Hokie ClubIn early October, a group of Virginia Tech female student-athletes participated in a mental health and wellness event as part of the Office of Student-Athlete Development's THRIVE initiative.
Recently, a group of Tech male student-athletes took their turn as well.
Nearly 50 Tech male student-athletes from nine different varsity teams participated in a THRIVE men's mental health event held Oct. 19 via Zoom video conference. 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.
The event on Oct. 19 was open to all male student-athletes, and while similar to the women's event in terms of structure, this event focused on a slightly different topic. The male student-athletes wanted to discuss anxiety and did so from two perspectives – first, from general anxiety stemming from uncertainty and the "what ifs," and second, from performance anxiety.
"For me, my mental health has always been such a big part of my life," Tech diver Joseph Perreault said. "I would always be anxious to go to practice or competition. The one thing that has helped me grow and become a better athlete was accepting it and seeking help. Being able to do THRIVE, work with Dr. [Gary] Bennett [associate AD, sport psychologist], and be with such an amazing athletics department has really helped me take control of my anxiety with sports. The hardest step for people is acknowledging you are having mental health issues and taking action to work on it, but after you take that first step, the rest gets easier and easier."
The event consisted of self-reflection and sharing with partners regarding what anxiety looks like from an individual perspective. The group also discussed strategies for overcoming anxiety, like being present and deep breathing, and the participants watched a video about Brandon Brooks, a guard for the Philadelphia Eagles who spoke about his own journey with anxiety – one that caused him to miss five games last season.
In addition, the group talked about performance anxiety, and the evening concluded with a "grounding" exercise led by Paul Knackstedt [staff counselor, Counseling and Athletic Mental Performance, or CAMP]. The intent of the exercise was to go more where one's feet were instead of where one's mind goes.
The event structure, topics, and discussion resonated with Tech's male student-athletes.
"Being part of the men's THRIVE event means a lot to me for a couple of reasons," Tech men's soccer player Kahlil Dover said. "Speaking about mental health with guys is tough, but then add the persona of athletes, and the stigma increases. Having events like these allows for those barriers to be brought down and presents guys the space to talk about what is affecting them on and off the field. I have personally learned so much from past THRIVE events and have been able to reduce my own anxiety through techniques such as mindfulness meditation. Lastly, being able to help other athletes deal with their anxiety is extremely gratifying."
In all, 135 student-athletes from 20 different sports participated in the two fall THRIVE events.
The THRIVE Tribe continues to work on events and topics for the spring semester. Issues related to mental wellness present any number of challenges, but this group remains committed to helping Tech student-athletes deal with these challenges for the purpose of building a better future.