6 minute read
Mental Health Transcends All Boundaries: Osaka Addresses Wellness of Athletes
World No. 2 Naomi Osaka received national attention after declining to speak with the press at 2021 Roland-Garros.
By: Luke Gallagher '23
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When mental health first comes to mind, it is easy to look at it through the lens of school, work, or other typical responsibilities. Even more so, it is also more widely accepted that environments like these would be more conducive to mental health problems. However, the reality is, mental health is relevant everywhere in our daily lives, even in places that many would perceive as an outlet.
In recent weeks, World No. 2 and four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka received national attention after declining to speak with any press at the 2021 French Open, citing her own mental health as her reason for opting out of this responsibility of hers.
"If the organizations think they can keep saying 'do press or you're going to get fined' and continue to ignore the mental health of the athletes that are the centerpiece of their [corporation] then I just gotta laugh," said Osaka.
In the early rounds of the French Open, Naomi Osaka made it clear that she did not want to speak with any press for the sake of her mental health. As a result, she was fined $15,000. For someone who had made roughly $55 million in prize money and endorsements last year alone, $15,000 was the least of her worries. What worried Osaka more was the efforts she had to go to just to advocate for the mental health of athletes--something that was no easy task for someone battling anxiety and depression.
Osaka said that her decision to avoid press at Roland-Garros was an "act of self-care." She acknowledged that far too many athletes have had breakdowns during press conferences, including herself. There is no benefit to the player; it is just giving the media what they want.
"[Forcing athletes to put up with today's media] is like kicking a person while they are down," said Osaka.
Citing mental health reasons, Osaka withdrew from the 2021 French Open. She would go on to withdraw from Wimbledon in June as well, once again citing concerns for her own mental health. In August, Osaka did compete in the US Open, making it to the third round before losing to 18-year-old Leylah Fernandez. After her match, Osaka spoke with the press and told them that she was going to be taking a break from tennis "for a while."
"When I win, I don't feel happy, I feel more like a relief," said Osaka. "And then when I lose, I feel very sad. Osaka's actions illustrate the need for more awareness of the emotional toll competing at such a high caliber has on professional athletes.
Osaka is not alone in voicing her concerns about mental health. Among all professional athletes, studies show that up to 35% suffer from some type of mental health crisis due to the stress their sport puts on them. Athletes like Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Jerry West, DeMar DeRozan, Lindsey Vonn, and Justin Duchscherer all have battled with mental illness throughout their lives.
We have seen so many different stories across a variety of sports that show mental health matters. Simon Biles even recently pulled out of both the team final and the women's individual all-around at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, stating similarly that she "[had] to focus on [her] mental health."
Osaka has handled her own mental health struggles with nothing but honesty and equanimity. In her advocacy for more mental health awareness in the sports world, she has received support from Russell Wilson, Stephen Curry, Usain Bolt, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, Boris Becker, and countless more. Nevertheless, even with so much support from other notable athletes, the French Tennis Federation (FDF) still maintains that Osaka's decision to withdraw from the 2021 French Open was "unfortunate."
I would argue that mental health issues are something to be cognizant of even at the high school level. Whether it be working to meet college recruitment standards, striving to make the cut as a varsity athlete, juggling multiple sports, or learning to deal with a difficult coach, all of these issues can eat away at one's mental health. It does not matter if you are the best or the worst on the team; mental health remains an issue for all of us.
To comment on the matter, Athletic Director Mr. DiBerardinis said, "[Mental health was an issue] mainly when COVID was happening because kids were struggling without that outlet of sports. That is why when fall came last year, we made the decision that, for the mental health of our young men, we needed to proceed with athletics in the safest way possible."
Mr. DiBerardinis went on to discuss how the mental health of athletes is definitely still a prevalent issue and was not unique to last year. "Mental health is definitely an issue post-COVID as well. I see this stress over recruitment, performance, you name it. Helping [our athletes] find a happy medium where they are excited to play their sport because they love it, while also not letting the stress of recruitment or performance get to them, is very important," said Mr. DiBerardinis.
To all the athletes at the Prep who may be dealing with any mental health issues, ask for help. "We want to help you," said Mr. DiBerardinis. "Mental health is a real problem for athletes but it is one that many are hesitant to talk about. We have the resources to help you and we want to share them with you if you are in need of them."
Looking back on what mental health issues are typically associated with - academics, social stress, problems at home - it is important to note that mental health can originate from a wide range of factors. Now, when mental health comes to mind, we must think of our athletes to help them in any way possible.
