What happens when the sport that defines your entire identity is suddenly taken away? This week, Evan Rhodes sits down with 15-year-old junior player Marco Rivera to talk about the side of injury recovery people usually skip: the emotional toll.After eight months away from tennis due to a stress fracture, Marco opens up about the identity crisis of losing the sport, the weight of navigating conflicting recovery plans, and why the most critical breakthrough in his healing wasn't a physical milestone—it was getting his parents, coach, and physio on the exact same page.

In this episode of PathWays by path, host Evan Rhodes sits down with sports dietitian Lina Kirsch to unpack a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of junior tennis development: elite nutrition.

If you think the biggest obstacle for young athletes is junk food, think again. Lina introduces the concept of "Invisible Nutrition" the hidden energy deficit caused by under-fueling kids who juggle demanding school days, hours of intense on-court training, and gym sessions.

Most junior players aren't underdeveloped because they're not working hard enough. They're underdeveloped because nobody is managing their load.

Tomás Reyes, a strength and conditioning coach who works exclusively with junior tennis players, breaks down what physical preparation actually looks like at the competitive junior level and why the biggest threat to a player's development isn't lack of training. It's a triangle that isn't talking.