<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[M.I.T.A.]]></title><description><![CDATA[Guiding Student-Athletes to Success On and Off the Field]]></description><link>https://www.mitaconnect.com/feed</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 16 May 2026 22:40:19 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.mitaconnect.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Was that when anxiety first appeared?]]></title><description><![CDATA[I remember watching a documentary in my Master’s course, Psychological Aspects of Sport, about the influence of parents on their children’s athletic experiences. It made me reflect on my own journey. I was introduced to tennis because my parents believed it could become a career and provide me with a future. At just nine years old, I was told that tennis would be my job. No pressure, right??? I LOVE tennis, and it will always hold a special place in my heart, but I have carried the pressure...]]></description><link>https://www.mitaconnect.com/post/was-that-when-anxiety-first-appeared</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f23d8e24f9d3e5cd73867a</guid><category><![CDATA[Tennis]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:39:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ce13b4_1b264fa51336424a8d5073df59bec419~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_512,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>mitaconnect</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[You hit like a girl!]]></title><description><![CDATA[I still remember the first time someone told me, “You are such a girl.” I was about seven years old and had just started getting better at tennis. I was in the same group with two other boys my age, and we trained together and traveled to tournaments regularly. We were around each other almost every day. You would think that seeing each other so often would make us close friends, but that was not the case. The boys would often team up against me, giving me nicknames or telling me I did not...]]></description><link>https://www.mitaconnect.com/post/you-hit-like-a-girl</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f23ca624f9d3e5cd738498</guid><category><![CDATA[Tennis]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:35:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ce13b4_81f9d4789dfc496a9b1a876c4d4f6b87~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_728,h_493,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>mitaconnect</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[TEAM = Family!]]></title><description><![CDATA[My dream came true when I moved to the U.S. to play tennis, but also when I realized I would finally be part of a team. My whole life, I had played an individual sport. It was amazing, but it could also feel incredibly lonely. Even though I was still alone on the tennis court during matches in college, I always had my teammates beside me, competing and cheering me on at the same time. Their energy was contagious, and it is something I will miss forever. Some of the best moments of my tennis...]]></description><link>https://www.mitaconnect.com/post/team-family</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f23a9ad3f2ae6dd9174ba1</guid><pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:33:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ce13b4_3094eeb5c83645c4a2098fed68207c80~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_728,h_322,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>mitaconnect</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Playing with my eyes closed]]></title><description><![CDATA[For as long as I can remember I have been on the tennis court. Tennis has been part of my life for the past 27 years, and it always will be. Like any athlete, I have experienced both highs and lows with my emotions on the court over the years. When I first started playing, tennis was fun and exciting, and it always made me feel so relaxed and at home. As I got older and improved, the pressure of tennis became overwhelming at times. Maintaining my ranking and competing at the highest level...]]></description><link>https://www.mitaconnect.com/post/playing-with-my-eyes-closed</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f238bab22b9270c63a3dee</guid><category><![CDATA[Tennis]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:04:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ce13b4_4d714b1230eb4a599e52449a3fe8ed42~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>mitaconnect</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[I am an Ultra Runner! Words I never thought I would say!]]></title><description><![CDATA[My journey with running began the day after I passed my dissertation defense in 2022. It was probably because I was on a high from achieving the biggest milestone in academia, but at the same time, it was also to see if I could mentally handle it. I have been an athlete my whole life, and I knew what my body could do and how hard I could push it. The question was whether I could stay mentally strong for 26.2 miles! Fast forward three and a half years and many miles under my belt, I decided to...]]></description><link>https://www.mitaconnect.com/post/i-am-an-ultra-runner-words-i-never-thought-i-would-say</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f12d80d3f2ae6dd91520d3</guid><category><![CDATA[Running]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:40:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ce13b4_b28e58f5a7ba4cde992d9a266866345c~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_737,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>mitaconnect</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>