
you're connecting with them on social media and what profile
do you What profile do you want to send of
yourself to that person, and then have intentional questions. So,
for example, people will reach out and say, oh my gosh,
I'm so interested. I'd love to hear more about what
you do, which is lovely, wonderful, It's an honor. I'd
be more than happy to chat with you. But come
(32:11):
to the conversation prepared with questions that you also cannot
find on the internet in another podcast or an article
review or something else. There's so much information that is
out there about a number of people. You just have
to do some research and do some digging to find
it so that you can come to the conversation prepared
and then keep that conversation going with them. Not reaching
(32:33):
out all the time, but enough to where your name
might be top of mind when opportunities come available. Ask
to shadow, ask to volunteer, not at high profile times,
but during the off seasons. Kind of build that relationship
and keep it going.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Excellent, got the Lord. How about you, doctor Chrich.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I would say it's important to really be great at
your craft. I think a lot of times people have
an interest in this space, but they don't necessarily have
the experience in terms of being able to work with
diverse populations. And I would say it's really important to
make sure that you are clinically sound, that you really
(33:12):
understand what some of the diverse clinical needs could be.
I also think because of the fact that mental health
is growing in the professional sport arena. So now again
all NFL teams have a team clinician, but the NBA
also has a mental health structure now and other professional
(33:34):
sports are as well. So I would say about two
or three years ago, we started something called Pro Athletes
Mental Health Awareness Week. It occurs usually around the first
week in October, and I think that's a great opportunity
for anyone who's interested in learning how to engage in
mental health with pro athletes or in this space to
(33:56):
just hear from folks who are doing that work in
their difference sport areas. So I think the more that
you can become aware making sure that you are grounded
in your clinical work, those are some really great starts
to get some more information about this space.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
The last thing I would add too, is working in
sport is a people business, and so you want to
bring that loving, positive energy to the space and being
able to work with all different types of people. As
doctor Tritscha said, like diverse populations from the players, the
(34:36):
coaches different ethnicities, backgrounds, social upbringings. You don't know what
they're bringing into the building, what people are bringing into
the building, or what family dynamics they have. You have
to be a well rounded people person to be successful
in this space if you want to have the types
of relationships that are going to make you effective in
the role that you have. So being a great people
(34:58):
person and understanding how to troubleshoot and maneuver challenging situations
while also providing excellent customer service is I think one
of the probably unsaid skills that's necessary to work in
work effectively in spaces like this.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Excellent.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Well, I know how much you both of you are
valued in this organization. I can see some of the
interactions that you have in the hallway, on the field,
I can just tell how much people appreciate both.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Of you being here.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I want to thank both of you for being on
Black and NFL. Thank you for what you do and
the example you're setting for women, for everyone you come
into contact with. It's really something I think that people
need to know that people like you are a key
part of the organization.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
For being here, Thank you for your insights, it was
a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Thank you, Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
Everyone sees the touchdowns and tackles on Sundays that lead
to victories. What you don't see are the many people
who work behind the scenes to help an organization like
the Ravens have sustained success. Doctor Ben Goodley and doctor
Robinson are two of those people, and I appreciate them
sharing their insight for this episode of Black in the NFL.
(36:22):
Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for the next Black
History Month episode when I'll sit down with Ravens President
Sashi Brown.
Every NFL player that I interview has far more athletic
talent than I do. However, in other ways we are similar.
We have wins and losses in our personal lives, challenges
we face daily, and friends and family who depend on us.
Welcome to Black in the NFL, and I'm your host,
Clifton Brown. This episode is entitled There's a Doctor in
(00:24):
the House to celebrate Black History Month, I'll be speaking
with two black women who are key members of the
Ravens organization team clinician doctor Tricia Bent Goodley and player
Engagement manager.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Doctor Lorie Robinson.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
They will discuss how they help and connect with every
player who wears a Raven's uniform and why their jobs
are so rewarding.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Let's get started.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I have the pleasure of speaking with two extraordinary black
women who are key members of the Ravens organization, Doctor
Tricia Bent Goodley, the Ravens team clinician, and doctor Lorie S. Robinson,
a member of the team's player Engagement team at Raven's headquarters.
They are affectionately known as Doctor Trish and Doctor Lorie,
(01:11):
and in my opinion, they are Ravens Royalty. In her
role as team clinician. Doctor Ben Goodley provides clinical care,
crisis management, program development, mental performance support, and organizationalwide mental
health education.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Doctor BENK.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Goodley is a member of the NFL Team Clinician Advisory
Council and a board member of the NFL Player Care Foundation.
Doctor Ben Goodley is a nationally known speaker, author, and
expert in areas of interpersonal violence and mental health. She
retired as professional emeritus and maintains an academic appointment in
(01:49):
the public health program at Howard University. Doctor Ben Goodley
is the immediate past editor in chief of Social Work,
the flagship journal of the National Association of Social Workers.
She is the second African American woman to serve in
this role in the journal's nearly sixty year history. She
volunteers and leads in multiple national and local roles and
(02:11):
board memberships. She has received numerous county, state, and national
awards for her scholarly achievement and mentoring of students, and
commitment to service. She receives her BA from Queen's College
of the City, University of New York, her Master of
Social Work for the University of Pennsylvania, and her PhD
from Columbia University in social policy planning and analysis with
(02:34):
a specialization in public health. She is proud of being
a wife and mother. Now, doctor Lourie S. Robinson is
a member of the player Engagement team with the Balmer Ravens,
and prior to joining the Ravens, she had professional stops
at LSU, the University of Tennessee, Texas A and M,
and Baylor University, mainly working in academic and student athlete
(02:58):
development spaces. Robinson earned her doctorate and Educational Leadership Research
and Counseling with an emphasis in higher education reading, instruction,
and educational research methods from LSU. She is a two
time alumni of Syracuse University and holds a master's degree
in Instructural Design, Development and Evaluation and a bachelor's degree
(03:20):
in sports management. Robinson currently serves as a member of
the Merging Leaders Council in the Fault College for Sport
and Human Dynamics at Syracuse University and was recently appointed
to serve as a liaison on the SPM Advisory Board.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I'm exhausted just hearing.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
How accomplished both of you are, but you's both obviously should.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Be very proud and welcome to black in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Thank you so much, Thank you for having us.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Sure, I'm going to start with you, doctor Trish. I
kind of describe your job, but if you could sort
of give our listeners a dale a day in the
life of doctor Trish normally, what does that entail a
day in the.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Life Well, I would say starting nice, bright and early
in the morning and really just kind of being a
resource and support to our players, our coaches, our staff
along the way, So that means it can be anything.
I usually come in not with any sort of set
plan of exactly how my day is going to go,
(04:24):
because it can change pretty quickly. So I just try
to make sure that I'm available when people need me.
So that might mean I'm in my office for a
good amount of time, or i might be in the
hall someone catches me and I'm there with them for
a good amount of time. So I really just try
to be open to whatever the need is during the
(04:46):
course of the day and just try to be supportive.
And then when I get home, that might be when
I follow up with other things that might be going on,
or if someone still needs support, I'll be there for
them as well. So whether that is an early call
in the morning or a late call at night, I
will be there to respond.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Wow, okay, how about you, doctor LORI.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So in the Player Engagement department, we are designed to educate,
equip and empower our players, coaches and families for life
beyond football. So there are four NFL pillars continuing education,
financial education and literacy, career and professional development, and personal
development and anything in between. So what a day looks
(05:31):
like doesn't really exist. There's no script. We have a
loose plan. We try to be as proactive as possible,
try to anticipate the needs based on different parts of
the season in the schedule, and then adjust as needed. So,
for example, during the season, we do have workshops that
we implement for our rookies, our second and third year
(05:54):
and then occasional workshops for our veterans as well. Then
during the off season we have various workshops some topics
available for players, coaches and their families and so depending
on the point of the season, we implement those workshops.
And so that's a combination of implementing content from a
player engagement standpoint as well as administrative tasks that come
(06:17):
with the nuances.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Of the season. So just kind of follow up on that.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
So you're walking into the building and say on a
Wednesday morning, and after some time passes, a particular player
may say, Hey, I need to talk to you about something,
or you may be told that a player needs something.
Tell me a little bit about how that would work.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Typically, what will happen is a player will just walk
into my office. They'll just come in and we can
just chat. They'll text me if they want to get
together to make sure that I'm in the office at
the time that they've asked me to be there, So
it could just be that, and then following that we
head out to practice, and then after that it very
(06:57):
well might be that somebody might come by or we
might schedule a time where they come in. So it
really just depends on what the need looks like for
that day for.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Either one of you.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Are the situations where you will sense someone might need
or talk to you, and you approach them before they
even approach you.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
So I would say for me, oftentimes I'm pretty observant
and if I get the feel or if I see
something that I feel like I need to follow up on,
the person will get a text message from me just
kind of saying Hey, can you stop by. Let's just
chat for a little bit, and that'll give us a
(07:39):
chance to talk through what I saw.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Okay, for you, Lord, how did you come to work
with the Ravens.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I worked in a variety of spaces in the collegiate arena,
and what I knew is that there was a role
of player development, specifically usually with your higher profile revenue
gating teams, so football, men's and women's basketball, where a
person was responsible for a number of things, a lot
(08:08):
of the random things that student athletes need to take
care of and handle. But oftentimes those things would fall
on my doorstep. And so after thinking about how I
could better serve the student athletes, the coaches, the administrators,
this role of player engagement player development became really interesting
(08:30):
to me, and so I made a phone call to
the director of player Engagement, Jimial McClain, and asked what
a day in the life looked like for him, and
so he shared those things. I shared what a day
in the life looked like for me, and there was
a lot of commonality that I think neither one of
us expected. And so from there a position was created,
a fellowship position. A number of people were a part
(08:52):
of that interview process started with Jimial McLain, then with
doctor Trish and ultimately culminated with an interview with Ozzie
Knewsome which Ozzi is one of the most humble human
beings that I have ever met, ever been around of.
He knows who he is, a lot of people know
(09:12):
who he is and the things that he has accomplished
on the field and off the fields, but those things
don't even compare to how his presence and his leadership
transcends anything that you could ever think of. For me,
it was we just had a conversation. He asked me
(09:33):
questions related to the job. I answered those questions, and
then at the end he said, do you have questions
for me? And so I asked him questions. But more importantly,
fast forward to now me being the successful candidate for
the role in the building. Since day one, Ozzie has
acknowledged me and said my name, and simple things like
(09:55):
that mean the world to someone a career professional, new
to a space, new to an environment, moved across the
country as a woman, as a woman of color. But
interviewing with him gave me so much confidence being in
the building, so that I am forever grateful to Jamil
(10:16):
for the opportunity to work alongside him, and to Ozzie
for his leadership in his presence and how he's impacted
me here.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
How about you, Well, I'll say I believe that I
got into this position in a pretty non traditional way.
I actually had a grant through Howard. As you mentioned,
I was a professor at Howard before I retired, and
one of the individuals who was working on that project
(10:49):
happened to be NFL affiliated and also had been doing
some workshops here with rookies under player Engagement, And then
he approached me and just said, I think it would
be really great if, you know, if you were able
to meet with some rookies and talk to them about
some of the topics that we talk about here in
the grant around men and different issues revolving men. And
(11:13):
it just worked out. I came, I interviewed, I came
for about two years, and I did rookie sessions, and
then when this position became available, I went through an
interview process and, as Laurie said, was able to make
this pivot. So it was pretty non traditional. A lot
of people, I think really try to search out this role.
(11:36):
I always say, it kind of found me, and I'm
really grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
So you peak my curiosity that when you came in
to be and who interviewed you for the rates?
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Oh wow, there were a collection of people actually who
interviewed me. But I always say the toughest interview I
think I've ever had was with Ozzie Newsome and it
was because he asked me questions that I had to
really think very hard about and it was off script.
You know, you're kind of used to people asking you
(12:07):
all the scripted questions, but he didn't. And it was
the best interview experience I think I ever had, but
also slightly intimidating at the same time.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
It was really great.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I'm not surprised now when you were done with Ozzie's interview,
How did did you feel good about it?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Like I crushed that or I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
You know, I felt I felt good about it, but
I also just did not know because I didn't know
what direction they would want to go in for this position.
At the time, very few clubs had a team clinician,
and we were able to get this role in place
three years before it was required by the PA. And
when was that so I actually four years now that
(12:53):
I think about it. So I started in twenty fifteen
in the role of team clinician, and the CBA requirement
happen until twenty nineteen. Okay, So I felt really great
about the fact that I could come into this role
and really sort of nurture it and develop it and
see what it could become. And that all happened way
before we had any of the NFL requirements.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Okay, Now that the Lorie, I'm just curious, this is
still a male dominated profession and there are a lot
of more and more women getting into all types of
areas working with sports organizations. What advice would you give
to young female listeners out there who want to either
(13:37):
do what you do or want to work with a
team and i'm such a male dominated space, what advice
would you give them to feel comfortable and to enjoy
what they're doing and to successfully pursue that.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Sure, I think one of the things that stands out
to me is understanding kind of who you are and
what your individual values are, not being focused on the
sport or the people that you get to be around
or the area that you're in, really just focusing on
your values and what's important to you, and then how
are you also serving the people that you're supposed to
(14:11):
be working with. So for me, it's serving the players,
it's serving the coaches, it's serving their families, and that's
one of the largest parts. So game day, serving the
families is amplified because obviously our guys are on the
field coaching and playing, but I am to be of
service to those folks and taking pride in that and
owning that. So it's making sure that whatever the task
(14:32):
is that I'm doing, whatever the task is that someone
else is doing, that you are being true to who
you are, being true to your values, being confident in
those things, but also being professional, understanding the space that
you the space, the energy that you bring into a room,
and realizing some of those dynamics. I have always been,
I think a professional woman in a sense. When I
(14:54):
was an undergraduate intern I still showed up business professional
for all of my internships, and so I show up
in a space like that. There's a time where you
can maybe dress a little bit more casual. There's a
time and a place for that. And understanding what those
times and places are I think have been really important
for me to one feel comfortable in the space, not
be alarming to anyone, but also make other people feel
(15:17):
comfortable and be comfortable in myself. And that's how that's
how I have been able to be here and take
up room.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Okay, And would you add anything to that, doctor.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Tricia, I would add, learn how to be comfortable with
your own voice. I think too often we come to
environments that maybe we don't know as well or are
less familiar with, and because we've not used our voice
(15:49):
in other places in our life, we don't quite know
how to show up. And I think it's really important
for anyone who's interested in working in this space. You
need to know what your voice is sounds like. So
that means you need to know.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Who you are.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
As doctor Lori said, you need to know how you
speak up and speak into different situations. You need to
understand strategically when do you use your voice and when
do you not. And I think the way that you
do that is you have to learn how to use
your voice before you get into a space like this.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
So woll now, this is a high player pressure environment,
you know, pressure of winning and losing, players under pressure
to perform to stay on the team.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
So it's stressed.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
This is how they can't get away from the stress
of working for an NFL team. What advice would both
of you give to There's so many people in this
world dealing with stress at their job, their family, all
aspects of life. What are some COVID message mechanisms, particularly
at work, to deal successfully with stress.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Well, I tend to take a mind body approach with
most things, so I'll respond in that way with this question.
I think we've got to do things to take care
of our mind, whether that is using breath work at work,
meditation practices, so really trying to do things to take
care of your mental space, setting boundaries in terms of
(17:14):
the body, work out, get yourself into a nice, good
rhythm and a good sweat during the course of the
day if it's possible, but make sure you're taking care
of your body, your nutrition, things like that. And then
for the spirit. I'm a person of faith, and so
I spend time in my word when I'm here at
(17:35):
work to make sure that I'm as grounded as I
can be. So I think use a mind body spirit
approach to how you balance your stress.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Ditto, No, so I'm a woman of faith as well,
and I start my day meditation and prayer. I love music,
so oftentimes I will have either a sermon, a podcast,
a faith based sermon podcast, or music in the back.
And when I recognize that I might need a minute,
I need to shift, I need to just have a
(18:06):
second to myself. Sometimes I'll close my door, say a
quick prayer. Solitude is also helpful before after practice, getting
a workout in, or just taking a minute to just
breathe and have a second to myself during high pressure moments.
It's always helpful.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Now.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
I know both of you are huge Ravens fans now,
but I'm just curious before this position, were you huge
football fans And how stressful is it for you watching
us play? Because there's Ravens fans all over Baltimore and
all over the world who go through all types of
changes watching the Ravens play football.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Wow, two important questions here. Let me start with the
last one for me in terms of how I manage
game day. For myself, I feel like I try to
make sure that I've done everything that I can possibly
do before we get to game day, and then at
that point I'm probably in a lot of prayer, probably
(19:08):
a little too protective of the players and the coaches
on the field, and really just trying to send them
as much positive energy as I can. I think I
go through every wave of emotion that everyone else goes through,
and at the same time, I'm feeling really great about
(19:29):
what it is. I know that we've done to prepare
for the week, so I have a range of feelings
I think during the course of game day.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
So game day is interesting. Most of the time. I
actually don't see home games. I see little to none
of it, and partly because what role is amplified is
my role with families and so just making sure that
they have what they need so they can enjoy the experience.
So oftentimes I have no clue what is going on.
I hear the cheers and I'm like, yes, hopefully that
means we're doing something great. But I often have no
(20:01):
clue what's going on, so I don't have to they
don't have to, but I don't get to see much
of it, so that stress isn't there. Watching away games
can be stressful, but I usually just am very focused
on the task at hand, just like sending positive energy
and positive vibes as much as I can during those
(20:23):
During those moments.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
Yeah, so just to clarify, and I guess to give
more description on at home games, correct me if I'm wrong.
You're kind of running the family room and at the
stadium and I guess, tell us what, Yeah, exactly, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Sure, So game day starts with me going to Team Chapel.
So that's how I set my day, go to Team Chapel,
troubleshoot any problems, questions, concerns, or anything that a player
family or coach family may have. So it could be
additional riskbands to get in some of our family spaces.
We do have two family spaces. We also provide game
day childcare, so I'm the point of contact for both
(20:58):
of the family spaces as well as our game day
childcare and anything in between. So if a player forgets
a specific drink that they like at their house or
their favorite cleat at their house, I'm helping to coordinate
just any last minute things that might need to take
place that their person gets it to them in the
locker room, if someone forgets something in their car, coordinating that.
(21:19):
So it's really just being a resource for whatever it
is that players and coaches may need on that day,
and it could be it's not scripted. You just don't know.
You have no idea what you're gonna get on that day.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
So we've had someone leave their favorite clead or there's
something you know at the house and.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
We may or may not have had that at one
point in time.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
That's interesting, Well, your life saving that now now the truth.
I was just curious, you know, preparing for this, what
you're thinking about sometimes during a game, and I know that,
you know, during the course of a week, player coach
may have come to you with a problem, going to themselves, families,
something going on in their life, and now you're out
(21:59):
there wanting them play. You know, a few days after
they've had a serious conversation with you.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
What is that like?
Speaker 1 (22:06):
And do you ever think about that while you're watching
someone play that they were just in my office a
few days ago and wondering where their mind is even
though they're playing the game.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
So I never wonder where their mind is because I
know on game day players are really locked in and
they want to win, So that part I never I
never wonder about that at all. I think I do
think about how much our players and our coaches, how
much they have transcended over the course of a week,
(22:38):
and I probably am sitting with you know, feeling really
good about the fact that no matter what the obstacles
have been, they figured out a way how to make
sure that they're out there, they're playing, and they're playing
or coaching to the best of their ability. So I
think about things like that and it just makes me
(22:59):
superroud of them as they go out and soldier on
the field because I know what so many folks have
to do to be able to do that, and it
just makes me that much more proud of who they are. Sure,
So I think just being able to kind of watch
them play or coach having gone through whatever they've gone
(23:22):
through in the course of a week, for me, that's
pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
Yeah, both of you live day to day, you know,
dealing with players and coaches, and you know that they
are people. But it's always, in my opinion that in
our society sometimes put them on pedestals for lack of
a better term, and feel that because they have money,
they have fame, that they don't go through the same
(23:46):
things we do. I'm just curious from your perspective, do
you feel that that is something that most people still
don't get that, like, after this game is over. They
are just or in every people dealing with the same
things that we do.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
For sure, players and coaches. They are humans. They experience
life in very similar ways as other humans do on
this planet. They have a very unique job and perspective
and experience and their roles and what they get to
do for their careers and their professions. But at the
end of the day, they are still human beings. But
(24:23):
I understand that perception is reality, and when you are
living in a space or you have access to a
certain space, the things that you experience, only other people
in those spaces will experience those things, and those outside
of those spaces won't be able to understand. And so
I think it's giving everyone grace and opportunity to be
(24:46):
human for life.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
So I will say I started watching football because I
realized very early in my marriage if I wanted to
see my husband on Saturdays and Sundays, I needed to
learn about football. He's a big football guy, And so
I started to watch football. And then when we moved here,
there was something about the Ravens that I loved. The
(25:11):
energy of the team, the grid of the team, like
I just aligned with that, and so I had a
familiarity with the team at the point that I was
first introduced into coming into the building and working with rookies,
and I would say before then, I didn't really understand
all of the different challenges that I think our players,
(25:33):
our coaches and family have to go experience, you know,
in these in these different roles. What I would say
is that what I've learned is I don't know if
I would have had the poise that so many of
our young men have at this age if I were
at this age now. So when I look at the
(25:56):
ways that they have to navigate social media, the fact
that football is always and forever on, I mean, there's
never a time that football is not being discussed someplace somewhere,
and our guys navigate that with such poise. From my perspective,
it's just for me really remarkable to be able to see,
(26:18):
because I don't know if I would have had that
when I was twenty one or twenty three, twenty five,
So it's been really great to be able to watch
them navigate. So, yes, they are human beings, they are
in extraordinary circumstances too, and they have to navigate through
all of that. That is really wonderful to be able
to see.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
For each of you, Doctor Lord, what do you think
is the most rewarding part of your job and what
do you think is the most challenging.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
I'll start with the most challenging part. The most challenging
for me is thinking about how we create and can
impact the experience in a positive way every single day,
every single week, every single month, every single season. What
are the programs that we can create, enhance, improve That's
(27:11):
the challenging part of it. How do we bring something
that's different and unique to help the players, the coaches,
and their families have an amazing experience while they're here
taking advantage of the different resources. So for us, we
have a very particular approach to how we want to
impact the experience. But every year it's a little different
because the team is going to look different, the roster's
(27:33):
going to look different, the people in the building will
be a little bit different. So the needs will change
based on the personnel in the room, and so how
do we continue to build relationships understand where different guys are.
So you can have a twenty year old that maybe
left college early because he was going to get drafted early,
and then you also have your thirty seven year old
pro quarterback that's been around for several years and seasons
(27:56):
with different teams, So how can you positively impact both
guys and their family and thinking about how we can
create something that's special and unique and memorable for them.
So the continuous challenge is being able to educate and
impact the player, coach and family experience, wanting to be
(28:19):
innovative and creative, meaningful, thoughtful, and in that process also
gives The rewarding part of the role is knowing that
you did that, knowing that you kept players, coaches, families
and their experience at the forefront. And when you can
(28:43):
see that they have had a positive experience because of
what you were able to create, You're able to help
them solve problems. You're able to provide information and resources
that help them navigate life in the ways in which
they desire to in a positive way, in a helpful way,
in an effective way. Those are the rewarding parts of
(29:05):
the job. Is that the challenge of the job, the creativity,
the innovative workshops, the dynamics speakers, being proactive and solving
challenges or problems. That those things then become the rewarding
parts is knowing that you were able to be of service,
to help, to guide, to provide in amazing ways for players, coaches,
(29:30):
and their families.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
How about your doctor, true What I love most about
this job is seeing changing growth, whether it's watching rookies
start out the first day they come in to where
they are in game eighteen, you know, just being able
to see how they've shifted, or I'm so fortunate I've
(29:55):
been in this role since twenty fifteen, so most of
the players I've had an eye opportunity to see. So
many of them come in as rookies and now they're vets,
and I love being able to watch them then mentor
somebody who's coming behind them. That has been so so rewarding,
(30:15):
And I would say the most challenging piece is to
really try to always provide cutting edge, up to date
kind of content and information. So I have to be
good at what it is that I'm doing so that
I'm offering the best that I can offer to our players.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
So that means that.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
I have to keep growing, keep doing my own work,
keep trying to get better, whether it's a different approach
to something or adding to my clinical knowledge, whatever That
is I think I am challenged to be better because
I'm around a group of men who every day are
working to be at their best.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
So for anyone out there who might specifically be interested
in doing what you do, what advice would each of
you have with them?
Speaker 4 (31:07):
So some suggestions that I would have is one, do
your research, I think so for instance, the title of
player Engagement manager. It is a random title, a title
that people may be unfamiliar with. But take the time
to do informational interviews with people. Maybe ask for fifteen
minutes of their time, connect with them on LinkedIn and
say hey, I'd love to learn more about what it
(31:28):
is that you do during the off season during a
time that might suit best for your schedule. Connect with
that person. Make sure you have an updated headshot, make
sure your resume is up to date and current, as
well as your cover letter and any other bio information
that you might have, just so you want to put
your best professional foot forward. Social media is a great
(31:49):
tool to connect with people, but be mindful of how
you're connecting with them on social media and what profile
do you What profile do you want to send of
yourself to that person, and then have intentional questions. So,
for example, people will reach out and say, oh my gosh,
I'm so interested. I'd love to hear more about what
you do, which is lovely, wonderful, It's an honor. I'd
be more than happy to chat with you. But come
(32:11):
to the conversation prepared with questions that you also cannot
find on the internet in another podcast or an article
review or something else. There's so much information that is
out there about a number of people. You just have
to do some research and do some digging to find
it so that you can come to the conversation prepared
and then keep that conversation going with them. Not reaching
(32:33):
out all the time, but enough to where your name
might be top of mind when opportunities come available. Ask
to shadow, ask to volunteer, not at high profile times,
but during the off seasons. Kind of build that relationship
and keep it going.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Excellent, got the Lord. How about you, doctor Chrich.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I would say it's important to really be great at
your craft. I think a lot of times people have
an interest in this space, but they don't necessarily have
the experience in terms of being able to work with
diverse populations. And I would say it's really important to
make sure that you are clinically sound, that you really
(33:12):
understand what some of the diverse clinical needs could be.
I also think because of the fact that mental health
is growing in the professional sport arena. So now again
all NFL teams have a team clinician, but the NBA
also has a mental health structure now and other professional
(33:34):
sports are as well. So I would say about two
or three years ago, we started something called Pro Athletes
Mental Health Awareness Week. It occurs usually around the first
week in October, and I think that's a great opportunity
for anyone who's interested in learning how to engage in
mental health with pro athletes or in this space to
(33:56):
just hear from folks who are doing that work in
their difference sport areas. So I think the more that
you can become aware making sure that you are grounded
in your clinical work, those are some really great starts
to get some more information about this space.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
The last thing I would add too, is working in
sport is a people business, and so you want to
bring that loving, positive energy to the space and being
able to work with all different types of people. As
doctor Tritscha said, like diverse populations from the players, the
(34:36):
coaches different ethnicities, backgrounds, social upbringings. You don't know what
they're bringing into the building, what people are bringing into
the building, or what family dynamics they have. You have
to be a well rounded people person to be successful
in this space if you want to have the types
of relationships that are going to make you effective in
the role that you have. So being a great people
(34:58):
person and understanding how to troubleshoot and maneuver challenging situations
while also providing excellent customer service is I think one
of the probably unsaid skills that's necessary to work in
work effectively in spaces like this.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Excellent.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Well, I know how much you both of you are
valued in this organization. I can see some of the
interactions that you have in the hallway, on the field,
I can just tell how much people appreciate both.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Of you being here.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
I want to thank both of you for being on
Black and NFL. Thank you for what you do and
the example you're setting for women, for everyone you come
into contact with. It's really something I think that people
need to know that people like you are a key
part of the organization.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
So thank you.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
For being here, Thank you for your insights, it was
a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Thank you, Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
Everyone sees the touchdowns and tackles on Sundays that lead
to victories. What you don't see are the many people
who work behind the scenes to help an organization like
the Ravens have sustained success. Doctor Ben Goodley and doctor
Robinson are two of those people, and I appreciate them
sharing their insight for this episode of Black in the NFL.
(36:22):
Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for the next Black
History Month episode when I'll sit down with Ravens President
Sashi Brown.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.