By Emily Klueh, LMSW

Over the past seven years there has been a shift in the conversation regarding mental health among the nation’s top athletes. Many athletes have become more open about their own mental health experiences and the conferences and leagues for which they play have begun adopting policies to support athlete wellness. In 2014, the NCAA started to make mental health a priority topic, eventually creating a best practices manual for schools to adopt in 2016. In 2019, they passed legislation that required the five major conferences to provide mental health support to student athletes. 

Professional sports soon followed the NCAA’s lead. In 2018, the NBA instituted a mental health and wellness program for its players called Mind Health. In 2019, the NFL implemented a policy that stated every team must employ a mental health professional at least part-time. The MLB has partnered with a variety of services and companies to provide mental wellness services to both major and minor league players. Similarly, the NHL has seen a rise in conversations around mental health and player-developed programs and resources. In 2020, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) also created new mental health programming and extensive resources for athletes representing the United States. While these policies and programs provide increased access to resources for athletes, many teams and individuals within these organizations had resources available for their athletes years prior.

Being a clinician in the Athletic Department at the University of Michigan, I have been able to see firsthand how having these resources available positively influences the student-athlete experience and performance academically and athletically. Because of the work I have been able to be part of at Michigan, as well as my history as an elite athlete as a member of Team USA, I was afforded the opportunity to be a part of the broad sweeping changes and implementation of resources and programs at the USOPC. While there have been support individuals for Team USA athletes at past Olympic Games, for the 2020 (2021) Olympic and Paralympic Games the USOPC recognized more was needed. For the first time, they contracted Mental Health Officers who were a part of the medical staff for athletes and staff attending the games. Four providers, two psychiatrists and two clinicians, were selected for this initial role. I was fortunate enough to be one of those clinicians selected to support Team USA. 

As we geared up for the 2020 games, the world was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic that halted many plans. Our athletes and teams were informed the Games would be postponed until 2021 — a historic and never-before seen move from the International Olympic Committee. This hit our athletes in a variety of ways. Some athletes were already selected to compete and now they would have to reevaluate their plans. Some athletes were devastated by the postponement, and others were happy as they would have another year to prepare. There were questions, worries, and concerns about ability to train, fears of getting sick, and struggles with the shift in plans outside athletics. Due to the postponement and the fact that we were already selected to help with the games, the USOPC contracted us to help with programming and policies beyond what our original role would have been. During this time, we worked on an emergency action plan for the USOPC and the national governing bodies. We hired the director of mental health services for the USOPC, Dr. Jessica Bartley. We then worked with her to create a mental health registry for our athletes to access across the country, and hired associate directors of mental health for the different training sites, among other support resources. A challenge for the USOPC in trying to implement support services for the athletes remained because athletes are not centralized to one location. Due to state licensure laws, continuity of care becomes challenging. This is why the mental health registry was so vital to create.

As seen with the recent increase in priority of the mental health support for athletes across the country, having these major organizations increase awareness and support is crucial to continue changing the narrative of mental health among the athlete population. The changes, new structure, and support available made me more excited for the job at the Games. Knowing that our athletes would be taken care of better than they ever had was exciting and I could not wait to get to Tokyo. It is easy for me to look back as an athlete and be frustrated with the lack of mental health resources that were available to me and my teammates, however, one thing I know is that isn’t helpful for me to dwell. We can only continue to move forward, advocate for change, and work to help. Things are shifting for the better at many levels of play, across leagues and conferences, and I am proud, honored, and thrilled to be a part of it. 

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.

 

By Jeremy Fallis, U-M Eisenberg Family Depression Center Marketing Communications Specialist

For many of us, adaptive sports are known by those who compete at the Paralympic Games and events such as the Invictus Games. While, some are not as well known as other athletic endeavors, Michigan has a thriving program for such athletes.

The University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program was launched in 2019 by Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami, assistant professor of family medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation. Dr. Okanlami himself recovered from a paralyzing injury, and has a mission of helping others.

Its mission “will not only benefit elite student athletes with disabilities, but also provide opportunities to engage in adaptive sports for the entire student body and greater campus community.”

Since its inception, Athletes Connected has primarily focused on collegiate varsity athletics. That doesn’t mean athlete mental health is corralled only into that group. We took time to speak with those that make adaptive sports go round at Michigan.

Adaptive sports are a tight-knit community of like-minded individuals that have personally overcome adversity whether it’s a traumatic injury or a congenital disorder. We have a unique perspective about how to tackle life’s obstacles and we can provide key insights that typical healthcare providers may not understand or realize without the first-person perspective.

Athletes Connected: What is the University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program?
Dr. Okanlami: The Adaptive Sports and Fitness program currently resides in the University of Michigan Medicine and Student Life Department with the goal to lead our state and nation by embracing diversity and providing new opportunities to student-athletes with disabilities.

The program seeks to connect the departments, programs, and services at the University of Michigan and surrounding community to deliver comprehensive programming that supports inclusive and adaptive recreation, fitness, and sport participation from recreational to elite competitive (currently including track and field, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, and para-equestrian).

Individuals with mobility impairments have a need for physical fitness just as much as their able-bodied counterparts, and sometimes more. Adaptive sports, including the use of modified equipment for certain activities, provides an opportunity for everyone of all abilities to engage in and benefit physically, socially, and mentally.

AC: How have you seen changes in your mental health after joining adaptive sports?

Cathryn Gray, Adaptive Track & Field, First-Year: Participating in Adaptive Sports has significantly improved my mental health, as well as my physical well-being. I became a happier and more optimistic person after joining adaptive sports. Adaptive sports have given me a sense of community I didn’t have previously and has given me the opportunity to be part of a team – with all the benefits that belonging to a team provides – that many able-bodied athletes take for granted.

I’ve had the opportunity to make friends all over the world, represent my country competitively in track and field, and develop a sense of self-confidence and purpose I was missing before becoming involved. Adaptive sports have also taught me how powerful it can be when female athletes lift each other up since there are fewer female adaptive athletes than male adaptive athletes overall. I have grown as a person in every area of my life and become much mentally stronger and healthier because of being involved in adaptive sports.

Christopher Kelley, Adaptive Tennis, Graduate Student: I’ve been a wheelchair tennis player since high school and adaptive sports have had an instrumental impact in my personal mental health. It has assisted me in managing my anxiety and has also allowed me to grow my social circle with positive influences.

Matthew Fritzie, Adaptive Tennis, Graduate Student: I have been playing adaptive sports for about five years now and it has provided a positive outlet to foster relationships with my peers, share similar struggles regarding obstacles our population deals with and helps me feel included within my community where historically people with disabilities have been marginalized and ostracized

Spencer Heslop, Wheelchair Basketball, Graduate Student: Wheelchair basketball and other adaptive sports help me find a space to release the stresses of life and find moments of happiness, even in the hardest moments of my life. I have found some of my closest friends, support systems, and hopes through the people I have played with and against. These moments allowed me to share my own struggles, or to listen to someone else’s. They helped me connect and know I am not alone.

AC: What lessons have you learned from adaptive sports that you are able to carry through your personal and academic life, beyond sports?

Kelley: In terms of the lessons learned I do not think that adaptive sports are any different from able-bodied sports. Sports help teach time management, communication, collaboration, and discipline.

Fritzie: Adaptive sports have taught me the ability to set goals and achieve them, punctuality, time management, confidence, communication and develop overall better well-being from physical activity and comraderie of the sport I’ve been involved in. Physical activity has improved my academic focus and increased determination to pursue my long-term career aspirations. I hope to continue being physically active and involved throughout my life.

AC: What outlets do adaptive sports athletes have to relieve their stress outside of athletics?

Sydney Collier, Adaptive Para-Equestrian Athlete, U-M Community Member: Adaptive athletes have the same outlets to relieve stress as any able-bodied athlete does! For example, to unwind I often like to cook just like any other able-bodied athlete might, but as an athlete with only the use of one hand I have to adapt things like cutting or chopping to make them one-handed friendly. Other things we might like to do unwind could be, interacting with friends, listening to music, reading, binge watching our favorite show, going out for a drive, hitting the gym, or spending time with family or pets. In the end, adaptive athletes unwind just the same as any other athlete or person in general.

AC: What resources exist specifically for adaptive sports athletes at the University of Michigan, and how can they be improved?

Erik Robeznieks, Program Manager, University of Michigan Adaptive Sports & Fitness: The program has “opened the door” for discussions about how students with physical disabilities can be supported in their physical activity pursuits (recreational, fitness, and competitive sport) just as any other student-athlete would at our institution. These discussions have resulted in the early formation of a comprehensive adaptive sports and fitness program that begins to foreshadow the true potential for institutionalized inclusivity in the culture, operations, and programming for all students of all abilities at the University of Michigan.

For example, we have worked with University of Michigan Athletics to secure training time at their facilities for our Track and Field and Wheelchair Tennis athletes. Through our relationships with MDisability at Michigan Medicine we are working on academic research to further validate the need for our program, and we have connected with community partners like the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living to provide a strength and conditioning space for our athletes.

Although much more work needs to be done, we will continue to work on cultivating the resources that already exist at the University of Michigan and community, connecting them in a way that provides new value. An example of this is working with University Health Services to provide integrated health-care coverage for our student-athletes. We also want to fulfill our values as a program and make recreational adaptive sports inclusive for all students at the University of Michigan where appropriate. As such, we will continue to build a relationship with Rec Sports to deliver adaptive sport options like wheelchair basketball in intramural sports, as well as providing competitive opportunities and support at the highest levels.

Lastly, we recognize that students truly hold the greatest influence over what happens at the University of Michigan. We hope to connect with more groups like Athletes Connected to help elevate our voice across the student body so that all students of all abilities can have equitable access to physical and mental wellness opportunities.

Gray: The program provides athletes with community and conditioning. There are three U-M undergraduate students, (myself included) in the program and five U-M graduate students with all different majors and backgrounds including cognitive science, computer science, epidemiology, and biomedical engineering.

We bring our unique life experiences to our program and use them to educate and lift each other up. The program also provides track and field practice two times a week at the University of Michigan indoor track facility and tennis practice four times a week at the indoor tennis facility.

Our goal is for the University of Michigan to allow our program to be able to access the indoor track more days a week for practice if possible so we can continue our training for the fast-approaching national competition schedule and Tokyo Paralympics.

AC: How are adaptive sports unique from other support groups?

Heslop: I think there is power in finding something that brings you joy and brings you together with people you can relate with. Some people find that in art, gaming, the outdoors, and sports. It’s about connecting people with people.

Leo Merle, Adaptive Track & Field, U-M Dentistry: In adaptive sports, I feel that there is almost an instantly formed community compared to other athletics. From my own personal experience in athletics, I never had a group of people that I could relate to when it came to disability.

So, when it came to explaining my condition and how it impacts everyday activities, it was challenging to explain what was wrong. With adaptive athletics, there are people who represent all different classifications and walks of life and I feel a much more personal connection when communicating with them. I don’t feel the need to explain some of my challenges since we have a mutual understanding of our struggles to a degree. This creates a much more whole and inclusive environment for everyone no matter your background.

Fritzie: Adaptive sports are a tight-knit community of like-minded individuals that have personally overcome adversity whether it’s a traumatic injury or a congenital disorder. We have a unique perspective about how to tackle life’s obstacles and we can provide key insights that typical healthcare providers may not understand or realize without the first-person perspective.

AC: How has participating in adaptive sports changed your perspective regarding the interconnectedness of physical and mental fitness?

Gray: Mental health and Adaptive sports are interconnected in the way that they help people with disabilities physically and mentally. When I first started participating in adaptive track and field, I started to see how strong I was becoming and that boosted my confidence and my self-esteem.

Adaptive track and field made the biggest difference in my mental health and made me physically strong too. Adaptive sports have opened the door for me to compete at the national and international level, and to represent University of Michigan at the collegiate level for adaptive track and field). Adaptive Sports have taught me that my mental and physical health are both equally important.

AC: What advice would you give to people, perhaps with (dis)abilities, who are struggling with their mental health?

Gray: Please do not be afraid to reach out. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is ask for help when you’re feeling low. Know that you have your whole life ahead of you. Whatever battles you’re fighting right now won’t last forever. There is a community to support you.

Kelley: As with anyone struggling with mental health the first step is to seek out help from someone you know and trust. You should never have to deal with that struggle alone and there are people who are able and willing to help. And remember you’re not alone in your fight.

Fritzie: I would say don’t let your negative emotions and mentality get in the way of your ambitions and livelihood. Don’t feel like it’s a weakness to reach out to your local resources in your community whether it’s family, friends, counselor or other medical practitioners. Also find ways to get active in any type of sense no matter your ability. It will help your overall mood and well-being.

To celebrate veterans, and highlight their mental health, we asked U-M employees who previously served to share thoughts on mental health.

By Sydney Wetterstrom, Outside Hitter, U-M Volleyball

During my time at Michigan I was surrounded by amazing athletes, students and leaders. Some were All-Americans or academic weapons, but most were just really pleasant people you wanted to surround yourself with.

Looking back now, that makes sense because the University of Michigan is known for bringing together and building the “leaders and best.”

The adjustment from high school to college can be a difficult transition for some athletes, especially at Michigan where we have come from being big fish in a small pond throughout high school to becoming a small fish in an ocean. This can be overwhelming, stressful and frustrating. For me personally, I stumbled, tumbled and fell hard. Very, very hard.

I ignored my stress, picked up poor coping strategies and reverted back to bad habits. My stress became a distraction and interfered with my performance on the court.

It was scary, but getting my diagnosis was the first time I did not feel like my feet were dragging cement blocks.

One day in a pre-practice session with my volunteer assistant coach, I broke down crying. An utterly beautiful mess of tears and snot came running down my cheeks and nose. She comforted me and recommended I use the resources provided by the Athletics Counseling Team (ACT).

But I did not listen to her advice.

I felt ashamed and embarrassed. I remember telling myself, “This is so silly, nothing is wrong with me. I am in the best shape of my life,” yet I still felt incomplete, broken and lost. I was so far in denial that it was not until I attempted to take my own life, did I get the help I needed.

Even then I was still against seeking help. It was not until a teammate said “If you do not get help for yourself, get help for me because I am worried for you.” I was hospitalized and treated for severe anxiety and major depressive disorder.

It was scary, but getting my diagnosis was the first time I did not feel like my feet were dragging cement blocks. Truth had lifted the 200 pounds of denial off my shoulders. I had no idea that the reason I had been feeling so poorly was because of my mental health.

I was honest with my coaches and created an open dialogue with my teammates. I let those around me know that I had been struggling with mental health.

I soon realized that many of my peers had faced challenges with mental health, too. This made me realize the importance of mental health, but also the stigma that comes along with it.

I wondered how many other people had been in my shoes? Who felt embarrassed, shameful and nervous for reaching out for issues related to their mental health? Who else had felt the fear of judgement, or felt that it was a sign of weakness?

All of these thoughts and experiences led me to the belief that it is necessary for all student-athletes to be comfortable asking for help before it is too late.

Mental health is equally as important as physical health. Through the resources in the athletic department, I found it not only easier for student-athletes to receive care for mental health, but also found it easier to remove the negative bias surrounding it. Supporting someone in their time of need, whether it is a sprained ankle or anxiety, is the only way a student-athlete will return to the competition in a timely manner.

My experiences showed me that support will enable an individual to feel confident and comfortable. This confidence and comfort will launch them into success. When someone feels supported they are more likely to succeed.

When someone feels supported they are more likely to succeed. I found community and support to be critical on and off the court

I found community and support to be critical on and off the court. With the help of numerous peers I was able to participate in and create a number of student-athlete organizations within athletics.

During my junior year, I created Student-Athlete Sexual Health (SASH) with fellow student-athlete Sam Roy, who is a member of the women’s gymnastics team. With the endorsement from the ACT, Sam and I established a support group for survivors of sexual assault. Individuals were provided a safe and confidential place to discuss their own personal story with emphasis on rebuilding and healing post-sexual trauma(s); along with ACT’s Abigail Eiler, we thoughtfully identified resources and skill-building activities focused on improving our overall health and wellness across each domain of our lives.

Sam and I were also both members of SAAC, and were the heads of the mental health subcommittee our senior year. As mental health liaisons, and with the help of the ACT, we had Athlete Ally come in for a two-day training with staff, coaches and student-athletes.

Athlete Ally is a nonprofit that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community in athletics. After the onsite training and student-athlete feedback, we structured an Athlete Ally chapter on campus, which has become a place for students that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and allies to come together and support one another. The group is making strides to remove the stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ athletes in sport.

My way of leading this was to make sure everyone felt included and unconditionally loved and accepted. Additionally, as the mental health liaisons, Sam and I coordinated a mental health public service announcement to be displayed at all sporting events. I believe athletes can perform at their highest level when they feel comfortable in their own skin!

At the University of Michigan, mental health matters. This is a great video project that @samroy1223 helped create. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/LGOkZ2dfVW

— Michigan Women’s Gymnastics (@UMichWGym) March 3, 2020

I plan to attend Florida State in the fall of 2020 to pursue a Master in Social Work (MSW). There, I hope to continue to break down the barriers that surround mental health.

Once I have attained my degree, I hope to implement SASH programs across the country at universities designated for student-athlete survivors of sexual abuse.

Currently, Sam and I are working towards establishing SASH as a nonprofit organization. We have also created a workbook for individuals or groups to use. My dream is for SASH resources to be utilized by survivors at all schools that have NCAA sports, in order to ensure they feel supported and to assist them in their healing journey.

Know that everyone is trying their best. Support your teammates and let them support you. We all have faced adversity.

Consequently, when a hand is reached out to pull you up, take it. It only makes challenges easier. Being a leader means to care for yourself and those around you genuinely; it means being the one to reach out to help pull others up, but also asking for help when you need it.

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About the Author
Sydney Wetterstrom was a four-year letterwinner for the U-M women’s volleyball team. Wetterstrom garnered three Academic All-Big Ten nods and started all 32 matches her senior year in 2019. Wetterstrom graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in exercise science and Spanish. She is set to begin work on a Master of Social Work degree at Florida State in fall 2020 where she will compete on the beach volleyball team.