While climbing up the ladder of success, Michael Phelps had to pay the price. This price came with his inability to cope with his mental health issues. Suffering from the problem, it was a difficult journey, feeling disconnected. Instead, his tight schedules in the pool and relentless battles to become the best made him count himself as a swimmer only. For someone like him, who came from a humble background, that was a daunting challenge. 

While expressing that gloomy phase in his life, Phelps said, “When I would look in a mirror… I would see a swimmer, not a person,…” Yet he couldn’t get carried away and the credit goes to a few luminaries who have left a significant impression on him. One of them is the late Greg Harden and another is Jay Glazer. While the first one remained at the University of Michigan as the director of counseling for athletic development until 2020, Glazer has been the ‘mental health buddy’ for the Flying Fish. But in a stunning situation, the deceased counselor knitted a link between Glazer and Phelps. 

Last week, a shockwave ran through the sporting world with the news of Greg Harden’s passing away. Michael Phelps and several others, like Tom Brady, who had come in touch with him on the walk of life, paid their respect to him. However, yesterday Jay Glazer shared his one. 

In a detailed Instagram post, Glazer noted that he had found Harden’s help at a critical time of his life. In the same post, he added the late counselor’s past snippet, where Harden could be seen narrating one of his case studies. Phelps could not miss such a clip. He re-shared Blaze’s post with a 7-word message in his Instagram story: “The best!! Like a dad to me..” That almost felt like the tribute he posted for the transformative figure last week, after the latter’s demise. 

Last week, the news of Harden’s death came through the official bulletin published by the Michigan Athletics. However, it took no time to reach Michael Phelps, who has always found himself under the umbrella of the prestigious institute. Since his first Olympic experience, Phelps has counted himself as one from the camp. That emotion came out in that way only when the most decorated Olympian wrote, “My Guy G. I’m so blessed for our time 🙏🏻 R.I.P.” That takes us to the discussion of the time he spent with Greg Harden at the University of Michigan. 

Michael Phelps learned to be ‘Optimistic’ from Greg Harden 

Working as an NFL analyst, Jay Glazer has found a relatable friend in Michael Phelps. Both individuals have their own tales with ups and downs in their lives. And both of them used to feel cornered under the pressure of a problematic mental state. But things have changed because of the bond they share between them.

The former Olympian described that camaraderie as “We do similar things when we’re down if that makes sense. We both had this conversation the other day because when it happens to me, I reach out to him. When it happens to him, he reaches out to me. I have a couple of friendships like that where we’ve kind of been really able to form a bond.” Moreover, both of them can’t ignore Harden’s role in putting them in such a situation where they can point out their issues on their own. 

Spending a chunk of time in Ann Arbor, Phelps saw Harden closely for a significant time in his career. Thankfully, it came after his first Olympic experience in 2000. In that turning moment, the former world champion learned how to be “Obnoxiously optimistic” from Greg Harden.

That lesson was crucial for the swimmer who faced grueling practice sessions six or seven days a week, often alone with his thoughts. The hard work paid off as Phelps racked up medals in the Olympics and world championships, showcasing the results of his dedication. Today, he carries that mental resilience into every situation, proof of the influence of Greg Harden on Michael Phelps. Harden’s guidance helped shape Phelps into not just an athlete but a champion who knows how to keep his cool under pressure.