Facing Adversity and Resilience in Sports Anthology reveals the unspoken challenges of athletes & coaches
By Adam J. Kuban—
MUNCIE, IN— The Facing Project Press proudly announces the official release of Facing Adversity & Resilience in Sports, a powerful new anthology edited by Dr. Adam J. Kuban, professor in the School of Journalism & Strategic Communication at Ball State University.
The book shifts the cultural lens away from traditional box scores and standings to uncover the raw, unfiltered human experiences of everyday athletes, coaches, and sports-media professionals.
Chapters explore the intersections of mental health, equity, identity, and triumph across youth, collegiate, and professional athletics.
Composed through a unique, empathy-driven collaboration between undergraduate sports-reporting students at Ball State University and storytellers — some local to Indiana and others from various corners of the country, the anthology features 30 first-person narrative chapters spanning six thematic sections:
• Identity and the Spectrum of LGBTQ+ Inclusion
• Racial Justice, Cultural Representation, and Heritage
• Navigating Disability and Chronic Illness
• The Mind’s Arena: Mental Health, Grief, and Healing
• Breaking Glass Ceilings: Gender Barriers and Institutional Inequity
• Professional Realities and Personal Vulnerability
“The Facing Project’s writing model uses empathy to inspire awareness and action,” Kuban said. “My students interviewed the athletes, coaches, or sports-media professionals featured in these chapters, learning about them and exploring their struggles and successes associated with their respective sport, and in the spirit of empathy, they composed these stories as though they were the storytellers — from the first-person perspective.”
Rooted in The Facing Project’s core mission to foster a more empathetic world through storytelling that inspires action, the book features powerful accounts from across the sports landscape — ranging from Paralympians and trailblazing female football players to student-athletes managing type 1 diabetes, sports journalists confronting burnout, and coaches building team culture across language barriers.
Each section concludes with dedicated discussion questions and educational resources, making the volume an invaluable curriculum tool for classrooms, athletic departments, and community groups.
“This collection of sports essays reminds us why sports are more than just scores and points — it’s about the intricacies of life and the uniqueness of the human experience,” says Emmy-winning multimedia journalist and Fox32 Chicago reporter Brandon Pope.
J. Samantha Rivera, bilingual sports journalist for ESPN, adds that the book is a “necessary reminder that the everyday athlete is more than just that — they’re human beings, oftentimes going through more than what we realize.”
Facing Adversity & Resilience in Sports (ISBN: 979-8-9967590-1-9 paperback; ISBN: 979-8-9967590-2-6 eBook) is available now through The Facing Project Press. For review copies, author/editor interview requests, or for further information, please contact either J.R. Jamison (jr@facingproject.com) or Dr. Adam Kuban (ajkuban@bsu.edu).
About The Facing Project
The Facing Project is a national nonprofit that creates a more understanding and empathetic world through stories that inspire action. The organization provides tools and a platform for individuals and communities to share their stories, connect across differences, and begin crucial conversations through their own narratives. Over 100 Facing Projects have been organized in 20 states with more than 2,000 stories shared and published through The Facing Project Press, and available on The Facing Project Radio Show (produced by Indiana Public Radio) that airs weekly on select NPR-affiliate stations and via NPR One. Learn more at facingproject.com.
Adam J. Kuban is Professor, School of Journalism & Strategic Communication
Ball Brothers Foundation Honors College Faculty Affiliate at Ball State University.
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