On episode eight of Class is in Session with Doug Glanville presented by UI Health, Glanville speaks on the important issue of mental health awareness, specifically among athletes, tying in both his experiences as a professional baseball player as well as welcoming in guests to talk about how Olympians handle the stresses and emotions of competing. To watch the full episode, click here. 

Doug Glanville, the show’s host, creator and one of its executive producers, reflects on his parents’ openness about counseling and the importance of finding support, “In recent times, high profile athletes have been speaking out to challenge us to learn more about mental health. Something then exploded when Simone Biles expressed it on an international stage. This personal Class is in Session episode reaches to connect the lessons and professional insights of my father who was a psychiatrist.”

Guests for this episode include:

• Bart Conner – Former United States Olympic Gold Medal gymnast; Owner of Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman, OK; Special Olympics advocate
• Dr. Mark Hutchinson – Member of Team USA medical staff; Professor of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at University of Illinois at Chicago
• Stacy St. Clair – Award-winning Chicago Tribune journalist, covering numerous Olympics

“The guests are impactful as they share their experiences and we learn from Bart Conner who had his own incredible gymnastics journey and from Stacy St. Clair who covers Olympic athletes by taking time to listen in order to share what they are experiencing with the world,” explains Glanville. “Lastly, Dr. Mark Hutchinson gives us the medical insights as someone who has served over a number of Olympic games to help athletes cope with the stressors of the moment. Fantastic group!”

—

About Class is in Session: A monthly show hosted by Doug Glanville, exploring the intersection between sports and larger society. Each month, Glanville sits down with a distinguished panel of guests, analyzing and providing solutions to the most challenging issues in the world of sports.

Previous episode topics include the lack of minority coaches in sports today (guests Dusty Baker and Herm Edwards), the impact and importance of establishing legacy as an athlete (guests Cameron Maybin, Chris Long and Dr. Edwin Moses), the current state of NCAA amateurism (guests Sonny Vacarro, Prof. Kenneth Shropshire and Dr. Victoria Jackson), MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game (guests Jason Heyward, Curtis Granderson and Ken Rosenthal), the influence of analytics in baseball (guests Bill James, Sarah Langs and Jimmy Rollins), patriotism in sports (guests Bobby Valentine, Kevin Blackistone and Tom Murray) and the amateur draft process (guests Ruben Amaro Jr., Arn Tellem and Kevin Weekes)

—

About Doug Glanville: Glanville, a nine-year MLB veteran, is a Marquee Sports Network analyst and the host of “Class is in Session with Doug Glanville” presented by UI Health, a half-hour panel show exploring the intersection between sports and larger society. Glanville was selected by the Cubs in the first round of the 1991 MLB draft and made his major league debut with Chicago in 1996. After spending five-plus seasons with Philadelphia and Texas, he returned to the Cubs in 2003 and hit a go-ahead triple in the 11th inning of Game Three of the NLCS against the Marlins. He was the first African American Ivy League graduate to play in the MLB.

A writer and multi-media journalist, Glanville is a frequent contributor to numerous outlets, including ESPN, the New York Times and The Athletic, and is an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut. His “Enough” video essay was nominated for a 2021 Sports Emmy Award (The Dick Schaap Outstanding Writing Award – Short Form) by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Glanville is the author of The Game From Where I Stand, an inside look at the human side of the game of baseball, and is outspoken on topics relating to the human condition, including culture, diversity, overcoming adversity, and community-building. He also teaches a course at the University of Connecticut titled “Sport in Society.” The highly praised course examines the relationship between sports, celebrity, and its impact on society. Glanville is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.