Last Updated on February 4, 2025 by Lizelle Salazar
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.