Hello
Welcome to GRADE! My name is Psalm Kolenda, and I’m a 16-year-old athlete living in Germany for the past five years. I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a German-Polish father and a Liberian-American mother, and sports have always been a massive part of my life. Growing up in a family of athletes, I saw firsthand the challenges of balancing sports and school, and I quickly realized that while athletes are trained physically, their mental health is often overlooked.
I started GRADE—to ensure young athletes like myself get the support they need in all areas of their lives to handle the pressures of competition.
My Story
I grew up watching my older brother and cousin Caleb chase their dreams of becoming professional athletes while balancing school. I saw the highs—winning games, getting recognized, and making teams. But I also saw the lows—the stress of exams while waiting to hear about contracts, the frustration of sitting on the bench despite training hard, and the heartbreak of getting cut from a team with no explanation.
No one ever tells you how to deal with the mental side of sports. You're expected to keep going, act like nothing happened, and move on to the next tryout or practice. But that's not easy. The emotional toll is accurate, and I realized that too many young athletes are struggling in silence.
What started as a school project has become something bigger—a movement to ensure young athletes have access to the tools, support, and mindset they need to handle the ups and downs of sports.
At GRADE, our mission is simple:
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Break the silence on mental health in sports.
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Provide young athletes with the skills and support they need to build resilience.
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Create a space where no athlete has to struggle alone.
Every athlete has a story, and mental health should be part of the conversation. Let's change the game together.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
49 1517 231 6999