This pressure looks like having good grades, performing well on the field, court, course, and balancing a social life. It is very hard to keep up with these things trying to juggle everything at the same time.
I care so deeply about the mental health of athletes because I have battled these issues myself. I became depressed and anxious all the time because I constantly thought that I needed to prove myself to everyone around me. I thought my identity was through my success on the softball field. I later found out that I am so much more than the sport I play.
I had let a coach ruin the sport I once loved. I hated the game of softball and I never thought that I could hate a sport that I have dedicated my life to. Taking a step back and making decisions that improved my mental health was one of my greatest accomplishments
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I am here to talk about how athletes are so much more than their sport. Athletes are so important to the ones around them and are cared about more than they know. They also do not need the approval from those around them on whether or not they are valued.
I want to raise awareness about the awful stigmas that surround student athletes and their mental health. I want to show that they are not weak for wanting to seek help in bettering themselves.
