SNHU Athletic Department Focuses On Mental Health

SNHU Athletic Department Focuses On Mental Health

SNHU Baseball Field.

(image source: SNHU Athletics)

Christopher Kelly Staff Writer

The SNHU athletics department has turned its attention towards the mental health of athletes with the current situation of SNHU being online as well as sports not being played. With teams unable to practice, play, or workout together on campus, the mental health of student-athletes can deteriorate.

“As a team, we’re used to training every single day and games. We haven’t had that. We haven’t seen each other in person since early March so that’s a long time away after seeing each other for so many hours over the course of the year,” said Joshua Taylor, the men’s soccer coach.

Being away from people they once spent every day with can take a toll on the mental health of the people involved.

Julie Munson, the coach for the women’s field hockey team, has further elaborated on the focus of mental health with members of the team. They are working with Hope Happens Here and The Hidden Opponent, an advocacy group for student-athlete mental health.

Along with routinely asking mental health questions, Munson is providing resources for students and placing a priority on controlables. Controlables are the things that one can control such as diet, exercise, attitude, managing one’s schedule and the ability to step away from everything.

“We talked about it with our team as creating a sort of mental health game plan… One day in the middle of the pandemic I sat down and made a mental health game plan of alright, if I’m ever sad, this is what I’m going to do or if I’m having a hard day, these are the things I’m going to think about. I think if everyone can take a moment and figure that out, what works for them, it will be really healthy and helpful in the future.”

Munson continues, “At first it’s hard to think about the things you can control then once you get going it’s like, wait a minute there’s way more that I can control, and I just need to keep focusing on that.”

Placing a priority on controlables, making the most out of the situation and focusing on the positives that exist is a great way to improve the mental health of student-athletes and countless others in the SNHU community.

Although the focus for some teams is mental fitness, there are four-week training packets being released by the Athletic Department for those who wish to maintain their physical fitness.