Donate to Impact Student Athletes
We cultivate healthy environments to promote resiliency through sports performance training, mindfulness, yoga and breathwork.
Who is
Maroon Village?
Join us in supporting our mission, purpose, and cause. Your generous contribution supports student athletes in need. Help us achieve our goals to make an even bigger impact in 2024.
Maroon Village serves student athletes throughout the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana areas who are often navigating extreme and challenging circumstances. We focus on endurance and connectedness as important variables for success on and off the playing field. Our team prepares student athletes for success through a sound approach of deep practice, body awareness, and critical pedagogy.
Summer Camp 2025
Success!
Mindfulness + Movement Sports Camp
Location: Calumet College of St. Joseph | Whiting, IN
Grades 3rd-5th & 6th - 8th
Youth learned foundational skills for sports along with mindfulness practices to elevate their athletic performance!
Congratulations to our Co-Founder Shea Gardner!
2021 Recipient of the Albion College Distinguished Young Alumni Award for her work with Maroon Village and beyond!
Watch her interview below!
Strategic Priorities
for 2026
The Resilient Coach Training
In response to the NCAA Student-Athlete Well-Being Study not only do we offer intentional programming to support student athletes directly, we are committed to equipping Coaches with tools to navigate the stress and trauma our Student Athletes are experiencing in real time.
Through training, Coaches deepen understanding and awareness of the often extreme circumstances alongside of building trauma sensitive mindfulness skills to help support their student athletes through and on to performing at their best - on and off the playing field!
Interested in Coach & Staff Training please email us:
hellomaroonvillage@gmail.com
*We offer The Resilient Athlete Training too!
Mindfulness & Sports Summer Camp
In partnership with Calumet College of St. Joseph last June, camp was a one week pilot program for middle school aged student athletes. They showed up M-F | 8-12 to build skills in mindfulness, yoga, and a different sport each day. They grew in confidence and community!
If you are interested in hosting a Mindfulness & Sports Camp, please email us:
hellomaroonvillage@gmail.com
Maroon Village | Summer Series
Program Objectives | To promote physical literacy and sports competence using a sports-themed, modeled-based approach. Research supports increases in intrinsic motivation profiles and quality of life. The learning objectives: visualization, breathwork, performance preparation, teamwork, body awareness and journaling are tools to accomplish our program objectives.
Learning Objectives | To promote a safe and fun environment. Athletes will learn mindfulness skills utilizing breathwork, visualization, and self awareness. Through journal prompts, athletes will learn self awareness. Athletes will learn problem-solving competence and Teamwork through sports skills development and sports competitions.
If you are interested in working with Maroon Village please email us:
hellomaroonvillage@gmail.com
Sign Up for Sessions!
Middle School | High School | College | Semi-Pro Athletes
Meet Our Founders
Rich Gardner
Athletics & Performance
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach (University of St. Francis)
Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga Renew
RKC Russian Kettlebell Certification
PhD Candidate, Health & Human Performance (Concordia University)
Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach (CSCS)
MS Sport Fitness, Recreation Leadership (DePaul University)
Former NFL Athlete (Titans, Seahawks)
BA Economics (Penn State University)
3rd Team College Football All-American
German Bowl Champion (GFL League)
Shea Gardner
Athletics & Awareness
20 yrs supporting Nonprofit Youth Programming + Instruction
BA Sociology + Anthropology Albion College
Certified Trauma Informed RYT ® 200 (Yoga)
Certified Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Instructor
Albion College Women’s Soccer
Boston Marathon Qualifier
YouTube Grounded Healing
MEd Trauma & Resiliency Spring Arbor University 2025
Ready to Make a Difference?
Donate to Support:
Summer Programming | Clinics for Coaches | Equipment Costs
Let’s Stay
Connected!
Share your email to learn more about our programs, events, fundraisers, board, or community partnerships. We are looking to collaborate with community leaders interested in making a difference!