Flight Crew Kickball Classic: Building Community and Wellness for Aviation Professionals
Updated: Sep 3
This past Saturday, August 29th, Allē and I had the pleasure of participating in the first annual Flight Crew Kickball Classic. What started as a simple vending opportunity to share knowledge about Soaring Wings and our vision turned into an unexpected invitation to play ball. Being out there with crew members reminded me how deeply aviation is woven into my life. It has been almost a full month since I stepped away from my role as a flight attendant after 9.5 years, and moments like this make it clear that even though I am no longer flying, the aviation community is still home.
Soaring Wings grew out of that lived experience. It began as a semester-long project I was assigned in 2021 as a Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student at Capella University. I attempted to bring the vision to life in 2023, but it just wasn’t the right time. That was also around when I met and began working here at Ashakti with Asha. After sharing my dream and my vision with her, she began nurturing and encouraging it. I didn’t have a name for Soaring Wings back then. I just knew crew members needed a place to land emotionally. With her guidance, mentorship, and willingness to pour into a vision that was still forming, Soaring Wings began to take shape. Over the years it has been refined, expanded, and grounded in the same whole person care that Ashakti Wellness is known for.
Soaring Wings is our peer support space for aviation professionals. It offers community, grounding, and a place to talk honestly about the realities of aviation life. The long hours, irregular schedules, emotional labor, and constant movement can be isolating. Crew members deserve support just as much as anyone navigating demanding work. And although we are still a collective in progress, the heart of our work remains the same. We are a community where aviation professionals feel seen, supported, and connected.
How Soaring Wings Is Growing Through Collaboration, Mentorship, and Collective Care
The Flight Crew Kickball Classic was a perfect example of why this work matters. The event was created by Prieska, a fellow aviation professional who saw a need for joy, connection, and stress relief within the crew community. Her dedication to building something that brings people together is inspiring. I am grateful for her hard work and hopeful about the partnership that is growing between Soaring Wings and the Flight Crew Kickball Classic. There is so much potential for future events, wellness offerings, and community building.
A few weeks ago, we sat down with Prieska to talk about the event and the collaboration. You can watch that conversation here:
Or click here: https://www.youtube.com/live/7q2r3l0vK1A?si=EqKHAc5aDo7gIIrF
Now I know a lot of y'all who have shown love to us here at Ashakti Wellness are not connected to aviation in any way, shape, or form, so thank you if you’ve read this far. Since you have kept up with me, let me share why this work and this vision matter so much. Aviation professionals carry a unique blend of emotional labor, physical fatigue, and constant transition. The lifestyle is beautiful, but it is demanding. For most of my adult life the friendly skies were part of my regular routine, and we really didn’t have places to land when we needed. If you’ve worked in any capacity in the service industry or have experience as a first responder, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Programs like Soaring Wings and community events like the Flight Crew Kickball Classic offer the same kind of support that everyday people seek through wellness spaces, therapy, and community care. Crew members need places to breathe too.
The Event Itself: Connection, Joy, and Community Care
We captured photos throughout the day, along with some beautiful images shared by Prieska. These moments reflect connection, joy, and the kind of community care that keeps people grounded.
Photos courtesyof Rick Collins & Justin via Flight Crew Kickball Classic
As Soaring Wings continues to grow, we are exploring ways to expand our offerings, host more community events, and strengthen our peer support collective. If you feel called to support this work, here are a few ways to get involved.
Become a Soaring Wings Partner. Email kalexander@ashaktiwellness.com. We are looking for collaborators who can help us organize, plan, and implement community events for aviation professionals. We need volunteers and funds to get this vision growing.
Share our mission with friends and family who travel frequently or who work in aviation.
Connect us with aviation professionals who may benefit from peer support.
Support our upcoming initiatives as we continue shaping this collective.
This work is meaningful. It is needed. And it is only possible through community.
Keyayanna Rei, M.S., LCMHCA, NCC, RP is an integrative holistic therapist, somatic wellness coach, and former regional flight attendant. She blends clinical training with lived aviation experience to support individuals in navigating stress, transition, and emotional grounding. As the creator of Soaring Wings at Ashakti Wellness, she is committed to building community spaces where aviation professionals can land, connect, and feel supported.
Keyayanna is currently accepting new clients for Therapy and Wellness Services.
Book a Free Consultation To get Started or Learn More.
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