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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.

https://devzone.positivecoach.org/sites/uploads/files/12%20Tips%20For%20Talking%20to%20Your%20Teen%20About%20Their%20Mental%20Health_Final.pdf

 

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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.

 

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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/

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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

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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

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08-14-2023 - Self-care Tips

TrueSport – U.S. Anti Doping Agency

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.
TrueSport, a community activation arm of U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, provides tips on how athletes can take care of themselves, and in turn improve overall performance:
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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

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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

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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

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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

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07-10-2023 - Coping with Injuries

Our focus for July is on coping strategies. Injuries are a part of sports, yet the recovery process is often seen as purely physical. The reality is time away from the playing surface can have a negative impact on the mental health of an injured athlete.
This week we go back to a blog post from CHKD Sports Medicine on Managing the Emotional Effects of Sports Injuries. There are many key takeaways from the article, but maintaining focus during the recovery process should be priority #1 for any athlete recovering from injury.
“While being away from their sport, an athlete has plenty of time to develop fear and anxiety about their return. Focusing on proper form and execution of rehabilitation activities can help overcome self-defeating thoughts.”
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07-03-2023 - Coping Strategies

Matheau “Dupe” Hall – Play Your Position

Our focus for July is on coping strategies. Whether it’s recovery from injury, dealing with a loss on the field, or criticism, how athletes cope with struggles and distraction can play a role in their overall mental health.
We discussed the importance of coping strategies in our recent conversation with Matheau “Dupe” Hall from Play Your Position.

Full conversation with Hall:  https://youtu.be/nLl8T-cnQMs

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Past #SportsMentalHealthMonday Posts (links)

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