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Stanford Athletics:The team behind the teams
Supporting Stanford’s remarkable student-athletes is another team—often unseen, always unparalleled—helping them be their best.
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Photo: Jess Alvarenga
Stanford Athletics. The words call up miraculous catches, jaw-dropping goals, records smashed and then smashed again.
But our incredible student-athletes represent merely the visible—and, yeah, the most thrilling—part of the Cardinal universe. Behind each is a dedicated squad, working tirelessly with our student-athletes to tweak performance, measure recovery, prevent injury, excel at academics, enhance nutrition, stay on top of mental health, and more. Their dedication and expertise put Stanford in a tier all its own. Meet a few members of this remarkable team behind our teams.
Sports Performance
When a student-athlete arrives on the Farm, they are already a gifted athlete. But the Stanford Sports Performance department helps them achieve a whole new level of potential, with a data-driven program that helps enhance athletic performance, reduce injury, and develop mental and emotional resilience.
“When we recruit athletes, they come in and see how comprehensive we are, in every aspect. It’s all for their benefit. Obviously what they do at Stanford matters a lot, but there’s also life beyond us. So we want to prepare them for both,” said Tyler Friedrich, who is the Marie and Alex Shipman Director of Sports Performance and Applied Sports Science.
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“We’re using science to make sure the athletes are at their physical best,” says Tyler Friedrich. Photo: Jess Alvarenga
DASH
The Academic Advising & Student-Athlete Success and Well-Being unit (known as DASH) delivers multi-tiered support to Stanford’s student-athletes—a simple description that belies the complexity of that job. The team provides personalized academic support, holistic advising, experiential education, personal and professional development, community building, and leadership opportunities to some 850 highly scheduled, highly ambitious students.
Along the way, DASH emphasizes the importance of leadership and community engagement for Stanford student-athletes. Through initiatives like C-House, student-athletes are provided opportunities to shape the future of college athletics, engage in social causes like sustainability, and build connections with alumni mentors for long-term career success.
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Advisors function as a base of support for student-athletes, helping them navigate the double demands of school and sports. Photo: Matthew Huang/ISI Photos
Athletic Training
Nobody wants to get hurt. Elite athletes really don’t want to get hurt. At Stanford, 26 board-certified athletic trainers do everything they can to help student-athletes avoid injury. When it does happen, they are at the ready for evaluation, rehab, and even coordinating emergency medical response.
In addition to injury prevention and treatment, the athletic trainers function as liaisons to the other sports medicine professionals. Whether it’s a referral to sport psych, a call over to nutrition, or an update to the team doctor, they support each athlete from all angles.
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For Katelin Knox, pre-gaming means taping. Photo: Jess Alvarenga
Sport Psychology
In 1898, the psychologist Norman Triplett conducted an experiment that yielded a then-startling discovery: Cyclists ride faster when they’re not alone. With that, modern sport psychology was born. While the field’s early efforts were generally confined to gaining advantage over opponents, it would eventually expand. Today, the Stanford Athletics sport psychology team marshals advanced training and research in pursuit of a broad mission: supporting our varsity student-athletes at becoming their best selves, on and off the field.
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The goal of sports psychology is to teach athletes to stay present, build resilience, and perform under pressure, while tending to the inevitable emotional challenges they face. Photo: John Todd/ISI Photos
Sports Nutrition
Hitting the weight room at 6 a.m., running to class, then off to practice before it’s time to study: Student-athletes at Stanford balance a lot. They need the right fuel in their tank to keep up with their schedules and hit their peak performance goals. A granola bar before chemistry lab just isn’t going to cut it. Which is why Stanford has a team dedicated to educating and counseling student-athletes on sports nutrition. Because to be a champion, you have to eat like a champion.
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Athletes getting the fuel they need to perform at a championship level. Photo: Jess Alvarenga
Sports Medicine
Nobody wants to be in need of medical care. But Stanford’s student-athletes have an unparalleled sports medicine team awaiting them when it happens. With five exam rooms, physical therapy, athletic training, ultrasound machines, an on-site X-ray tech, even a cardiologist, the state-of-the-art Arrillaga Sports Clinic is prepared for nearly any eventuality. By offering this level of comprehensive care in-house, the multidisciplinary team can promptly and efficiently meet the high-pressure, ever-changing demands of an elite athlete’s life.
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“If a student-athlete has any kind of problem pop up, either a primary care issue or a sports issue, we’re available for them,” says Leina’ala Song. Photo: Jess Alvarenga
Stanford Athletics: The impact
Why it matters
Supporting some three dozen varsity teams is an Olympic task—sometimes literally. But those teams aren’t just made up of swimmers and gymnasts and soccer players: They’re also full-time scholars navigating life as young adults. To accommodate their complex academic, physical, medical, and logistical needs, Stanford Athletics has created a phenomenal network of support. The results speak for themselves season after season.
The opportunity
The goal of athletics isn’t just cups and medals: Stanford’s central promise to student-athletes is to help the whole person thrive. Through our Cardinal Strong initiative, Stanford provides varsity student-athletes with unparalleled support to prioritize their comprehensive health and well-being. This holistic approach leverages expertise and resources from across the university—making Cardinal Strong a uniquely Stanford initiative.
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