By Jimmy Robertson
COVID-19 may have disrupted the everyday lives of Virginia Tech student-athletes, but the disease simply stands no chance at ending their attempts to better themselves and those around them.
More than 85 Virginia Tech female student-athletes participated in the "Still We THRIVE" mental health event held Oct. 5. A year ago, this group met in person, but the latest event was a virtual one – and it created the same type of impact.
For those unfamiliar with THRIVE, this is a mental health wellness program started last year by a group of Virginia Tech student-athletes who wanted to address mental health topics with other student-athletes in small group settings. This group worked in conjunction with the staff members in the athletics department's Office of Student-Athlete Development, and together, formed a team of ambassadors – one or two student-athletes from each varsity sport at Tech – who coordinated a plan with Natalie Forbes (senior director of student-athlete personal development) and Lauren Naldo (counseling and athletic mental performance staff counselor) to hold two workshops last fall.
In the past, fall semester events were open only to freshmen. However, the "THRIVE Tribe" – the group of ambassadors – wanted to open forums to all student-athletes, especially in light of circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the pandemic limiting the amount of practice, workout and academic time available, many student-athletes struggled with isolation and loneliness.
So the event on Oct. 5 was open to all female student-athletes, and it focused on managing mental health through times of transition and isolation.
"We wanted to create a valuable program that addressed the current mental health needs of our student-athletes and gave everyone strategies that they could take and use as they need," Tech track and field athlete Cecilia Marenick said. "THRIVE gave me a chance to connect with athletes from different teams. It helped me to realize that I was not alone in my feelings and experiences with transitions surrounding COVID-19 and graduating. I always leave THRIVE feeling more self-aware and hopeful for the future."
The structure of the Oct. 5 event consisted of group discussions led by Forbes and Naldo. There were breakout rooms split up by year in school (freshman, sophomore, etc.) and led by members of the THRIVE Tribe. They discussed transitions, such as freshmen transitioning to college life, sophomore and juniors transitioning to leadership roles on their teams and also to online classes, and seniors preparing for their futures after college.
Also, the forum consisted of a self-reflection time in which athletes were partnered and shared strategies for coping with isolation and ideas for self-care in general.
"Mental health is so important for student athletes and has definitely been even more of a struggle than it already is during this pandemic," Tech lacrosse player Grace Kennedy said. "There has been a lot of unknown and isolation in our daily lives that has caused a lot of stress. By attending THRIVE, I was able to connect with other student-athletes that are going through the same struggles. It was such a welcoming environment and made me feel like I'm not alone. The tips and strategies discussed will definitely help me persevere through these hard times as a college athlete."
The early October event was just the beginning for the THRIVE group. A forum for Tech's male student-athletes was held Oct. 19, and the THRIVE Tribe plans on scheduling other events later this fall and next spring.
COVID-19 has been a formidable opponent for everyone, even those in college athletics. But Virginia Tech student-athletes want to thrive – and this THRIVE group is finding creative ways to help everyone do exactly that.
