“My boy is in his head. And he needs some love. Not tough love. Not right now. He needs love love.”
— Jon McCann
Recently, I watched The Turnaround, the short documentary about Phillies fan Jon McCann, whose simple act of compassion shifted not only a ballpark, but the emotional landscape surrounding a struggling athlete.
That athlete was Trea Turner — an electrifying shortstop and batter, admired across baseball.
When he signed with the Phillies (a sad day for this Dodger fan, her family, and all of Los Angeles in 2022), expectations were sky-high.
But when Trea fell into a slump in 2023, the criticism grew just as loudly.
And then something extraordinary happened.
1. Support Can Shift an Entire Emotional Landscape
In the middle of Turner’s struggles, Jon McCann asked Phillies fans to do something radical:
Give Trea Turner a standing ovation every time he walked up to the batter’s box.
Not criticism. Not judgment. Not pressure.
Just love.
And the fans did it — again and again. It became a movement.
Standing ovations. Encouragement. Collective compassion.
The message was simple but profound:
“You are still one of us. We see your humanity first.”
This became:
- a nervous-system reset
- a softening of shame
- a reconnection to belonging
- the emotional scaffolding to rebuild confidence
For athletes — and for all of us — support can shift the entire internal field.
2. Struggle Isn’t Failure. It’s Human.
Jon McCann openly shared his own struggles with depression and suicidality.
He knew what it felt like to fall apart quietly.
He knew what it meant to need compassion instead of criticism.
Rather than pile onto Trea Turner, Jon offered grace — and invited others to do the same.
This is rare in sports culture, where:
- mistakes are magnified
- pressure is constant
- mental health is often hidden
- perfection is idealized
But vulnerability — naming our pain and choosing empathy — can change everything.
Lesson: Struggle doesn’t make you weak. It makes you human.
And it connects you to others who are hurting, too.
3. Community Energy Matters More Than We Think
When thousands chose standing ovations, something shifted:
- Trea’s demeanor softened
- the stadium’s energy warmed
- teammates rallied
- pressure loosened
- belief flickered back to life
Many athletes — especially those who are newer to the team — carry unspoken pressure to “prove themselves” immediately.
To be embraced matters.
To be met with compassion matters even more.
Could you imagine if youth athletes experienced this kind of collective care?
Or if former athletes navigating identity loss were met with this kind of belonging?
Imagine if we all chose encouragement more often.
4. Redemption Is Usually a Shared Experience
If you haven’t seen the documentary yet, I won’t give away spoilers. Just watch it. I recommend some tissues on-hand.
But honestly… whether or not Trea’s performance changed wasn’t the real story.
The real story was:
- the crowd that chose connection over criticism
- the Phillies community that chose love
- the one fan whose butterfly wings created a hurricane-like ripple
Redemption often happens in relationship.
Lesson: We don’t heal alone. We rise higher when we support one another.
5. What This Means for Athletes, Families, Coaches, Providers
The Turnaround offers a blueprint for how we might treat each other:
- You don’t have to earn compassion.
- Belonging comes before performance.
- Community care is a mental health intervention.
- Encouragement shifts nervous systems.
- Love is not “soft”; it is regulating, empowering, catalytic.
Whether you’re a currently competing athlete, a former athlete, a parent, a coach, or a provider — you deserve support during your vulnerable moments.
And you have the invitation to be that support for someone else, too.
Final Thought
The Turnaround is a beautiful baseball story that carries a deep universal truth:
Compassion changes trajectories.
Belonging changes people.
Love can change everything.
It takes just one brave moment to shift a room,
one gesture to shift a narrative,
one person to shift a community…
So let’s choose compassion when it matters most, cheer for people in their hardest moments, and remember that none of us make it alone.
In solidarity,
Laura
Reflection Prompts
Take a moment this week to explore:
- When has someone’s belief helped me breathe again?
- What did compassion make possible for me in a hard season?
- Who might need encouragement from me right now?
- How does my body respond when I receive love instead of criticism?
- What part of my story deserves a standing ovation?
Stay Connected
For weekly reflections on identity, belonging, resilience, and whole-athlete well-being, visit lcollinslcsw.com/athleteilluminated to read more and subscribe.
Note: This and every Athlete Illuminated post is for educational purposes only and not a replacement for mental health treatment. If you are in urgent need of mental health support, please call 9-8-8. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest emergency room. For ongoing concerns, consider seeking professional support or therapy.
The Athlete Psychotherapist 
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