The Effects Of Mental Health In Sport

With the month of November being mens mental health month, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about a crucial topic in sport and that is "The Effects Of Mental Health In Sport" 

The last 18 months have been a challenge for us all and not to mention for those in sport. Whether you are a coach, admin staff, technical staff or part of a sport organization in any other way, your professional life has been tested to a tee. The no sport phase, partial sport, modified sport and then working towards a "Return To Normal" in the aspect of sport has had a lot of people wondering what normal will look like once we are able to eventually get back to life as we know it. 

The roller coaster that we have all been on feels like it has been never ending with obstacle after obstacle in the way and no end in sight of a light at the end of the tunnel. Sport orgnazations at large have lost a lot of revenue and the mental health of all involved has been tested within the industry as key diffrence makers in the lives of others revert from online zoom sessions to coming back to the field of play and helping athletes redefine themselves. 

However, the affects on athletes, coaches, admin staff and other volunteers mentally can go much further than what you can see on the surface. Sometimes, key cogs in an organizations operations are going through the silent battle of life and how the ongoing pandemic has been or is going can be the driving force. 

The saying "It's ok not to be ok" is all too real when it comes to mental health in sport and having a plan in place to target and develop a plan to make a safe enviroment for athletes, coaches or other volunteer staff to talk about mental health in sport. 

Setting a plan in place and checking in on your team, fellow coaches or admin staff at least once a week is very key for everyones self esteem and reessurance that someone is listening and cares about the well being of others. 

Life has a way of working itself out but only if you put in effort and help others reach thier potiential as well. Having a positive effect on mental health in sport is not very hard to do but it does take a little bit of time and effort. 

The following is a list of what I believe you can do in terms of helping for the greater good:
1. Check in on your friends or family members at least once a day.
2. Check in on your athletes if you are a coach and if any issues are arise, talk to the players that you coach that are going through those issues.
3. Develop a mental health team plan and extra curricular team bonding exercises and make sure to include everyone and to not leave anyone out. 
4. Take time for yourself as well, being  a person in sport, you are always on the go and helping to guide the light of others but remember that you are human as well and you need to take time for yourself as well. 

All in all, mental health in sport is a big issue but there are resources avaliable and key outlets which you can take advantage of. You must have a good support group in your corner and one that wants you to do the best you most possibly can. Having a positive mindset and having great morals, values and ethics goes a long way to help change the mental health of one another especially those that work or are in sport that have been suffering for the last long while now. 

"Keep humble and stay positive, only then, will you succeed at what you have set out to do"

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