Be Valiant

Ep. 30 Episode 16 - Part 2 of 3 — When the Dream Unexpectedly Changes: Lisa Proctor, A Mother’s Perspective (Audio)

"In Part 2 of 3 of When the Dream Unexpectedly Changes, Todd Merkow sits down with Lisa Proctor—attorney, former ranked junior tennis player in Texas, marathoner, and the mother at the center of the Proctor family’s youth sports journey.

Lisa shares her own athletic story first: a highly competitive tennis career that unraveled in her senior year as she struggled with what we now recognize as the “mental game” and the yips—long before mental health support was part of the sports conversation. That lived experience shaped how she approached parenting two very different athletes: Hannah, who played with a healthier, more social mindset, and Will, whose discipline, drive, and identity became deeply tied to baseball.

This episode goes behind the highlight reel and into the moments families rarely discuss: the pressure of MLB scout attention in high school, confidence swings, the intensity of SEC baseball, and the reality that athletes often hide anxiety behind toughness. Lisa describes the period leading into Will’s shoulder injury—how quickly the dream shifted, what it was like to be in Athens as everything changed, and how difficult it was to watch the physical setbacks fuel emotional weight. She also reflects candidly on parenting differences—how she and Jeff processed the end of Will’s baseball career differently—and why “checking in” matters more than checking stats.

Lisa’s message for parents is direct and earned: talk to your kids, pull out what they’re really feeling, and remember it’s their journey. This conversation sets the stage for Part 3, where the story is told by Will himself—the athlete living it.

Listen next: Part 3 of 3 — Will Proctor: The Athlete’s Voice.