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 2024 the Alliance will continue the conversation around youth sports and mental health throughout the year with Sports & Mental Health conversations, #SportsMentalHealthMonday social media posts, and further events and workshops aimed at providing support to youth athletes and their families, coaches, officials, and additional stakeholders. Through all of these platforms you will hear insight and expertise from stakeholders in and around youth sports in Virginia.
#SportsMentalHealthMonday and the Sports & Mental Health conversations can be found on the Hall of Fame’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube 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/
November - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 11.25.2024, Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance
From a previous Sports & Mental Health Conversation, Duncan MacLeod discusses the influence coaches and parents have on the development of a young student athlete, both within sports and away from competition.
Full conversation with MacLeod:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RChFsAkcAGs&t=117s
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 11-18-2024, American Academy of Pediatrics study
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance
Earlier this year, Alliance member and Medical Director of Sports Medicine at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD), Dr. Joel Brenner, published a study for the American Academy of Pediatrics on “Overuse Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout in Young Athletes.”
The study found that “although over 60 million children and adolescents currently participate in organized sports, attrition rates remain staggeringly high, with 70% of youth athletes choosing to discontinue participation in organized sports by 13 years of age.”
The study details how sports participation can positively impact mental health for youth athletes. It also discusses factors that can lead to burnout including the pressurized environment of youth sports, as well as specialization at an early age.
The full study can be found here:
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 11-4-2024, Alliance Workshop, Coaching with Empathy
October - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 10-28-2024, ODU Athletics
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 10.21.2024, Jalyn Holmes
Jalyn Holmes – NFL Defensive Lineman
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance.
To understand the importance of the issue, and why youth leagues and organizations should put an emphasis on mental health, we should look at how professional leagues are approaching the issue. From a previous #HallCall episode we talked to current NFL defensive lineman, Jalyn Holmes. The Norfolk native has started his own charitable foundation, Vaughn’s Way, to raise awareness for mental health and provide resources to underserved communities. He credits his time in the NFL, with providing him the motivation to help make a difference.
Full conversation with Holmes: https://youtu.be/6crbbfWVg0Q?feature=shared
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 10.14.2024, Alexis Davies-Hackenberg
Alexis Davies-Hackenberg – Former NCAA Athlete, Current Middle School Volleyball Coach
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance.
From a recent Sports & Mental Health Conversation with former NCAA student-athlete, and current youth volleyball coach, Alexis Davies-Hackenberg, she shares how she works to create connections with her athletes, which allows them to feel comfortable addressing mental health in a sports setting.
Full conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SWVKb_XXm4&t=393s
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 10.7.2024, Alexis Davies-Hackenberg
Alexis Davies-Hackenberg – Former NCAA Athlete, Current Middle School Volleyball Coach
September - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 9.30.2024, Ryley van der Velde, VWU Athletics
Ryley van der Velde, VWU Field Hockey, Head Coach
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance
From a previous a Sports & Mental Health Conversation with Virginia Wesleyan University Head Field Hockey Coach, Ryley van der Velde, we discussed the value coaches can bring when they understand the athlete’s needs both on and off the field of play.
Full conversation with van der Velde: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMugIXMluA
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 9-23-2024, Suicide Prevention Month
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance.
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and while it is a difficult subject to discuss it is one that must be addressed.
• According the JED Foundation, 1 in 5 high school students has had serious thoughts of suicide
• From 2002 – 2022 suicide rates have doubled among U.S. College Athletes (7.6% to 15.3%, according to a study published April 4 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
With that in mind the role of the coach takes on added importance. The Jed Foundation – JED and the Positive Coaching Alliance have created “The Coaches’ Guide to Supporting High School Athlete Mental Health”. These simple tips can make a huge difference in the overall well-being of student-athletes.
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 9-16-2024, Pete Allen
Pete Allen, Norfolk Parks & Recreation
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 9-9-2024, Teambuilding Tips
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance.
Through the Alliance’s growth we have consistently talked about how team culture, positive or negative, can affect athlete mental health. Our friends at the Positive Coaching Alliance provide tips at the link below for how teams can take steps towards building a strong culture within the team dynamic.
August - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 8-26-2024, Jon Orr
Jon Orr – Samaritan House, “Coaching Boys Into Men”
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 8-19-2024, Tips for High School Athletes
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 8-12-2024, Jalyn Holmes
Jalyn Holmes – New York Jets, Defensive Lineman
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance
From a recent Virginia Sports Hall of Fame #HallCall Interview Series & Podcast, featuring New York Jets defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes, Holmes discussed forming his foundation Vaughn’s Way in honor of his stepfather Vaughn Parker, who struggled with mental illness before taking his own life in 2023. Holmes discussed how he is using his platform as an NFL player to create a safe space for those struggling with their own mental health & wellness.
Full #HallCall episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6crbbfWVg0Q&t=1356s&sttick=0
July - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 7-29-2024, Positive Coaching Alliance
Ten Tips for First-Time Sports Parents/Caregivers
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 7-22-2024, Jon Orr
Jon Orr – Samaritan House, “Coaching Boys Into Men”
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 7-15-2024, Erin Sutton
Erin Sutton – Kempsville High School, student-athlete
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 7-8-2024, Mental Health Symposium
Mental Health Presentation
June - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 6-24-2024, Alliance Website
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 6-17-2024, Erin Sutton
Erin Sutton – Kempsville High School, student-athlete
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance
On a recent Sports & Mental Health Conversation, we spoke to Erin Sutton, a rising senior student-athlete at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach. Entering high school, Sutton dealt with injuries that limited her ability to play the sports she loves, and her mental and emotional health suffered as result. Here she discusses how she was able to overcome those challenges and how a better understanding of her mental state helped in her personal and athletic development.
Full conversation with Sutton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNyBDYEJXzw&t=8s
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 6-10-2024, Pete Allen
Pete Allen – City of Norfolk, Parks & Recreation
May - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 5-13-2024, Michael Kennedy
Michael Kennedy – Growth vs. Fixed Mindset
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 5-6-2024, Alliance News Coverage
Alliance News Coverage – WAVY-TV/FOX 43
WAVY – Story Link
April - Sports Mental Health Monday
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 4-29-2024, Coaching with Empathy
Positive Coaching Alliance – Coaching with Empathy
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 4-15-2024, Alliance Event
Developing the Youth Athlete – A Team Approach
#SportsMentalHealthMonday - 4-8-2024, Emma Rowland
Emma Rowland – Old Dominion University, Women’s Lacrosse student-athlete
#SportsMentalHealthMonday with the Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance.
More from our conversation with Old Dominion University Athletics Student Athletes. Emma Rowland from ODU Women’s Lacrosse how normalizing mental health in sports helps create a greater sense of community amongst student-athletes, which in-turn improves performance on the field.
Full conversation with Rowland and her fellow student-athletes is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6zguD0rxi4&t=324s