Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance
In 2020, the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters came together to create a platform to focus on mental wellness for youth athletes. From a shared vision, the Youth Sports: Coaching Positive Mental Health forum series was developed in partnership with Michael Cuddyer, former MLB All-Star, and Betsy Cutler, M.Ed., of Cutler Wellness Programs, LLC. The goal of the forum series was to bring awareness to the mental health crisis in youth sports and to provide resources to youth sports stakeholders, coaches, parents, and athletes. Over the course of 14 months, three programs were presented, A Pandemic Playbook, Bench the Stigma, and #WhoRU.
Following the success of these programs the Hall, CHKD, and Cutler Wellness Programs spearheaded the formation of the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance. The Alliance will bring together youth sports stakeholders throughout the community to promote positive mental health and wellness in sports, and to work toward the following objectives:
Alliance Objectives:
- Identify mental health trends and concerns in youth sports.
- Provide expertise and ideas for mental health and wellness programs for coaches, parents, and athletes.
- Share mental health educational resources.
- Promote, market, and advocate for youth sports mental health and wellness programs
In 2023 the Alliance will keep the conversation around youth sports and mental health active throughout the year with #SportsMentalHealthMonday social media posts. Each post will feature content centered around a specific topic related to youth sports and mental health. You will hear insight and expertise from stakeholders in and around youth sports in Virginia.
#SportsMentalHealthMonday posts can be found weekly on the Hall of Fame’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages. Join us as we help to create a positive and healthy atmosphere throughout youth sports in Virginia.
Media Coverage – WAVY TV
https://www.wavy.com/video/changing-the-game-tackling-mental-health-in-youth-sports/8492721/
September - Suicide Prevention Month

09-18-2023 - Tips for Talking to Your Teen Athlete
Tips for Talking To Your Teen Athlete – Positive Coaching Alliance
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and often times the first step to prevention is recognizing there is a problem. Having conversations with youth athletes that may be struggling could be the positive influence needed in their lives. This week we highlight 12 Tips for Talking to Your Teen About Their Mental Health, from the Positive Coaching Alliance.

09-11-2023 - Facts & Myths About Suicide
Facts & Myths About Suicide – Images
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, this week we examine facts and myths about suicide. The graphics provided are from Alliance member, Dr. Sonja Lund with Old Dominion University Athletics. This information helps provide more awareness as we amplify the message of Suicide Prevention Month, and is applicable to youth and collegiate athletes struggling with their own mental health & wellness.

09-04-2023 - Suicide Prevention
Prevent Suicide With These 5 Steps – CHKD
September is Suicide Prevention Month, this week we highlight how we can all take an active role in preventing suicide amongst adolescents. These five steps can all be related to youth and collegiate athletes as well.
https://www.chkd.org/Blog/Prevent-Suicide-with-These-5-Steps/
August - Self-Care for Athletes
08-28-2023 - Developing routines
Rennel Marshall – CHKD and ODU Athletics
As we wrap up this month, we look at the importance of developing a routine for youth athletes.
Rennel Marshall from CHKD and ODU Athletics says physical and mental routines can go a long way towards improving overall performance.
Full conversation with Marshall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALQ2xppm00M
08-21-2023 - Self-Care for Athletes
Dr. Joel Brenner – CHKD Sports Medicine
Our focus for August is on self care for athletes, and how taking care of oneself physically and mentally can improve overall performance. With fall sports practice starting for Leagues and schools across Virginia it’s important for athletes to prioritize self-care.
Director of CHKD Sports Medicine, Dr. Joel Brenner, describes how prioritizing sleep can improve an athlete’s state of mind and performance on the field of play.
Full conversation with Dr. Brenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQd7qQJeFUs&t=8s

08-14-2023 - Self-care Tips
TrueSport – U.S. Anti Doping Agency
08-07-2023 - Mindfulness
Dr. Joel Brenner – CHKD Sports Medicine
Our focus for August is on self-care for athletes, and how taking care of oneself physically and mentally, can improve overall performance. With fall sports practice starting for leagues and schools across Virginia its important for athletes to prioritize self-care. Director of Sports Medicine at the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, Dr. Joel Brenner, encourages young athletes to practice “mindfulness” as way to improve performance and mental health.
Full conversation with Dr. Brenner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQd7qQJeFUs&t=8s
July - Coping Strategies
07-31-2023 - Coping Strategies
Addie Froehlich
Our focus for July is on coping strategies. Sometimes the pressure to perform on the field can impact a young athlete’s overall mental health. In one of our previous conversations, Cox High School field hockey player, Addie Froehlich, detailed how the pressure she put on herself athletically, impacted her school and personal lives.
Here she details how she was able to find ways to cope with the pressure, and refocus, all of which helped her become a better athlete.
Full conversation with Froehlich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuXcJddI-Kk&t=213s
07-24-2023 - Mental Performance & Coping Strategies
Kiersten Janjigian (CPMC)
Our focus for July is on coping strategies. Certified Mental Performance Coach (CPMC) Kiersten Janjigian examines how mental performance training can improve how an athlete copes with an injury, loss, or criticism.
Full conversation with Kiersten Janjigian: https://lnkd.in/gsy5Y6yJ
07-17-2023 - Coping Strategies
Dr. Joel Brenner – Director of Sports Medicine, CHKD
Our focus for July is on coping strategies. This week we hear from Dr. Joel Brenner, Director of Sports Medicine at CHKD. Dr. Brenner discusses the effects an injury can have on a youth athlete, beyond just the physical component, and how a good support system can help improve the athlete’s mental health & wellness.
Full conversation with Dr. Brenner: https://youtu.be/iQd7qQJeFUs

07-10-2023 - Coping with Injuries
07-03-2023 - Coping Strategies
Matheau “Dupe” Hall – Play Your Position
Full conversation with Hall: https://youtu.be/nLl8T-cnQMs