Student-athletes are often pictured as strong, focused people since they constantly balance their practices, games, and school work like it’s nothing. However, there’s a side we don’t see to these hard-working, student–athletes: mental health.
There is a continuous amount of pressure of needing to perform 100 percent in both your sport and in the classroom. From using your brain in class six hours a day to practicing anywhere from an hour to three hours, and then having to go home and complete homework, can really take a toll on one’s mental health.
One of the major mental health issues that student-athletes face is dealing with the intense pressure to succeed. Coaches, parents, and teammates all have high expectations.
Sophomore Brynlee Swinhart, who is a varsity dancer, stated, “Athletes are balancing school and the pressures of wanting to perform well in their sport. Some athletes have coaches that are harder on them or teammates that push them. I think it’s harder for athletes because they have more pressure than people who just have school.”
Many mainly prioritize performance outcomes rather than prioritizing their overall well-being. This pressure can cause the student-athlete to forget that their well-being is important and will simply focus on performing the best they can, even when they’re not in the right mental space.
Ignoring one’s mental health will only cause it to continue to decline, also causing performance in both the class and their sport to decline because of how overwhelmed they are.
Another significant stress factor is time management. Student-athletes must juggle practice schedules, traveling for games and competitions, while also staying on top of their academic responsibilities. There is very little free time to rest or enjoy their personal life, which often leads to stress and sleep deprivation.
Junior Brody Friesen, who is a varsity swimmer and water polo player, said, “Some of the biggest mental health challenges are being enough for everyone. A lot of parents and teachers require a lot with everything now, and I think it can be challenging, especially if we’re not getting enough care or help.”
Athletes and people in general often try to brush off their mental health, trying not to seem “weak” or “soft”. It’s okay to not be okay.
What’s not okay is letting yourself not be okay and continuing to ignore it. This can cause burnout, leading to a loss of passion for your sport and a loss of motivation for everything in general.
Friesen added, “A lot of people avoid mental health, and for people that’s not good because if you suppress emotions, they can build up and fire back at you, so it’s important to talk to people about them and express your feelings.”
Mental health should be treated with constant care, similar to how athletes take care of their bodies before and after a game, making sure they are in the right state to play. It is important to know who you can go to when you are stressed, overwhelmed, or even just need a little bit of help.
Swinhart expressed, “I think it’s important to have coaches that are very open with their students. For example, for dance, my dance coach, she’s very open to all of us and she makes it very apparent that if we need to talk to someone then she’s there for us and she can help us.”
It is also good for coaches, trainers, and teammates to be aware of the signs of mental distress and be able to provide a supportive, open environment. It is also vital for student-athletes to understand that it’s okay to take help when it’s offered to them.
Senior Arieana Rocha, who is a flag football varsity captain and on varsity softball, stated, “You are facing yourself in the mirror, you got to remember that, that’s who you got at the end of the day no matter what, so you just got to take care of yourself before anyone else.”
Even though dedication is important, it’s still key to have a balanced lifestyle where you can still socialize and hang out with friends or even take a break if you need one. Enjoying activities unrelated to sports or education can help protect yourself from burnout and can overall be better for your well-being.
Student-athletes are high-achieving individuals who should be recognized for all the effort they put in. It’s also essential to recognize that behind all the long hours is a person who has feelings that they may need to let out.
It’s good to be cautious of those around you and even yourself because mental health is just as, or even more important than, physical strength, and should be treated that way.