The last few years have brought greater willingness to address the topic of mental health. This has included more awareness of the importance of taking a proactive approach to enhancing mental health particularly among youth and young adults. While sports participation generally has a positive impact on mental health, it also can add stressors regarding concerns such as performance, time management, and team dynamics.
As a coach who has the respect and attention of your players, you can make a difference in improving the mental health of your young athletes, and even saving lives. Here’s how to get started.
- Enhance your mental health literacy.
As a coach, you understand the importance of learning the fundamentals; take the same approach to building knowledge around mental health. Consider taking a short (under 8-hour) Mental Health First Aid course that reinforces your abilities to recognize, understand and respond to signs of mental health challenges. Different courses are available whether you coach young people ages 12 to 18 or athletes who are young adults. Here are some additional wellness-related resources to explore as well.
- Create an environment that encourages an open dialogue.
Open discussions about mental health encourage athletes to seek support without fear of judgment. Talk to your team about the positive aspects of tending to their mental health and how doing so is a sign of strength. Avoid language that can be stigmatizing—for example, don’t joke about someone by calling them “bipolar” or describe anxiety as a lack of “mental toughness”.
- Promote mental wellness as a competitive advantage.
Research has established that the skills you use for enhancing mental health also can enhance performance. Breathing exercises, mindfulness practices such as meditation, and visualization can help athletes keep calm, sharpen their focus and boost their confidence. Share with them (in your own words and through examples like the linked video) that NFL teams and players have grown to understand this link between mental health and performance.
- Understand the mental health continuum.
The mental health continuum is a framework for understanding mental health and checking on your own mental health. Don’t limit the discussion about mental health to mental illness. Learn more about the entire continuum to help recognize when your players are excelling, thriving, just existing, struggling, or in crisis—and to understand how to respond.
- Lead by example.
It’s not just what you say, but also what you do. Have conversations with your athletes about how you take care of your own total wellness, such as allowing time for relaxation, getting a full night’s sleep, and setting boundaries between your responsibilities and your need to allow time for self-care.
- Encourage your athletes to develop other aspects of their identity.
Ask them about aspects of their lives outside of the sport they’re playing. What did they do on the weekend or in the off-season? How is their family? These types of conversations help athletes think of themselves outside of their sport, and it helps show that you value everything about them as a person.
- Establish a mental health emergency action plan.
Every NFL team has an emergency action plan that defines a mental or behavioral health crisis and how the team should respond when it happens. You need one for your team too, given the CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 40% of high school students nationwide reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless and nine percent reported experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Press your school to adopt a plan based on the guidance offered by two psychologists in the 2023 published blueprint for Developing a Mental Health Emergency Action Plan for High School Football Programs and Athletic Departments.
- Prioritize your own mental health.
Coaches are under stress too, and taking care of your mental health is not only good for you but also helps make you a better leader. Consider increasing your use of coping strategies, prioritizing rest and relaxation time, and setting more boundaries between your work and personal life. Also reach out for support if you need it. Just like you work with trainers to progress physically, you can work with a mental health professional to develop skills that support thriving and excelling.
