OCTOBER 4, 2019
THE REVIEW
15
Winslow opens up about mental health journey
NBA star Justise Winslow ('14) spoke to the Upper School on Sept. 11 about the importance of mental health and living a life of significance. Photos by Thomas Chang
By Megan Chang
W
ith only seconds left in the 2011 SPC basketball championship against Episcopal, the score is tied. Freshman Justise Winslow dribbles towards the basket, but instead of forcing up a shot, he passes to his brother Josh, a senior, who lays it for the winning shot as the buzzer sounds. Over the next four years, Winslow would go on to win two more SPC championships (2012 and 2014) and an NCAA Championship at Duke in 2015. After one season at Duke, the Miami Heat selected him as the No. 10 overall pick in the NBA Draft. On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Winslow returned to campus to speak at an Upper School assembly. Despite feeling nervous, Winslow allowed himself to be vulnerable and presented his life story with three takeaways: be your best friend, best critic and best motivator; make a stranger laugh or smile at least once; and live a life of significance. "Talking instead of being in the seats felt a little weird, but I feel like it's my purpose to share my story and my life lessons to try to help others," Winslow told The Review. "Life moves fast — one second I was looking for inspiration, and I guess now I am the inspiration." As a Middle School student at St. John's, Winslow was surrounded by predominantly white classmates and predominantly black friends at basketball practice, which led to an identity struggle. Despite being a star basketball player, he felt isolated at times. Winslow said that the way one deals with struggles can either make or break them, so he learned how to find a balance. "The big thing for me was feeling comfortable in my own skin as well as being self-aware — understanding who I am, my morals, my values and my standards," Winslow said. "St. John's has made me okay with being me. Ultimately, that has brought me a lot of happiness and peace." Head basketball coach Harold Baber's first impression of Winslow was how selfless he was on the court. Many of Baber's fondest memories are of Winslow sharing the
ball with his teammates rather than forcing up a shot, even though he knew he could make it. Baber calls Winslow a born leader. During halftime of that 2011 SPC Championship, the Mavericks were losing. Baber remembers how Winslow, a freshman, told his teammates, "This is about heart, about us playing together and willing our way to a win." "I just hope people understand what kind of a person he is — an unselfish player, with an unbelievable work ethic, and a kind heart who gives back as much as he can," Baber said. "A lot of people see him on TV, and they don't know his story, where he came from or the hurdles he had to overcome. When you see a kid that goes through all of that and whose ultimate goal from a long time ago was to make it to the NBA — to see him living the dream he wanted to have, I think that's something really special." Although Winslow's transition from St. John's to Duke felt seamless due to the similar cultural, social and academic environments, his transition from Duke to the NBA was dramatically different. Winslow said that the majority of the NBA game is mental. Everyone has the physical ability to dunk, shoot, dribble and play defense, so mental stability is the most important factor in success. After a rookie season in which he appeared in 78 of 82 regular season games, a shoulder injury during his second year limited him to just 18 games. He began to feel doubt and self-pity. Because basketball dominated all aspects of his life, he felt as if everything had been taken from him. Winslow said that for a long time, he let negative feelings consume him. To regain his confidence and overcome his mental obstacles, he began finding pleasure in the simplest of actions, like waking up early to watch the sunrise or taking time to reflect. Traveling home to Houston for the summer after his third year in the NBA allowed him to reconnect with his family, friends and, ultimately, himself.
"I attribute a lot of my success to my family and friends and those who have been with me through the good and the bad," Winslow said. After proving he was fully recovered from his injury in his third season, Winslow signed a three-year, $39 million extension with the Heat. According to Winslow, playing in the NBA can be isolating. Athletes are perceived as being different from the rest of society. "We're often given these stereotypes or put on a platform or not seen as human," Winslow said. "Really we're pretty similar — we have the same emotional stuff that we go through." Winslow views his fame as an opportunity to motivate and inspire others. He said he believes that people need to talk more about mental health issues. By sharing his own mental health journey, Winslow hopes to use his story to help others. "I try to use the platform to inspire people more than the idea of being famous or bigger than life," Winslow said. "I try to be relatable and make genuine friendships and relationships. I feel like it makes me more approachable than people think an NBA player would be." Winslow observed that many people are too obsessed with trying to stay fit, being the best at their job or getting the best grades in school. They often forget about the importance of mental health, happiness and peace of mind. "My journey has been my journey," Winslow said. "I own it. I own my mistakes and my failures, but I also own my success. I know that there will be good days and bad days, but I know that I am going to make it through at the end."
FOOTBALL
Players feed off student section spirit By Ashley Yen
I
n the past few years, the number of students playing football at St. John's has dropped sharply. The sport's decline, due to injury concerns and the risk of longterm brain damage, reflects a growing national trend. Head Coach Kevin Veltri and his players aim to turn things around by establishing a new football culture. "We want to change the trajectory of the football program and how it is viewed here," senior captain Peter Cannon said. "We want to make people to see how much fun we're having as a team and feel like they're missing out on something." The team also hopes to spark more excitement and energy from the student section at games. According to senior captain Stuart Wallace, the energy from students helps motivate the team, especially on defense. "When you get out on the field and hear over a hundred kids screaming, you get a rush of energy," Wallace said. "Everyone was way more pumped up during the game." This year, the team has focused on establishing a strong
bond with each other through "family meetings" with speakers and pool parties. "Previously, everything was super dull, but now everyone's more hyped up," Wallace said. "Practice is more intense. People are getting better everyday." In addition to improving communication between coaches and players, Veltri also introduced a new offensive and defensive structure with an updated system of receiving calls. "We've had to learn a new offense and defense, but all the coaches helped a lot," senior captain Miller Humphreys said. The captains hope to leave a long-lasting impact on the school's football program while establishing relationships with the sport for the rest of their lives. "We want to transform the football program here," Humphreys said, "and when the season is over, we want to have no regrets."
Captain Will Leger has helped lead the resurgent Mavs to a 3-1 record heading into the Oct. 4 game against Episcopal. Photo by Caroline Pressler