SAAC & Counseling and Sport Psychology Hosts Hilinski’s Hope Mental Health Awareness Week
UNCG Spartans
GREENSBORO, N.C.– The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Athletic's Counseling and Sports Psychology have partnered with Hilinski's Hope for Student-Athlete Mental Health Week.
Student-Athlete Mental Health Week runs from September 30 to October 7, 2023 and the goal of this week is to raise mental health awareness, destigmatize mental illness, and provide quality resources to student-athletes nationwide.
This year, 160+ colleges and universities are joining Hilinski's Hope's mission by utilizing playing a mental health PSA during games, prioritizing mental health campus engagement strategies, and having something on each day for student-athletes.
Hilinski's Hope Foundation (H3H) is a non-profit organization formed to promote awareness and education of mental health and wellness for student-athletes. The Foundation's mission is to educate, advocate, and eliminate, the stigma associated with mental illness, while funding programs that provide student-athletes with the tools and resources that support their mental health and wellness.
Luke Jenkins– redshirt sophomore – baseball
"For the baseball team, one thing that we like to hear when we are struggling with mental health is to be positive and stay strong. You can do it!"
Jalen Breath– redshirt sophomore - men's basketball
"One thing I want to hear when I'm struggling with mental health is 'it's okay to not be okay.'"
Evan Pena– sophomore – men's cross country and track
"As student-athletes, it's sort of expected of us to be the tough ones, the ones with the mentality to be able to get through the struggle and have grit. While those are certainly characteristics an athlete should possess, sometimes we take it too far and ignore problems or signs that may be telling of a deeper issue. This is especially prevalent in the transition from high school to college when many freshmen figure out a new identity and don't always have the skills to cope with all the added stress.
"In addition to this, mental health and performance often have a direct relationship. In other words, when you are struggling with mental health, your performance in your sport will likely decline, and when your performance in your sport declines, your mental health will likely struggle. This is a difficult situation and not one that people like to admit they're in, but one I'm sure everyone in this organization can say they've experienced."
Parker Truesdale– redshirt senior – men's golf
"When struggling with my mental health, I seek positive words from surrounding friends and family. Reconnecting with people I care for reminds me of the bigger picture in life. Sometimes, as student-athletes, we get consumed by the little details of our everyday schedule and forget that there is more to life than our sport."
Ethan Conley– fifth year - men's soccer
"The health of my mind is so important because from it I make decisions that impact my life and other's lives. If my mind is healthy, I can make position decisions and make progress towards my goals. If I am not in a healthy mental state, it becomes harder to manage and balance the many different parts of my life."
Hampus Johansson– senior – men's tennis
"Mental health matters to me as a student-athlete because I have seen too many of my peer's struggle with it, both here on campus and when reading about tragedies on social media. Being a student-athlete is a huge privilege but not always easy. We are normal humans who also feel sad and down sometimes, but it is not talked about enough. We need to get rid of the stigma of mental health and create an environment where it is ok to feel sad and down."
Jayde Gamble– junior – women's basketball
"Mental health matters to me because it impacts me on and off the court. It allows me to stay in tune with daily activities and without a good mentality, it makes it hard for me to do the things I do daily. When I'm struggling, I like to hear 'you got this!' I think sometimes as student-athletes we forget that we are human, and that mental health is something that is a part of everyone so being reminded that we have control is great."
Laila Burk– junior – women's cross country and track
"Something I like to be reminded of when I am struggling mentally, is just the support I have available to me, especially on my team from my teammates and coaches. It's always good to be reminded that they are there for me!"
Grace Holcomb– junior – women's golf
"Mental health is important to everyone's well-being, but especially student-athletes. We put so much continued focus and hard work into our sport and busy schedule that sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves. Our mind is what makes us great and if we're not looking after it, there can be consequences. It's important to always check in on the people you love and always be a positive force in someone's life."
Mel Herrera– junior – women's soccer
"As a student-athlete, it can be hard to remember that we are much more than just our sport and our value as a person doesn't amount to how we play a game. Being reminded this and being surrounded by a community that shows us the skills and gives us the resources we need to help ourselves is so important. As someone who deals with this exact thing, getting the help I need truly does make a difference."
Grace Loftin– junior - softball
"As a student-athlete, I feel like mental health is just as important as physical health is. Stereotypically, student athletes feel pressured to push through any challenge whether that be mental or physical without receiving any help. I want to see the stigma be broken and ensure that people know it is important to take care of themselves and receive help when life feels like too much."
Luna Urso– sophomore – women's tennis
"I feel like student-athletes are more focused on physical health and do not put as much importance on their mental well-being. Mental health is important for me because struggling with anxiety, depression, or just any problem related to my mental well-being, it will have a negative impact on my performance on the court. Furthermore, knowing that not being okay is okay really helped me to understand my problem and openly talk about it. Lastly, mental health is important for me because as student-athlete, I am much more exposed to everyday stress that can be caused by not getting enough sleep, missing classes, poor performance at my tournaments and so on. So, for me it is really important to talk about the issue with a psychologist and get some help before the problem gets bigger."
Valeria Calderon– senior – volleyball
"Mental health is important to all student-athletes because our schedules can get demanding, and it can be difficult to prioritize time for ourselves. It is important to address self-care, personal needs, and mental health as they can be an impact in our emotional well-being, physical health, and can affect performance."
