Ignoring Public Criticism Makes You a Stronger Performer

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By Will Heininger, Depression Center Outreach Coordinator

It was Senior Day, my final game in the Big House against Ohio State. We’re winning in the fourth quarter of a close, one-score game, and it’s 4th & Goal for OSU. To say it was an important moment was an understatement. Beating them was our single biggest goal; I wanted it more than I’d ever wanted anything. We needed to keep them out of the endzone.

During the 20-30 seconds following 3rd down, leading up to the ball being snapped on 4th down, my thoughts could’ve been all over the place. A huge play was upcoming, with over 100,000 people watching in the stands, and millions more on TV. It would make sense to feel anxious pre-snap. What if I mess up?… What if I’m the reason we lose?… What if that person hating on Twitter was right?  While exactly zero of those thoughts would be helpful to me in executing my job on 4th down and stopping Ohio State, it’s understandable that one’s brain could go to those places.

But that’s just it! I had learned in therapy that thoughts can arise at any time, and we can’t necessarily control them. But we can evaluate them – is this true? Is this helpful to me?  – and decide which ones we give our ‘brain power’ to, and which ones we dismiss (my therapist in Athletic Counseling used imagery techniques in our sessions to help me be aware of my thoughts, before automatically attaching to, or believing them).

Snap back to 4th down: I knew that any ‘worry thoughts’ were not helpful to stopping Ohio State. I could dismiss them and lock in my attention on what mattered. And it’s a good thing my mind was calm leading up to that play. About 10 seconds before the snap, I noticed our defensive coaches screaming and frantically gesturing, “WATCH KEEP! WATCH KEEP!” They were expecting QB Braxton Miller to keep the ball, rather than hand it to his running back, and try to score himself. On that play design, the running back was my responsibility, and the QB was the responsibility of the guy next to me, our Defensive End. I turned to my talented, but not always detail oriented, underclassmen teammate, to make sure he got the message. He had. The ball was snapped, the QB kept it, and ran right into a wall of Michigan defenders, led by that teammate. Michigan ball, first down, going the other way. 

As athletes, we spend our careers learning important skills. From our earliest years we learn the basics, like stretching, dribbling, passing, etc. As we progress through higher, more competitive levels in our sports, we learn more advanced techniques, often from more experienced and specialized coaches and trainers. 

If we progress far enough in our respective sports, we inevitably reach a point where we are in the public eye. It can be exciting to gain notoriety for our achievements. A highlight making social media, your team being highly ranked, or even making SportsCenter Top 10 plays. 

We wouldn’t ask some random person on social media, with no way of verifying their credentials, what they thought of our physics homework, or our English paper, or our final project.

But being in the public eye can work the other way as well. What if we mess up? What if we don’t play our best game? What if there are unkind, thoughtless, or even cruel things said about you, or your teammates, on social media? 

While it might be tempting to search what is said, written, or tweeted about you and your team, the truth is that consuming that media is a choice. And even if exposure to criticism isn’t your choice – maybe bad things are shouted at you, or said to your face on campus – the words expressed are simply the thoughts of another human. One who is outside of your program, and often is coming from a place of ignorance or frustration. 

It’s important to say that if you do hear public criticism, it is normal to feel hurt. That is a common reaction to negative comments. What I want to shift the focus to is how unhelpful it is to buy into any of that public criticism. If you’re certain that something is not worth your time, while you may still be aware of it, you can choose to dismiss, ignore, or not attach to it. Just like if someone told you the sky is green – they’re allowed to say it, and you’re allowed to ignore it. 

Regardless of where the negative comments come from, they have no merit, and no value to us as athletes. We wouldn’t ask some random person on social media, with no way of verifying their credentials, what they thought of our physics homework, or our English paper, or our final project. They wouldn’t even know the assignment, or if the instructor asked it be done a specific way. (Even if this outside person claimed to be a really really big fan of that subject!) 

If we really needed assistance, or an informed opinion, we would seek it out from someone with direct knowledge of the content. Perhaps your professor who gave the assignment, a GSI, or a tutor. When it comes to our athletic careers, it should be the same way. A coach, a graduate assistant, a trainer, or a teammate are way more likely to give helpful, constructive feedback than a random person on the internet.

Furthermore – and this might be the best reason of all to ignore public criticism – it is utterly unhelpful, when it’s time to perform, to have your mind and your thoughts be anywhere but on the task at hand. If you’re thinking about a negative comment you saw or heard, then that is where your thoughts are at that moment – and therefore not on whatever it is you’re actually trying to accomplish. 

When your number is called, and it’s your turn to step and up and perform for your team, where would you want your thoughts to be?

Additional Resources:

About the Author

Will Heininger is mental health educator and public speaker for the University of Michigan Depression Center, openly sharing his story of overcoming major depression and anxiety during undergrad, while playing football at Michigan. After hiding his illness at first due to stigma and ignorance, he received life-changing treatment and care from the Athletic Medicine staff, and was able to thrive for the majority of his time at Michigan. He would go on to help found Athletes Connected in 2014.

Since first sharing his story at the Depression on College Campuses Conference, Will has spoken with over 100,000 people across the country, helping to bridge the gap between what science and medicine have learned about mental health and well-being, and what society actually knows and uses. In addition to athletes of all levels, Will works with schools, athletic departments, communities, and corporations to improve mental health outcomes. Heininger is a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Making Smooth Transitions

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By Rachel Amity, LMSW, Athletes Connected Assistant Director 

You got into college and you’re going to be a student-athlete. What an accomplishment! Many people are excited to make the transition to college and collegiate athletics, but it can also be nerve-wracking. This transition comes with many exciting opportunities such as the chance to work toward athletic and academic or career goals, develop new relationships, and increase freedom and independence. People are coming to college from different families, cultures, cities, states, and countries, school systems, and team and coaching styles, so everyone’s experience will be different, but there are some common stressors that student-athletes may face during this transition period. Being aware of these stressors and preparing for them can make things more manageable.  

For many, the demands and expectations increase in multiple areas of life. Often, there are increased athletic demands, whether that’s an expectation of improved performance and/or increased time dedicated to training and competition. There are also often higher academic demands with college courses. Sometimes, social commitments also increase as you begin to develop more relationships. These are all incredible opportunities to grow or to set new goals, and it may take additional work, time, and tools to learn how to balance and respond to these different obligations.

Gabby Wilson, Women’s Gymnastics, senior

Some people find connections with people quickly, whether it’s through living in the dorms, teammates, or in classes. Some people may feel homesick after moving away. This can happen even if we feel like we are making new friends and building relationships in this new place. However, homesickness typically happens when we leave a well-developed social network and have some trouble adapting. Homesickness may include feelings of loneliness, sadness or emotional distress, and spending a lot of time thinking about home (or wherever/whoever is part of that social network). It is extremely common to experience some challenges in the first couple of months away from home, especially in the first 2-6 weeks.

Research suggests that if we can take that time to figure out what resources and tools will work for us to manage these different emotions and experiences, we may be more likely to adjust successfully for the long-term. Focusing on the first six weeks can often feel like a more manageable timeframe than the rest of the semester or rest of the year.

If you’re noticing some homesickness or other challenges adjusting to college, here are some quick ideas about coping strategies:

  • Begin creating your new social network. Spend time with teammates outside of practice, study with classmates outside of class, or join a club.
  • Journal or meditate. All Big Ten athletes get the Calm App and all U-M students get SilverCloud for free!
  • Without going home or having those people visit, is there anything you can bring or recreate that may help you feel more connected to your network back home? This could include bringing certain items with you to college or having someone mail you a care package, cooking a meal, or even listening to specific music or sounds that remind you of home.

If I could give my younger self advice it would be to allow those around you, especially your teammates, to understand what you are going through because that support can be so helpful. – Kayla Ehrlich, Rowing, 5th year

 

Remember, some stress or nerves about coming to a new place are normal. However, if you are experiencing homesickness or feel like you are having difficulty adjusting to college to the extent that you are experiencing significant distress or some aspect(s) of your daily life is impaired, consider reaching out for assistance from Athletic Counseling or another professional.

Many athletes come into college with “athlete” as a crucial part of who they are — a foundational part of their identity. Quite a few athletes who are playing at this caliber have an experience of being a standout athlete at the previous level. That’s part of what got you here, and is often part of what has helped solidify “athlete” as part of your identity. However, many of your teammates have likely had similar experiences. Because of this, sometimes the big fish in a big pond phenomenon occurs, meaning a star player or a starter comes onto a team of other former starters without enough spots for everyone to keep filling that role. Or, maybe you got great grades in high school and find that you’re coming to a school full of other people who also excel in school. This can be incredibly challenging and can feel like all of a sudden we don’t know exactly who we are or what our role on the team or in the classroom is. You’re still an athlete, still a student, but sometimes we need to make adjustments. Luckily, college is often the perfect place to explore your interests and your identity.
Check out this video about how former U-M Women’s Lacrosse player Mira navigated her transition to college.

Kayla Ehrlich, Rowing, 5th year

As you start to figure out how you fit and what’s important to you in this new place, think about exploring and developing your identity beyond being an athlete. You’ll probably hear about being more than an athlete throughout your time as an athlete. A simple statement in some ways, but this can make a huge difference as you go through any variety of transition periods. If you have some level of confidence or commitment to other areas of who you are outside of athletics, not everything hinges on how much or how well you play.

RESOURCES

You have access to resources and opportunities in college that you may not have such easy access to again. I know the idea of spending your already very limited free time doing more things can be unappealing at times, but consider taking advantage of all the university has to offer. Some of these resources include:

About the Author
Rachel Amity is the Assistant Director of the Athletes Connected program and a member of the U-M Athletic Counseling Team. Previously, she worked as the MSW intern with the athletic department. Rachel is originally from Corvallis, Oregon, where she grew up playing soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse. She graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, where she also worked as a student athletic trainer.

The Challenges of College Breaks

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By Eliza Beird, MSW Intern

College breaks can already be a complicated planning process for students. Trying to balance jobs, family, and finances, student-athletes have to consider additional factors such as how and where to train, going on training trips, and competitions, which can lead to increased stress, excitement, or both. On top of the training considerations that breaks pose for student-athletes, there is also the more global challenge of navigating the complexities that exist for everyone with the concept of going, or being unable to go home.

Society has pushed the idea that home is often a “metaphor for ease and comfort” (Kirsch, 2021). The predictable drawing of a triangle, a square, a couple small windows, and a door — simple and uncomplicated (Kirsch, 2021). For some, going home is a place of safety and rest, of comfort and support. The fact of the matter is, however, that home is not always this simple picture. It can be complicated, messy, and can elicit strikingly different emotions for many. Home can be really great or really hard, or it might not even be possible to go home.

Individuals may face a variety of challenges that make the concept of home hard such as:

  • Strained/unhealthy family dynamics
  • Grief and loss
  • Increased challenges with mental health
  • Heightened feelings of loneliness
  • Financial insecurity
  • Excessive criticism, high levels of control, lack of empathy, and manipulation
  • Inability to go home due to being an international student, or practice/competition schedule
  • Homelessness
  • Abusive/unsafe environment
  • Substance use/abuse
  • Unsupportive LGBTQ+ environment
  • Additional extenuating circumstances

Whether you are excited for, conflicted about, or unable to go home for this upcoming break, you are not alone.

Wherever you fall on the spectrum, there are opportunities to plan for however you’re spending your break or whatever home looks like for you. Because of the varying challenges that may come with navigating school breaks, handling and managing time off is not always uniform. Whatever you may be feeling with the approach of break, and whatever the circumstances, we encourage all to plan ahead in order to prioritize well-being and safety. This planning process could be anything from acknowledging how you feel about the upcoming break to setting boundaries with a caregiver/guardian before going home, to getting a job or taking classes over the summer in Ann Arbor. It could be a trip with peers, asking to go home with a teammate, or modifying the amount of break spent at home. Whatever your plans may be, if you find yourself having concerns, consider the ideas outlined below to start thinking about ways to make your environment as safe as possible for your physical and mental well-being.

By mapping out resources and recruiting support systems, it allows for quick action in stressful situations. Even just identifying the options available to us may give peace of mind regardless of whether we’re heading home or staying on campus.

Steps to Consider while Creating an Action Plan for School Breaks:

Look for signals. Are there any indicators that a situation is, or might become, unhelpful or unsafe? These can be specific conversation topics, a particular behavior from yourself or a family member, the presence of substances, a certain mood, visits from others and so much more. These situations or triggers can impact reactions, and sometimes our reactions can impact the event. When a thought, feeling, or behavior is unhelpful to us, is there anything we can do to notice, and change it? Oftentimes, we do not have the opportunity to change the situation that may be causing stress, anxiety, or other overwhelming emotions. However, if we can practice identifying when a scenario leads to thoughts and feelings that are not useful, we can start to control the things we can change, such as our actions and responses. To learn more and practice this, check out this video: Identifying and Reframing Negative Thoughts

Identify tools you already have. If you know you are going back to a challenging environment or begin to notice some of your signals that something around isn’t helpful, what skills or tools do you have to manage this? What is in your control? Do you have activities that can help bring down emotions and/or provide distraction such as exercising, reading, going for a walk, or hanging out with friends? Do you have any coping mechanisms that might help you regulate your feelings? Sometimes by looking for distractions or utilizing skills we already have, we can better manage our own thoughts/emotions to help keep ourselves safe, respond effectively, and create a more helpful environment. (Here are some you could try if you need ideas: Athletes Connected “Skills and Strategies” & The 10 Second Breath).

Identify support systems and community resources around you. Utilizing people can be helpful for both a distraction tactic and active or moral support. Maybe you have siblings, friends, extended family members, or other trusted confidants in your surrounding community that could serve as an escape or support during conflicts or troubling times. These support networks may provide a way to create space between yourself and others or situations that are difficult to navigate, or they may simply offer helpful distractions. If you don’t have anyone nearby, are there other people you can reach out to via phone, FaceTime, Zoom, etc.? Even if they cannot remove you from a particular circumstance, they may be able to serve as a distraction from the stress/tension, and offer connection and support.

It may also be beneficial to locate and identify resources in your community that could aid and offer support. This could be community mental health organizations, area crisis numbers, recreational leagues, domestic violence shelters, outreach support programs, local mental health professionals, various clubs or social organizations. These resources could also be helpful in building and utilizing a social network while you’re away from home if you’re unable to go back. By mapping out resources and recruiting support systems, it allows for quick action in stressful situations. Even just identifying the options available to us may give peace of mind regardless of whether we’re heading home or staying on campus.

If you are concerned about or are having difficulty navigating breaks from school, reach out to the Athletic Counseling Team or other professionals who can assist in processing feelings, building skills, and identifying resources.

OTHER RESOURCES:

LGBTQ+

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community comes with its own unique challenges that may differ from other experiences when visiting home. For more resources, information, and advice for this particular situation, please visit: Spectrum Center “A Guide for Going Home for Break”

International Students

As an international student, there might not be an opportunity to go home over school breaks due to a variety of reasons. This particular situation can bring forward unique feelings and stressors that others may not fully understand. For insight and tips for this situation, listen to this Podcast: U-M CAPS “International Students and Managing the Winter Break”

Even More Resources and Information:

Information on Student Homelessness

U-M CAPS “Holiday Disruptions”

U-M CAPS Podcast “Managing the Holiday Vibe” 

 

About the Author
Eliza Beird is an MSW Intern for the U-M Athletic Counseling Team. She graduated from Hope College in 2019 with a BA in Exercise Science, during which time she was a member of their women’s soccer team and began her interest in student-athlete mental health. After graduating from Hope, she interned with the United Stated Olympic and Paralympic Committee in Chula Vista, CA. She is currently pursuing her MSW at U-M.

 

 

Sources:

Kekauoha, A. (2020, April 16). How to cope with being home again. Stanford News. https://news.stanford.edu/2020/04/16/how-to-cope-with-being-home-again/

Kirsh, M. (2021, March 3). What is home? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/at-home/what-is-home.html

University of Michigan CAPS. (n.d). Holiday disruptions. Student Life Counseling and Psychological Services. https://caps.umich.edu/article/holiday-disruptions

Creating Balance Through Restorative Yoga

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By Sierra Schmidt, U-M Women’s Swim & Dive alumna, with foreword by Emily Klueh, LMSW

It is well known and researched that the practice of mindfulness and meditation can have impacts on physical, mental, and emotional well-being and health. For athletes, we know that mindfulness can help slow down the system, differentiate between helpful vs. unhelpful thinking styles, and improve performance. A specific practice that combines mindfulness, meditation, and intentional relaxation is Restorative Yoga. Restorative Yoga helps to reduce tension, slow the mind, and bring an intentional calm to the body, something that is hard to come by for athletes, especially student-athletes who are balancing academic workload and the rigors of performance. At the University of Michigan, we are fortunate enough to support a variety of mindfulness and meditation practices and services. One such opportunity is provided by our Restorative Yoga certified clinicians. Restorative yoga is different from other types of yoga as it is focused on deliberate stillness. The sessions last roughly one hour and an individual will only move a handful of times into positions specifically created to release tension, enhance recovery, and slow the mind. Student-athletes find significant benefits attending these sessions. In fact, nearly all (94%) Michigan student-athletes who participated in Restorative Yoga in 2018-2019 reported experiencing at least one important benefit, with less stress, more happiness or better mood, and better sleep being the most commonly reported benefits.

Former U-M swimmer and six-time NCAA All-American Sierra Schmidt shares her experience engaging in restorative yoga:

I heard about restorative yoga from my therapist at the Sports Psychology office in Weidenbach Hall. At first I was very skeptical. How much of a difference could an hour of sitting in a dark room and being quiet do for a swimmer who is constantly moving from place to place all day long? But my therapist insisted that it was. Walking into my first session of restorative yoga was scary, to say the least. As someone who had never meditated in her whole life, and was used to moving, talking or just generally vibrating at all times, an hour sitting still and just existing was intimidating. The word yoga also gave me a sense of dread – did I want to do more exercise than I already did? At this point in my mental health journey, being alone with my thoughts was a terrifying concept, so, I challenged myself to go to a session of restorative yoga. I thought, “What could go wrong? You need to get out and try new things and not just hide in your apartment all the time!” So, I arrived at the South Performance Center with a lot of questions and a lot of dread. 

There were a few things I found out: first, some of my teammates were also trying it out. That gave me a lot of comfort seeing that I wasn’t just going to be alone with the leader or with people I didn’t know. Second, that it was not as scary as it sounded. Lastly, that I had found my new favorite pastime. All of the thoughts that were playing ping pong inside my head were suddenly resting for the moment. I could deconstruct my anxieties one by one, instead of facing the army that I usually had to challenge. The positions we had to go into were simple and comfortable positions. As someone who has seen ads for yoga before and seen the pretzel-like positions, you could say I was more than a bit surprised. 

“I realized that it was the most relaxed I had felt in a long time.”

For the hour session, there were only four positions. The positions were easy to get into and the focus was on mental relaxation, not pushing your body. When thinking of yoga, I think of the really complex positions that test your balance and flexibility. But I found that it was much simpler as the positions were comfortable! Before I knew it, I was so relaxed that I fell asleep. Once I heard the instructor walk up to me to wake me up, I realized that it was the most relaxed I had felt in a long time. The next morning, I didn’t need coffee to wake me up fully and I was more engaged with my team. Practice didn’t seem as daunting as it usually did. I noticed a huge change in my attitude and mental health, so I made a point to sign up for every session that I could. 

As I went home for a short time and reflected on my restorative yoga journey, I decided to explore more forms of meditation. I found more services to explore in my free time, and really got into the art of meditating and relaxing. I have found that some meditation programs are more intensive and try to engage me too much, whereas Restorative Yoga gave me a chance to unwind and relax so I could maximize my sleep. It also gave me a chance to reflect on the things that happened during my day, both good and bad. Since then I have felt more gratitude about my life. When things do go wrong, I have a space where I can take a deep breath and detangle my thoughts and feelings. 

As mentioned above by Sierra, athletes often are in a constant state of thinking, questioning, rushing, and doing. The athletics culture is often focused on ways to improve by striving to do more, not less. Thus, having a space to let go of stressors or organize thoughts without having more worries thrown in the mix is extremely important. It has been valuable for our athletes to experiment with and understand the benefits of creating a time and place to mentally unwind, build resilience, and promote recovery. We will continue to provide and push for new opportunities that help our student-athletes find a balance, experience growth, and build skills to navigate the intensity of being a student-athlete during their time here at U-M.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author

Sierra is a recent alum (’21) of the University of Michigan, and spent her four years at Michigan as a part of the Swimming and Diving Team. She is a six-time All American, a Big Ten Champion, and was a Captain of the 2020-2021 Team.

Schmidt is now involved in initiatives with USA Swimming and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee to promote the excellence of collegiate athletes from around the U.S. She is currently residing in Phoenix, AZ where she is continuing her journey as a professional swimmer, while also pursuing her love of filmmaking.

From Elite Athlete to Mental Health Officer

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 By Emily Klueh, LMSW

Growing up as an athlete, I always knew I wanted to achieve success and pushed myself as hard as I could, something my parents instilled in me at a young age. However, I do not remember the possibility of the Olympic Games being attainable until I was much older. Being afforded the opportunity to travel the world competing as a member of Team USA through my drive, hard work, and dedication was incredible. While competing at a high level, the concept of the Olympic Games came into view after having won an NCAA title and competing at World Championships twice. I knew I had the talent to achieve it. Unfortunately, that goal never came true for me as an athlete. Falling short at three consecutive Olympic Trial competitions was challenging, however, I never viewed success as an athlete solely on being an Olympian. One thing is for certain: there was a different plan for me that I had no idea of while competing. 

“As I stepped away from the competitive area of sport, a new passion developed. A passion to help others, to support, and advocate for a population where the idea of struggling, for so long, has been stigmatized.”

As I stepped away from the competitive area of sport, a new passion developed. A passion to help others, to support, and advocate for a population where the idea of struggling, for so long, has been stigmatized. As a former elite athlete and now as a professional licensed clinician, I have been afforded the opportunity to see the sport world from two different perspectives. The work I am able to be involved with now brings new meaning for me as I help athletes work through mental health struggles, work towards their goals, and hopefully find success in and out of the sport arena. When the opportunity to work with the USOPC came into view, I knew it was the next step for myself, my career, and most importantly for continuing to support the athlete population. 

As a Mental Health Officer for the USOPC, I was able to travel to Tokyo, Japan this year as part of the Paralympic staff – something that I hold very near and dear to my heart. As an athlete, my first major international competition and my first major competition in a support and helping role was in Tokyo, Japan, an extremely unique coincidence. This time I was not traveling to compete but to provide mental health and performance support for athletes and staff. I was fortunate enough to travel with Dr. Todd Stull, a psychiatrist who specializes in working with the athlete population and another amazing resource to Team USA at the Games. The USOPC designated two Mental Health Officers, one clinician and one psychiatrist, for the Olympic and for the Paralympic games. This was the first time the USOPC had designated mental health officers for either the Olympic or Paralympic Games. I was thrilled to be a part of this inaugural position. 

This year was unique. We were in the midst of a global pandemic and therefore the Games were postponed. The COVID pandemic had not gone away by the time the Games came around. Our role was to support the mental health needs of athletes and staff while in the village and also manage the needs of those who were put into quarantine and isolation due to COVID close contacts or positive tests.

We had many responsibilities while at the Games and some of them included: 

  • Provide on site in-person mental health support for any Team USA athlete or staff 
  • Walk in or scheduled 
  • Daily calls and support for any athlete or staff placed in quarantine or isolation 
  • Coordinate care with USOPC medical staff 
  • Provide group support for teams and veterans, including yoga and mindfulness 
  • Coordinate care with the Japanese hospitals and polyclinic outside and inside the village 
  • Maintain documentation in the electronic medical records 
  • Provide crisis management 
  • Coordinate care with providers in the states for when athletes return home 

Every day we would wake up after sleeping on our cardboard beds, spit in a tube to be tested for COVID, and then the entire medical staff would come together and discuss care for the day or important situations that came up the prior day. Dr. Stull and I were posted in the village in a space near the medical clinic. We would provide ongoing support to athletes as needed. Athletes and staff could reach out to us via WhatsApp or come to the space we were stationed and talk to us about anything that was needed. I was incredibly honored to have been there and been able to provide something so valuable to those representing our country. 

Mental health continues to be a topic of conversation and a major push, mainly by the athletes and those of us who are incredibly passionate about mental health, fitness, and wellbeing of others. I know the resources, support, and programming will continue to grow and meet the needs of the athletes who work tirelessly to pursue their passion. I am excited to continue the conversation, be a part of and push for changes that need to be made, and to advocate for these athletes. 

If you want to learn more about how the Mental Health Officer positions came into existence, read Time for Change: Mental Health in Athletes

 

About the Author:

Emily is a clinical athletic counselor for the U-M athletic department’s Athletic Counseling Team. She provides direct clinical care to student-athletes, consults with coaches, conducts team presentations, creates educational programming and works interactively with support staff.

A native of Kentucky, Klueh was an elite swimmer, winning an NCAA championship, being named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year and competing professionally until 2016, while also representing USA Swimming. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan. For Athletes Connected, Emily previously served as program coordinator and is the lead on restorative yoga groups.