I want to begin by stating that being a student-athlete is not easy. Since entering the hilltop in August of 2021, time management immediately became my most used skill. 

Learning how to balance school, friends, and being away from home, while also playing a division one sport does not come naturally to anyone. It took a lot of time and effort to figure out how to manage my time so that I could convince myself I’m not just a hockey player and a student, but I am also a person, and that I matter. 

For decades athletes have been told that they are to represent themselves, and their program in the best way. We as athletes are supposed to be tough, we’re to show a “superhero mentality”. The question I have is why the NCAA and professional leagues have ignored the mental health problem for so long.

As an athlete, you’re constantly told that your worth as a human is not based on your performance. Although, it’s not that easy to believe. Everyone says that we should stop comparing ourselves to others, but when you grow up competing and always trying to be better than the person to your left or to your right, you’re never really going to stop the comparison. 

  Around one in five persons, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), suffer from a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. Yet, among student-athletes, 25% of men and 30% of women report having anxiety. Only 10% of all student-athletes who have known mental health issues ask a mental health professional for assistance. Moreover, roughly 25% of elite athletes suffer from an eating disorder, burnout, depression, or anxiety. 

In the spring of 2022, 5 NCAA student-athletes took their own lives. These students participated in all different sports. Their names are Katie Meyer, Robert Martin, Jayden Hill, Sarah Shulze, and Lauren Bernett. The question I have is did these athletes really feel like they mattered? 

Katie Meyer of Stanford women’s soccer has a list of accolades, she was a phenomenal student and athlete. She wasn’t fighting a battle on the field or in the classroom, but rather internally. 

Robert Martin was a lacrosse player. He was a graduate student at Binghamton when he decided he couldn’t take it anymore. 

Jayden Hill was a bright, full-of-life young girl when she came into her freshman year at Northern Michigan. Unfortunately, she only ran for one track season before she took her own life. 

Sarah Shulze was described as a “power of good” by her family. At the age of 21, the cross country and track runner committed suicide. 

Lauren Bernett had an incredible rookie season. Although all the awards she received didn’t seem to validate her worth. Lauren Bernett lost her life to suicide. 

My question now is when is enough, enough? When are college coaches going to realize that athletes aren’t just having a bad day, or just want the day off because they’re lazy? 

We need change and we need it now. College athletes have worked their entire lives dedicating their life to a sport that they love dearly. The stigma of being weak due to mental illness needs to be gone. The strongest athletes are the ones that speak up for themselves. 

With that being said, I think it’s safe to say that being the best doesn’t make someone the happiest. The loudest or brightest person in the locker room could be fighting the deepest battle you don’t know about. 

Check in on your friends and your loved ones. Let them know how much they matter.