By Dana Hallisey, Montana Women’s Volleyball Associate Head Coach
As we all know, COVID-19 has affected everyone in some way. In multiple studies done in the last year, 60-80% of college students are noting an increase in stress, anxiety or worry*. On the conservative end, 30-50% of your school’s population is dealing with a mental health issue*. As coaches, we need to understand that these statistics also apply to our teams. So, what are we doing with that? How are we speaking about mental health? How are we normalizing it? How are we encouraging treatment?
To begin, how you speak about mental health matters. One of our primary roles as coaches is creating environments for our athletes to exist in. Often that is a practice space or a cultural structure. They are used to following our lead and existing in these spaces. This means that how we talk about mental health matters. In a time where stress and anxiety are increasing for almost everyone, acknowledging that there is space for that in your group is crucial.
Here are a few important things to remember or prioritize while addressing this topic:
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You are not the solution, but you can be a safe place for your athletes.
- Normalizing this topic with your team helps them understand that you are a place they can share these struggles and not have that define their worth. You do not need to have answers or solutions, but you can listen, provide resources, and verbalize your support. Brené Brown has an incredible video that explains the difference between sympathy and empathy. This video shows us how to be present for people during hard times in supportive and uplifting ways. It would be a great conversation starter between your staff and your team or from teammate to teammate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw
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Performance anxiety and mental health.
- After more than a year, the anticipation of competing has been building. Freshmen are waiting for their first match and seniors are trying to enjoy every ounce of their modified finish. If your athletes are dealing with a new or developing mental health issue, performance pressure could affect them differently. For some student athletes, performing on this stage is an outlet that decreases stress; however, there may be athletes on your team who deal with increases in anxiety or stress as performance pressure is added. Do not be afraid to ask your athletes about this. Having them know you are aware of this can be an opportunity for them to know that you are behind them even in this struggle. You can be a helping hand in pointing them towards your sports psychologist or other campus resources. This not only creates trust between you and your athletes but also increases individual and team performances.
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Check on your high-functioning athletes.
- With the current increase of mental health disorders there are likely people on your team who have never experienced this before. Your athletes who are performing on the court and in the classroom could be struggling immensely. Take time to check in with your high-functioning athletes and let them know that there is room for them to show up in their struggle as well.
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Communication among your extended staff is crucial.
- An incredible benefit of college athletics is that these students have so many adults in their corner. As we navigate this new landscape, our communication among staff members is crucial. Changes in behavior, performance or attention to detail communicated between departments can help screen for new or developing mental health issues and help you be a better-informed resource for your athletes.
Thank you all for the work that you do. I know this time has brought stress to every single person reading this and yet I am asking you to give a little more from a tank that may often feel empty. I hope this is a reminder to use your community, staff and campus resources for yourself as well. Taking care of our mental health needs to be a priority—just as it is for our athletes.
I appreciate everything you do for those you lead. Be encouraged and continue to press on. We will get through this together.
References:
*Dartmouth College. (2020, July 27). COVID-19 increased anxiety, depression for already stressed college students: Study shows unprecedented increase in mental health challenges among undergraduates. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 20, 2021 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727114731.htm
*Son, C., Hegde, S., Smith, A., Wang, X., & Sasangohar, F. (2020). Effects of Covid-19 on College Students’ Mental Health in the United States: Interview Survey Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e21279.
*The Impact of Covid-19 on College Student Wellbeing. (May 2020). Healthy Minds Network. American College Health Association.