From the Field to Finding Yourself: Dom Johnson of Spark Coaching Ep 38

From the Field to Finding Yourself: Dom Johnson of Spark Coaching Ep 38

If you've ever asked yourself "who am I without my sport?" — this episode is for you. This week Anne sits down with Dom Johnson, former college football and basketball player, athlete transition coach, and founder of Spark Coaching. Dom's journey — from a turbulent childhood watching his dad struggle after his NFL career, to having $47 in his bank after six years of college ball, to coaching at Alabama and eventually building his own coaching business — is as real as it gets. And the through line? Figuring out who you are when the game is over. — is as real as it gets. And the through line? Figuring out who you are when the game is over. What You'll Learn in This Episode: * Why athletes who are forced to retire struggle more than those who choose to walk away * How lack of identity and direction after sport can open the door to alcohol and other coping mechanisms * The three life skills Dom believes every athlete needs — mental health literacy, financial literacy, and identity work * Why you only need one reason, one client, one opportunity to keep going when things get hard * How sobriety and athlete transition work intersect — and why both require the same thing: knowing who you are If you're in the middle of your own transition — in sport, in sobriety, or in life — press play. This one's got something for you. Resources & Links: * Follow Dom Johnson on Instagram: @dom1johnson * Spark Coaching website: sparkcoach.in * Follow Spark Coaching camps on Instagram: @spark.coach * Follow Anne on Instagram: @anneskriba * Follow Chris on Instagram: @sans_bar

Film Study for Sobriety: How Preparation Beats Willpower Every Time Ep 37

Summer is here — and if you're sober or sober curious, you already know this season can hit different. Season three of the Clean Play Podcast is officially back, and Anne and Chris are kicking things off with an honest check-in on where they've been, what's changed, and what this season is all about: showing up to the game of life prepared. From navigating summer social pressure without white-knuckling it, to using a sports mindset to approach sobriety with strategy instead of willpower — this episode sets the tone for everything ahead. What You'll Learn in This Episode: * Why summer is one of the trickiest seasons for people in sobriety — and how to navigate it without making it a big deal * Three practical strategies for handling social situations where alcohol is present * Why having a go-to response ("I don't drink") is more powerful than explaining yourself * The timeout principle: how to pause, reset, and regroup in the middle of a tough moment * Why preparation — not perfection — is the real goal for sober living this season This one is the perfect kickoff — press play and get your game plan ready. Resources & Links: * Follow Anne on Instagram: @anneskriba * Connect with Chris: @sans_bar

What Happens When Sobriety Stops Being the Sun? Ep 36

Season 2 ends the way the Clean Play Pod lives: honest, sports-nerdy, and forward-facing. Anne and Chris wrap up 2025’s biggest sports moments—from the Super Bowl to the NBA Finals to women’s hoops rising—and name what those storylines teach us about sobriety, identity, and change. Then the conversation turns into the real locker-room talk: what happens when alcohol isn’t the center of your life anymore… and even recovery stops being the center? They unpack “orientation,” the grief of leaving an old identity (sport, drinking, even “recovering”), and how to build a 2026 that’s rooted in purpose—not hustle. Takeaways/Timestamps (high-level) * Sobriety isn’t the finish line—it’s the clearance. Once the “big problem” is gone, you get to ask: what am I building now? * Urgency ≠ grind culture. You can treat today like a “playoff game” without burning yourself out. * Your identity can’t stay problem-centered forever. If alcohol was the sun, and recovery became the sun… what’s your next orientation? * Systems beat motivation (especially in January). Your “why” has to mean something deeper than shame or pressure. * You’re allowed to evolve. You’re still you—whether you enter, exit, try again, or say no. * [00:00] Happy 2026 + why this is the Season 2 finale * [03:50] Biggest sports moments of 2025 (and what they reveal) * [12:10] Injuries, athlete mortality, and why we don’t cheer for pain * [18:50] Sports storylines = life storylines (the “dip” after the high) * [23:30] Urgency without hustle + why motivation won’t cover the gap * [25:40] “Sobriety was the sun” → reorientation, orbit, and “now what?” * [33:50] 2026 intentions: zeal, faith, and the word “no”

Teacher of the Year to Treatment: Jessica Dueñas on Worthiness & Sobriety Ep 35

What happens when you’re excellent on paper—but falling apart in private? In this episode, Anne and Chris sit down with Jessica Dueñas (Bottomless to Sober, former teacher, Kentucky State Teacher of the Year) for a conversation about body image, achievement, stigma, and the moment sobriety stopped being a “band-aid” and became a full identity rebuild. This is Clean Play game film for anyone who’s been praised for performance while quietly losing themselves. Takeaways (5)Timestamps (3–6)Resources / Guest Links Mentioned: * Achievement can’t heal old wounds—it can only distract you from them for a while. * Alcohol doesn’t de-stress; it delays—and the bill shows up the next morning. * Recovery needs the right fit: support that works for you beats shame-based “one way.” * Medication isn’t a moral failure—it can be crutches while your nervous system heals. * Worth is inherent: “Your sobriety does not determine your worth.” Full stop. * [01:10] Meet Jessica + why this conversation matters * [03:25] “Born to teach” + seeking affirmation outside the home * [11:12] The stress of education: standards, systems, and no wiggle room * [17:09] Trying to quit alone + why treatment became necessary * [21:10] Building a recovery path that fits (therapy, medication, writing) * [34:56] Worthiness, body image, and parenting without passing the shame down * Jessica Dueñas: Bottomless to Sober (website + Substack + podcast) * Instagram: @JessicaDuaneis24 * Mentioned: The Four Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz) This Naked Mind (Annie Grace)

Section Yellow, Sober Fans, and Your First Alcohol-Free Thanksgiving Ep 34

In this episode of Clean Play, Anne and Chris start with NFL chaos, grieving a tragic loss in the Cowboys organization, and end up exactly where they always do: life beyond the game. They talk about the pressure athletes feel to “play through the pain,” Anne’s three-year sobriety milestone and the moment she finally asked for help, and how alcohol quietly becomes a way to replay our old highlight reels. Then they pivot to Section Yellow at Lambeau Field, sober fan sections, and real-world tips for surviving your first (or fifth) sober Thanksgiving—without forfeiting football, family, or joy. Takeaways and Timestamps * Winning has to include your whole life, not just the game. If the only scoreboard you’re watching is performance, your mental health will always come second. * Some things are not worth pushing through. The same mentality that gets athletes through injury can make it really hard to say “I’m not okay” out loud. * Identity after sport is tender ground. When the jersey comes off—whether as a player or coach—alcohol can sneak in as a way to relive old highlight reels. * Sober fans still belong. From Section Yellow at Lambeau to sober tailgates and NA beer at the bar, you don’t have to drink to be part of the moment. * Holidays need game plans too. Time limits, movement, NA options, and post-holiday rewards can turn a dreaded Thanksgiving into a sober win. * [00:00] Government names, Thanksgiving vibes, and NFL chaos this season * [04:30] Grieving a Cowboys player’s death and the hidden cost of “just push through it” * [11:30] Anne’s three years sober, depression after sport, and finally asking for help * [21:00] Life beyond the game: when identity, alcohol, and old highlight reels collide * [25:30] Section Yellow at Lambeau, sober tailgates, and belonging without booze [34:30] Real talk holiday coaching: sober Thanksgiving tips, boundaries, and permission