Andy Stephens, School and Community Group Manager with Sierra Nevada Journeys, was recently featured in Why People Return to the Sport That Nearly Killed Them by Outside magazine. His master’s thesis focused on athletes who return to their sports after traumatic injuries. Andy of course, when asked about it, he said, “I’m really not one to seek out any attention.” The article is an inspiring piece that shows people who have suffered unimaginably doing activities they love and their journey to returning to their sport with new vigor and respect.
Andy studied the psychological process of the athletes to understand it and help others who may be going through a similar process.
“I was lucky enough to join with an adaptive winter sports nonprofit during my graduate work. It became quickly apparent to me that while we were working with athletes to physically recover, there as a missing piece to their recovery — the mental and identity components. I had my own traumatic medical emergency which really helped inform my understanding of the struggles adaptive athletes have in redefining their identity. It impossible to explain how exciting it is to see athletes lean into their new strengths and develop this whole new way of viewing their new reality,” said Andy.
“I was pulled toward working with an organization like Sierra Nevada Journeys because I wanted to be a part of helping drive growth in youth on a larger scale,” he added. Sierra Nevada Journeys’ curriculum focuses not only on STEM but also on Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Some of the work that happens during Overnight Outdoor Learning at Grizzly Creek Ranch for fifth and sixth graders is geared toward team building and SEL. These aspects create a learning environment that focuses on science, critical thinking, outdoor stewardship, and SEL, which is a natural fit for Andy’s journey as a mentor for youth.
