6 Ways To Help Student Athletes Manage Mental Health

68% of college swimmers from Canada met criteria for depression in a recent study and in a study by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association student-athletes reported experiencing emotional stress and anxiety more often than non athletes. Part of the challenge is athletes focusing on one sport, or dealing with more pressure to meet parent or coach expectations. “I used to love coming to the gym but there are times it’s not so fun anymore - yeah, I want to win and play, but there’s a limit,” says Melanie Flores, 16, who recently left her high school basketball team after injury, but later acknowledged the real reason was the pressures associated with winning. “I felt it in the gym, at home, and even in the hall - maybe I was imagining some of it, but I don’t know.” Flores averaged 11 points and 3 or 4 assists a game as a varsity sophomore for her high school in Illinois. She was the youngest player on her team but found herself getting yelled at for making mistakes. “I just don’t think the yelling helps,” says Peter Saundrers, a sports psychology counselor and teacher. “Kids respond differently and some can handle that, or say they can, others can’t. For a teen, you look at sports as something you enjoy doing and when it starts to feel differently I wonder what these schools and coaches are really trying to accomplish.” Saunders asks if honors math teachers yell at their students if they make a mistake on an algebra equation. “Competition is important but there is a line and many coaches cross that.” To read the 6 ways to help student athletes manage mental stress, Click here.