Category Archives: Our Stories

Inside Avery’s Recovery

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan’s Athletes Connected program released a new video as part of its “Inside the Recovery: Athletes’ Mental Health and Injuries” video series. This series features interviews with student-athletes who have suffered from sports injury and have managed and overcome mental and physical aspects of their recovery.

Avery Peters, a center-back for the University of Michigan women’s soccer team, tore her right ACL after senior year of high school, then her left ACL freshman year shortly after arriving at U-M. She felt immense pressure after that and had thoughts such as, Do I even belong here? Am I ever going to play again?

Prior to her injury she felt too prideful to seek help, but after consistent Athletic Counseling sessions she learned tools such as journaling, meditating, and trusting the process that helped her return to the field.

“If you don’t go through it, you don’t know how hard it is,” said Peters. “But I’m thankful to have gone through that experience because I’m able to help them (teammates) more.”

“If you don’t go through it, you don’t know how hard it is,” said Peters. “But I’m thankful to have gone through that experience because I’m able to help them (teammates) more.”

ACL and other injuries are common among athletes, with Peters mentioning eight other teammates managing them. Many worry if they will ever fully recover, how it will impact play time, and their spot on the team.

“I think if I could go back, I would want to trust myself a little bit more, and be in the moment,” Avery shared. She’s very thankful for the team of support she received at U-M.

Avery was able to return to the field earning Academic All-Big Ten, Iron Wolverine, and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar. In her junior season, she led all field players with 1,609 minutes played. Avery shares her story because she doesn’t want anyone to feel they’re alone.


About Athletes Connected Formed in 2014 on an NCAA pilot grant by a collaboration of University of Michigan Depression Center, Athletics and School of Public Health, Athletes Connected actively works to provide student-athletes with the tools and resources possible to support student-athletes along the continuum of wellbeing. Athletes Connected does this by promoting awareness of mental health issues, reducing the stigma of help-seeking and promoting positive coping skills among student-athletes. To learn more about the program, view the entire catalog of videos, read original stories and access helpful resources for student-athletes and non-athletes alike.

It’s Okay to Get the Help You Need

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan’s Athletes Connected program released a new video this week in honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.  

The video features Anika Dy, a recent U-M graduate and member of the women’s golf team, and shines a light on her journey from mental illness to mental health. Dy’s story is a continuation of “Student-Athlete Stories,” a series of short videos designed to normalize mental health issues by reducing stigma, raising awareness and promoting help-seeking.

“You don’t come to the University of Michigan to be mediocre,” said Dy. “You come here to be the best.”

Her story is one common among student-athletes. What happens when the pressures of being an elite student and an elite athlete become too much to take? When the stress of competing at a high level starts to take its toll on our health?

“I became more and more isolated. All my time became golf, school, golf, school. That’s it,” she shared. This rigorous schedule caused her to withdraw and deepened her loneliness. She began to feel like she was the only one experiencing these types of challenges.

For Dy, the accumulation of stressors resulted in a panic attack while on a golf training trip. “I experienced something I didn’t experience before,” she noted. “It came to a point where I just broke down.”

It’s key to know that progress is not linear, and asking for help only makes you stronger. It’s not a sign of weakness. It makes you a stronger athlete, student and person.”

The Athletics Counseling Team in U-M’s Athletic Department helped coordinate care for Dy, which included regular sessions with a therapist, and a helpful inpatient stay.

Dy explained, “For me, asking for help, or even trying to see a therapist was very new territory… It did help me and it saved me.”

Reflecting on her journey so far, Dy made an astute observation for anyone dealing with mental health issues.

“It’s key to know that progress is not linear, and asking for help only makes you stronger. It’s not a sign of weakness. It makes you a stronger athlete, student and person.

About Athletes Connected
Formed in 2014 on an NCAA pilot grant by a collaboration of University of Michigan Depression Center, Athletics and School of Public Health, Athletes Connected actively works to provide student-athletes with the tools and resources possible to support student-athletes along the continuum of wellbeing. Athletes Connected does this by promoting awareness of mental health issues, reducing the stigma of help-seeking and promoting positive coping skills among student-athletes. To learn more about the program, view the entire catalog of videos, read original stories and access helpful resources for student-athletes and non-athletes alike.

Understanding NIL and Well-Being

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By Dylan Steele, U-M Cheer

As a student-athlete at the University of Michigan I quickly learned that name, image, and likeness (NIL) is shaping the world of college athletics today. Several businesses are beginning to see the value in creating NIL sponsorship opportunities with student-athletes due to an NCAA rule change in June 2021. The initial ruling that consisted of four sentences was confusing not only to myself and other student-athletes, but to athletic departments, businesses, and fans as well. As a result, common misconceptions arose as to what NIL really was and the benefits and additional responsibilities student-athletes have in this new world of college athletics. So what even is NIL and how do student-athletes profit off their name, image, and likeness?

Dylan’s conceptualization of the NIL structure

Several student-athletes, including me, were under the idea that simply being on a college athletic team would ensure NIL dollars coming to us without any work on our end, but that simply isn’t the case. NIL is a branch of influencer marketing, which is not a completely new concept. This means the blueprint to success has already been implemented by social media influencers, it’s just only recently been legalized by the NCAA. With this new opportunity, student-athletes, very much like social media influencers, may now monetize their NIL for commercial purposes. Some examples I’ve seen are autograph signings, social media posts, commercial partnerships, or other appearances. Additionally, we as student-athletes are responsible for paying taxes on cash compensation or the value of products received, which came as a surprise to most of us, adding another layer of stress as we had to learn the best way to report our income, without a lot of direction since all student athletes were learning about this at the same time.

Our Athletic Department has since created tax/financial education sessions to ensure us athletes are aware of the responsibilities involved in an NIL deal and to help keep us from any trouble with the IRS. A Local Exchange has been set up through INFLCR to help connect Wolverine athletes with businesses. In addition, we can report our deals to Michigan through an app which also helps keep track of our tax information. The University has also set up a contract review program through the Law School to review the legality of deals to alleviate the stress some of us feel when negotiating deals and to ensure none of us are getting stuck in a binding deal that could be harmful to our brand in the long run.

It is also helpful for us as student-athletes to understand the social media presence NIL empowers us to have. We need to have a firm understanding of our values in order to maintain our public image as we represent not only our school but our personal social media brand. We must conduct our own research to ensure the brands we partner with have the same values and align with the image we are trying to build for ourselves. What’s important to me? Does this company/brand align with the image I’m creating for myself? We as athletes are role models to kids of all ages and have the pleasure and responsibility of being connected to our fans more than ever, which has a large impact on our communities and the next generation. Read more about navigating public criticism here.

The best piece of advice I can give is to become aware of and build skills around time management so you can accomplish what you want to, and have more time to yourself away from the stress

It is important to note that getting a deal done is not as easy as people may think. Businesses focus on the social media engagement of student-athletes before offering deals. This results in a new found responsibility for us to increase our social media engagement through content creation which is a lot harder than most realize. Social media already has some issues such as comparing yourself to others, but now the pressure is truly on to constantly be able to produce content that will gain constant engagement. Honestly, it can become like a full-time job for some which adds another task to our already busy schedule. As the mental health crisis continues in our country, it is imperative that we give student athletes the resources they need or not only be successful in this space from a business standpoint, but to prioritize their mental health through it all.  I can say first-hand when my day consists of early morning lifts, classes, study time, practices, and games, while trying to maintain proper performance, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep schedules, and taking care of myself to physically be able to compete at a high level for an entire athletic season, it can become hard to find time to work on meaningful independent brand building. The best piece of advice I can give is to become aware of and build skills around time management so you can accomplish what you want to, and have more time to yourself away from the stress of your sport, classes, or anything pertaining to the world of NIL. 

As you can see, NIL is a complicated topic. Laws and NCAA regulations have slowly been adjusted to provide more clarity as NIL continues to evolve. NIL is a step in the right direction for college athletics and creates new responsibilities for all parties involved. College athletics have forever changed as a result of NIL, and it is important to keep the best interest of student-athletes at heart, and to be mindful of how it can impact their mental health.  Athletic departments across the nation must continue to do their part in equipping student-athletes with the tools necessary for success not only in their sport, but in all aspects of the student athlete experience including NIL. You as an athlete also have an opportunity to keep your own best interests in mind by clarifying your own values and choosing partnerships and brands that promote those. You also have the chance to practice skills to benefit things like your time and stress management.

if you’re looking for assistance navigating NIL, here are some resources available to Michigan student-athletes:

NIL at U-M

INFLCR Exchange

Compliance: NIL Policy

If you’re experiencing difficulty with time management, are feeling overwhelmed, or want to explore your personal values, consider connecting with an Athletic Counselor.

About the Author

Dylan Steele is a senior student athlete on the cheer team at the University of Michigan studying sport management with minors in entrepreneurship and real estate development. He serves as the NIL/NCAA Legislation Executive Board Chair. He is a 2 time NCA National Champion.

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.

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.