Marist High School Launches Whole Athlete Initiative for Student-Athlete Wellness and Performance
*Six-month pilot will serve approximately 200 basketball and wrestling student-athletes
Marist High School will launch the Whole Athlete Initiative, a new student-athlete wellness and performance program designed to help young athletes navigate the emotional, academic, social and performance-related demands of competitive sports.
Led by Marist’s Student Services Office, the five-month pilot will serve approximately 200 student-athletes in the school’s boys and girls basketball and wrestling programs. Programming will run from November 2026 through March 2027 and will combine in-person team sessions with virtual curriculum and follow-up facilitation.
Marist welcomed Whole Athlete Initiative leaders Kendrique Coats, MS, aLMFT; Dr. Amand Hardiman and Dr. Jessica Hardiman to campus on August 20, the first day of the 2026-27 school year. The site visit marked the beginning of collaborative planning with Marist administrators, Student Services professionals, coaches, and other key stakeholders ahead of the program’s fall launch.
“The Whole Athlete Initiative reflects our commitment to knowing, supporting, and developing each student as a whole person,” said Marist Principal Meg Dunneback.
“Our student-athletes face high expectations in the classroom, in competition and in their personal lives. This program will provide them with practical tools to navigate those demands while building skills that will serve them long after their playing days are over.”
Powered by LearnYou’s research-informed Whole Athlete Framework, the initiative will focus on identity development, emotional wellness, resilience, confidence, injury recovery, leadership, and team connection. Student-athletes will participate in facilitated conversations, reflection activities, and practical skill-building exercises related to performance pressure, emotional regulation, healthy self-talk, communication, and personal growth.
The program will feature three primary areas of focus:
- – Identity and Performance Wellness
- – Mental Readiness and Recovery
- – Leadership and Team Connection
The initiative is designed to support student-athletes in navigating the demands of competitive sports while strengthening skills for personal growth, well-being, and performance both on and off the field.
Coats is a Marriage and Family Therapist, former sports coach, public speaker, and athlete, mental health advisor for the Illinois High School Association. Dr. Amand Hardiman is a former basketball coach with extensive experience in high school and Division I athletics. He is also an author, public speaker, and Executive Director of LearnYou. Lastly, Dr. Jessica Hardiman, Director of Strategic Partnerships for LearnYou, is a former basketball coach and a higher education and community development professional with extensive experience in sport, youth development, health education, and leadership. Together, they bring experience in education, youth development, mental wellness, and research-informed programming.
Marist, with the help LearnYou’s support, will gather participant feedback, student reflections, and longitudinal data throughout the pilot to assess the program’s impact and inform future programming.
The Whole Athlete Initiative supports Marist High School’s broader commitment to educating the whole person and preparing students to lead with confidence, resilience, compassion, and purpose.
About LearnYou
LearnYou works to remove financial barriers to sports participation while delivering research-informed programming focused on identity development, emotional resilience and confidence. Its Whole Athlete Framework helps young athletes develop skills that support personal growth, well-being and identity beyond competition.
