Field Hockey and My Unicorn Child🦄🏑

How Sports Help My Unicorn Daughter Thrive featuring ADHD and Anxiety

By Brittney Ruggieri

Photographer: Nat LeDonne

Raising a child with ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder means learning to see the world through a different lens. My daughter Landen is bright, curious, deeply empathetic—and wired a little differently. Sort of like a unicorn. For her, everyday tasks can feel overwhelming, attention can scatter quickly, and anxiety can sneak in unexpectedly. But there’s one place where Landen finds clarity, control, and confidence: on the field with a stick in her hands.

Finding the Right Fit
We’ve explored everything—dance, gymnastics, swimming, even art therapy. While each had value, nothing worked quite like field hockey. It wasn’t just that she enjoyed it; it was that she came off the field more grounded. More focused. More herself.

Her journey is still unfolding. She gets lost in her thoughts sometimes and still questions herself—but that’s okay. Progress for kids like Landen doesn’t always look like a straight line. But each time she chooses to show up, it’s a quiet act of bravery. And we’re seeing the growth.

Why Soccer Didn’t Work—and Field Hockey Does
Soccer was our first try. But it moved too fast for Landen. The constant, chaotic pace didn’t give her time to process or pick her moments. She’s not aggressive by nature—she’s thoughtful and reserved. And in soccer, she often felt like an outsider, unsure how or when to join the play.

Field hockey, on the other hand, offers the structure and rhythm she needs. She has time to think, time to choose. With a stick in her hands, she finds focus. Her body and mind sync in a way that makes her feel regulated, present, and powerful.

The Brain-Body Connection
Sports that use tools—bats, sticks, racquets—do something remarkable for kids with ADHD. These activities engage both hemispheres of the brain and help improve self-regulation, coordination, and attention. When Landen plays, her nervous system calms. She’s alert, but not anxious. She finds her rhythm.

Rewriting Her Story
Perhaps the most beautiful shift has been internal. Kids with ADHD and anxiety often internalize self-doubt: “I can’t.” “I’m not enough.” But sport, when it fits, offers a new script: “I can.” “I belong.” Watching Landen come into that truth—on her terms—has been the most powerful part of this journey.

Let’s Support Your Athlete Together
If you’re a parent or coach supporting a young athlete with ADHD, anxiety, or other mental health challenges, know this: you are not alone.

I work with families and student-athletes to build confidence, focus, and resilience through mindset coaching and performance strategies tailored to how they think and move.

📩 Schedule a session or reach out to me at: brittney@mindrondo.com
Let’s build a game plan that helps your child find their rhythm—and their power.