Today I want to talk about an article a fellow coach sent my way. This article is from The Gauntlet, The University of Calgary’s student paper. The article, “Behind the Jersey: The Mental Health Reality of Student Athletes” identifies something we sense but don’t typically discuss out loud:
Student athletes may appear to be successful. They have:
Structured schedules
Clear goals
Team support
Public recognition
Their life appears to be based on structure and strength.
However, the article shows us that the inner workings can be quite different.
The research cited in the article reports that nearly one in four student athletes meet the diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), however, student athletes are far less likely to seek help compared to their non-athlete counterparts.
Why?
In sport culture, being tough is money.
Somewhere along the line, many student athletes have absorbed the idea that:
Silence your struggles.
The Mental Health Paradox
The article effectively illustrates the paradox at the heart of sport.
Student athletes are trained to:
Push through the pain
Remain composed
Continue to push
These are excellent performance skills; however, when these skills are utilized to address emotional stress, they can create obstacles.
Minimize stress
Normalize anxiety
Conceal exhaustion.
When admitting to difficulties may have social and competitive implications, athletes will continue to do what they’ve been trained to do:
Work through it.
Until they cannot.
Deeper Issue: When Sport Becomes Identity
Perhaps the strongest point made in the article relates to the concept of identity.
Many student athlete’s involvement in their sport is not simply an activity they participate in; it defines them.
Years of dedication lead to:
Established daily routines
Established friendships
Established self worth
Established future expectations
Therefore, when a student athlete’s sport participation is disrupted by an injury, selection off a team, or graduation, it is not merely the loss of an activity, but a piece of their identity has been lost.
Without preparation for life after their athletic career, this transition can be experienced as disorientation rather than growth.
And that is when mental health becomes precarious.
Foundation: Mental Health Needs Maintenance
Here is the primary take away.
Good mental health is not the lack of struggle.
It is the existence of care.
Just as physical strength is developed through:
Exercise
Rest
Nutrition
Mental wellness develops through:
Reflection
Support
Balance
Perspective
Good mental health does not develop and sustain itself automatically.
And, being tough is no replacement for care.
Shifts In Culture
The article appropriately identifies the roles of sport psychologists and institutional support.
However, the greater cultural shift is possibly in how athletes view themselves:
That mental care is not weakness.
It is preparation.
That developing an identity separate from their sport is not diversion.
It is resilience.
That seeking support is not defeat.
It is a strategic move.
Mental Masters Perspective
From a performance standpoint, the goal is not to remove pressure.
Pressure is a part of growth.
The objective is to create a strong mental base that can withstand the pressures.
Student athletes who develop their ability to provide for their own mental health experience:
Extended careers
Healthier transitions into post-sport life
More stable identities
Increased stability in their personal life
Because the game will eventually end.
However, the person will remain.
Final Thought
Student athletes provide extraordinary amounts of energy to their teams and organizations.
The lesson from the article is both simple and powerful:
Mental health is not something you expect to be there.
It is something you build.
And just like any other skill —
it becomes stronger with practice.
The door is always open for new members at Mental Masters Athlete who believe in the mental aspect of the game and of life.