When the pressure to perform becomes overwhelming, mental burnout, severe anxiety, and self-doubt can push an athlete to the absolute limit. How do you navigate the darkest moments of mental illness, rebuild your inner resilience, and still return to the highest levels of competitive swimming?

In this episode, professional swimmer and Olympic hopeful Maddie Banic opens up about her personal journey from the brink of suicide to breaking records and advocating for athlete mental health. Maddie shares the daily coping strategies, boundary-setting tools, and mindset shifts she used to reclaim her life and speed in the water.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

• Breaking the Isolation of Athlete Anxiety: Why high performers often hide mental health struggles behind race results—and how to identify the warning signs early.
• The Mental Recovery Toolkit: The practical self-care rituals, boundary practices, and coping frameworks Maddie uses to stay grounded during high-stress competition cycles.
• Rebuilding Confidence from Ground Zero: How to step back onto the starting blocks with purpose, joy, and emotional safety after severe burnout or crisis.
• Advocating for Yourself and Others: How Maddie transitioned her lived experience into mental health advocacy to help other athletes navigate pressure and survive their hardest battles.

MORE ABOUT MADELINE BANIC

Madeline “Maddy” Banic is a 9-time SEC conference champion and NCAA champion who graduated from the University of Tennessee. Specializing in sprint fly and free, she swims professionally. Her first year as a professional swimmer with the International Swimming League, Maddy was a member of the L.A. Current and then switched to the Energy Standard Team where she had a breakout 2020 season.

Maddy had tough times during her time in college. After years of fighting anxiety and depression, she came to a very low point and contemplated suicide. She left school to receive treatment and came back with a zest for life and swimming. She went on to be voted captain of her team and win the NCAA in the 200 medley relay her senior year. Maddy is now an advocate for mental health awareness, hoping to help others avoid the despair she endured.

Episode Topics and Mentions

CG Sports Network

University of Tennessee

NCAA

ISL, International Swimming League

L.A. Current

Energy Standard Team Elite

Anxiety

Suicide

Mental health awareness

Therapy

Weakness

Toxic traits

Cognitive distortions

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, by David D. Burns

Feeling Great: The Revolutionary New Treatment for Depression and Anxiety, by David D. Burns

CBT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

DBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Knoxville, Tennessee

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 “in the moment” exercise

Depression and Anxiety Toolkit

The Hidden Opponent organization

Sarah Sordjstrom

Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, TN

Takeaways

Maria

Decide to use life’s challenges as things you can use to grow as a person.

Kelly

Use the 5,4,3,2,1 “in the moment” exercise to ground yourself and be really present in the moment to keep anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed at bay.

Quote of the Week

“Put yourself first. Whatever you have to do. Talk to someone, go seek help. It’s okay to put your life on hold to put yourself first. There is only one of you and you only get this one life.”. -- Madeline Banic

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Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com