Welcome back to another episode of Bound for Greatness, the podcast where we bring you inspiring stories, innovative leadership, and the voices defining what it means to be great in education-based athletics. I’m your host, Scott Garvis.
Today’s guest is someone whose work is transforming the emotional landscape of high school sports. Emilio Parga is the founder of The Solace Tree, a nationally recognized nonprofit that provides grief support for children, teens, and adults. As a certified mental performance consultant, former educator, and adaptive physical education specialist, Emilio has spent over 20 years helping schools, teams, and entire communities process grief, trauma, and loss.
From supporting schools in the aftermath of 9/11 and mass shootings, to teaching FBI trauma teams and university athletic departments how to care for grieving athletes — Emilio’s impact is both profound and practical. In this episode, we discuss the silent epidemic of unprocessed grief among student-athletes, how coaches and ADs can create trauma-informed athletic cultures, and why checking in — not checking out — can save lives.
If you're a coach, athletic director, or school leader looking for real-world strategies to lead with compassion, resilience, and purpose — this episode is for you.
Learn more about Emilio's work at solacetree.org
