In sports, athletes take on a rigorous and time consuming schedule: whether it is on a field, on a court, or in the weight room, these people make sacrifices everyday during their sports seasons in order to play what they love. Regardless of their backgrounds or the unique aspects of their individual sports, a shared mentality unites them – the pursuit of success.
34 students took a survey regarding their mindset and mental health during their sports seasons. The results of their questions can be seen on the infographic on the right.
“It depends on the day, but normally I only have a few hours to do homework once I’m home from practice,” said senior Stone Fraley, an 800m runner for outdoor track and field.
However, these sports can take a toll on the mental health of these very athletes. Players must maintain their own mentalities and mindsets to stay on track. To gain an interesting perspective on what these athletes do to stay focused, they were asked a series of questions regarding their mentalities and how they stay mentally healthy. Many athletes gave examples of things that make them calm down and focus.
“I like to block out distractions and focus on the main goal,”, said senior Greyson Ingle, a pole vaulter for the track & field team.
“Music helps me tune out outside noise and distractions anywhere I go,” said senior Zechariah Gee, who is a double sport athlete in track & field and lacrosse.
However, this year, in a turn for the better regarding the mental health of athletes specifically here at GHS, the school implemented a new idea, called “HeadspACE”. This is a meeting every few weeks in the auditorium where guest speakers and other staff come in to discuss mental health for any athletes across all grade levels here at the high school.
“HeadspACE has been a great help to the staff and students here at GHS. Players from both men’s and women’s athletics come from a variety of different sports and dfferent backgrounds,” said Josh DeVoll, the Athletics Director here at GHS. HeadspACE showcases different perspectives from countless different athletes and their stories of dealing with mental health and what their mindsets are.
Looking forward, HeadspACE’s next meeting is in early to mid January, after students come back from their winter break. As some athletes continue to manage their tight schedules and play the sports they love, and others prepare to begin their sports coming up in Spring of 2024, these students plan on maintaining strong and healthy mindsets while doing what they are passionate about.
Olympics legend Michael Phelps is widely considered to be the greatest swimmer of all time, and even one of the greatest athletes of all time. But, as he continued to add medals and accolades to his professional record, his career was marked with mental health struggles. Seen in an article from CSUF News, Phelps opened up to students and community members about his experience as an Olympic swimmer, his struggles with mental health and the lessons he learned throughout his journey, as he spoke about his experiences with ADHD and depression, and told students that one of the hardest lessons he learned was how to be vulnerable and ask for help. Phelps now has a documentary he released, called "The Weight of Gold", discussing his mental health journey and has his own foundation to help people in need.
Olympic gymnast Simone Biles is widely considered to be the best gymnast in the world. But even with all her legendary accolades comes mental health struggles. Beginning in 2021, Biles took a two year mental health break from gymnastics. Seen in an article from Turnbridge, he opened up to the public about her experiences of struggles with mental health and the lessons she learned throughout her journey. However, she has now returned to gymnastics in 2023, and plans on competing in the 2024 Olympics. She plans to be back like she never left.
