BERLIN – Local student athletes will have an opportunity this month to learn about balancing their mental health and competitiveness.
On Nov. 11, Stephen Decatur High School will host a presentation, “Mental Wellness and the Student Athlete,” by former Division I athlete and coach Emily Perrin. The event is free to Worcester County Public School high students and coaches and will focus on mindfulness and the correlation between mental wellness and performing on the sports fields.
Stephen Decatur High School social worker Wendy Shirk said she and Lindsay Owens, head girls’ lacrosse coach at Decatur, are Ambassadors-At Large for Morgan’s Message, an initiative geared toward normalizing conversations about mental health and sports. Morgan was a Division I lacrosse player for Duke University until her sophomore year when she had a devastating knee injury, resulting in feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression. Morgan died by suicide two years after the injury.
Shirk said this week it’s important for student athletes in today’s culture to have perspective and awareness about the importance of maintaining mental health amid challenging sports.
“In 2022, the NCAA experienced the suicide deaths of five student athletes which became headline news. In my position as a school social worker, I have witnessed the struggles that occur when a student athlete is injured and the general demands that they must be able to navigate. I think that at times the general consensus is that athletes are the students you don’t have to worry about,” Shirk said. “They have good grades that they must maintain to play, they are involved in a school activity that gives them purpose and social interactions, and they ‘have it together.’ This isn’t necessarily the case as there are such high demands on these young adults, especially in this generation where kids are committing to year-round sports at the age of 6 and 7. I saw a need and I have been looking for ways to respond.”
According to Shirk, a National Athletic Trainers’ Association study found 30% of female student athletes and 25% of male student athletes suffering from anxiety, which is often the result of anxiety, depression and substance abuse.
As a result of her position at the high school, Shirk hopes the presentations will increase mental health awareness among local student athletes who juggle more today than those in similar positions in the past.
“As a student athlete, the demands are high both on and off the field/court,” Shirk said. “Although you may not feel in this moment that you have mental health needs, it is important to know how to best be able to confront those needs if and when they arise. Now is the best time to recognize that your athletic performance is a combination of both physical and mental wellness. This seminar is a great place to start a journey to connecting the two facets and becoming your best self.”
There will be three presentations on Nov. 11. From 9-10:30 a.m., male students athletes are invited to attend. From 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., coaches can participate. From 1:30-3 p.m., female student athletes can attend. The presentations are free thanks to sponsorships by the Worcester County Board of Education, Worcester County Health Department, Students Against Destructive Decisions and the Jesse Klump Suicide Awareness & Prevention Program.
Perrin played Division I soccer at the University of Virginia, where she earned her degree in psychology. Perrin was also a Division I coach at the University of Pennsylvania. On her website, Perrin writes, “Throughout my years of playing and coaching I have struggled with severe anxiety, panic, and depression. I have been in a place of desperation and incomplete health more times than I can count. Through my struggle I embarked on a journey that lead me to mindfulness, a yoga mat, and several professionals that worked with me to address my health …”
