Mental health. These two words mean the difference between success and failure to a student-athlete.
It's hard enough be a normal student, but being a student-athlete takes that difficulty to the next level. While a normal student has the responsibility of juggling social and academic life, a student-athlete adds one more to the mix; athletic life.
A typical busy day in my life of being a collegiate softball player goes like this:
6 AM - Lift
7:30 AM - Shower & Breakfast
8 AM - Class
10 AM - Class
12 PM - Lunch & Study
2 PM - Team Practice
6 PM - Class
8 PM - Dinner & Study
The next day, I wake up and do it all over again.
With this type of schedule, finding personal time is nearly nonexistent and this can eventually eat away at an athletes mental stability. It's important to make time for yourself by finding things to do that you enjoy and that remind you what reality feels like. It is so easy to get lost in the lull of a routine and work that it may cause you to lose yourself. So, it's important to latch on to an activity or a thought that keeps you grounded.
Personally, I have attached myself to two activities that keep me whole. The first activity that keeps me sane is listening to music. This interest allows me to reminisce, keeps me motivated, and pushes me to keep working hard. I listen to music anywhere and everywhere: on my way to class, on my way to practice, when I get ready in the mornings, and even when I make dinner at night. This brings me to my second grounding activity-cooking. When I was younger, I would spend time cooking with my grandma during the times that I was stressed out or anxious. So, cooking has become a mental recovery time for me to keep away anxiety and relieve me of stress. Finding activities like this can aid your mental health and allow you to not fall into the scariness of mental illness.
Truthfully, student-athletes hold themselves to unreasonable standards. If they obtain the mentality of wanting to be the best, they won't be able to settle for anything less than perfection. This mentality can cause an abundance of stress. Every workout, assignment, and task must be done without mistake or else they feel as if they are incapable of doing just about anything in and out of their sport. They may feel as if they are unworthy of the achievements and statuses they have gained. I have felt this feeling first-hand.
Recently, in my sophomore season, I had a rocky start. I had trouble finding my footing on the mound, mentally, and that led to me lacking the confidence I knew I was capable of having. I was so caught up in the glory I achieved during my freshman year that I set myself unreasonably high standards for my next year. This created an immense amount of pressure on me. My mentality to be perfect brought me down and caused me to fail harder than I ever experienced during my past 10 years of playing softball. In order to get out of my head, I felt that my best option was to reach out. My pitching coach, Paige Mcduffee, saved my mentality. I walked into her office feeling unworthy of playing Division 1 because I felt like I let my team, my coaches, and my program down. With my biggest fear is being disappointment, I didn't want my coaches to be disappointed in choosing me to be a part of their program. So, talking to them, specifically my pitching coach, felt like the best option to me. Once I sat down in front of her and she welcomed me with advice and support, and I had begun to gain my confidence back. She reminded me of all the great things I brought to the Texas State softball program, not just athletically, but personally. She still believed in me and she still had faith in my abilities, even though I did not believe in myself. That support was all I needed to stay afloat, fight through the struggle I was enduring, and be successful for the rest of the year.
Trust your circle.
Saying this, I want younger athletes to understand how important it is to reach out for help when you are struggling mentally. Whether its a coach, a parent, a best friend, or all three, don't keep your feelings held in. Your performance doesn't not dictate what kind of person you are. Just because you aren't having satisfactory outcomes in your sport, does not mean you don't deserve the treasures life will throw your way. There is always someone there that will listen to you and remind you of who you are not just as a person, but as a player too. Speak up about your problems to these people, no matter how small, because you never know how much they can help you. If you keep your struggles held inside, your mind will clog up and eventually, you will break down, and then failures will be worse than you have already endured. Save yourself the trouble of more failure, and talk through your problems with someone you trust, just like I have.
Seeking help for your anxiety, depression, or anything you may be struggling with, should not be embarrassing or be seen as a disgrace. So many people are willing to help you, but it is your responsibility to reach out and get help. You are not alone and you are valued as a person far much more than your sport! Feel free to contact me if you need help. I will always be available to listen to you if you just need to rant, and offering you the best advice I can give. You are so loved!
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