Hokie ClubIn some way, shape, or form, everybody is dealing with their own struggles. Everybody is fighting their own battles. Everybody has dealt with their own encounters with their own mental health to the point it can demonize themselves inside. For Virginia Tech's student-athletes, this is no exception.
That's why on a typical Monday evening in the middle of the spring semester, over hundreds of student-athletes spread across a multitude of different sports gathered inside the sparkling new Student-Athlete Performance Center for the university's first-ever THRIVE Summit, a mental health programming event sponsored by the Office of Student-Athlete Development and the Counseling and Mental Performance (CAMP) office.
With current Tech athletes there to listen and learn about performance anxiety, dealing with the unknown and balancing mental health as a Division I athlete, what better way to do so than to hear about different experiences from those that came before and that sat in his/her shoes?
With a panel consisting of four guest speakers, Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development Natalie Forbes welcomed former Hokie kicker and current Washington Commander Joey Slye, former women's basketball standout Taylor Emery, former Tech cornerback Greg Stroman and former lacrosse star Meghan Macera back to campus to not only speak, but to share what their mental health journeys have looked like throughout both their college and eventual professional playing careers.
"I think it's very important that these young athletes have people to look up to," said Emery, who's spent time playing internationally in both Poland and Israel after graduating in 2019, prior to the event. "I think it's really important that we come back and give back to our athletes and give them something that we didn't have when we were here."
The concept of THRIVE didn't even come about until just over three years ago, when a group of Virginia Tech student-athletes formed the mental health program to provide a safe space for student-athletes to discuss and address mental health topics in small group settings. Something Slye not only commended, but could relay with his own personal experience.
"There's certain things that are very, very scary things that we all kind of have some anxieties about," admitted Slye, who finished his Tech career with more points scored than any other kicker in program history.
"But talking about them and knowing that they actually do exist in everyone and each of us can kind of figure out how someone went through it and that might help them get through it, or knowing that there's different ways to get through it [helps]," continued Slye, who has also kicked for the Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans and San Francisco 49er prior to his time in Washington.
"Something that works for me might not work for [someone else]. We all have different ways to go about it. But we all are going through it, it just depends on when or where they're going through it."
Macera, who suited up for the United Women's Lacrosse League's Baltimore Ride, echoed similar thoughts, relating her message to her own personal growth during and after her collegiate career.
"These student-athletes, they're in this developmental phase. They're learning a lot about themselves, but they might not know how to apply it yet," Macera pointed out.
"So just talking about our experiences after college and how we take what we've learned [in college] and everything that's instilled in us as athletes into our lives and into our careers outside of the sport. I'm just excited we get to talk about these things to a [group of student-athletes] during this phase."
The words of wisdom certainly didn't go unnoticed.
"To have former student-athletes come back and be able to tell us their story from the standpoint of their experience at Tech, at the professional level and in the business world, it's massive," said Virginia Tech soccer player Kahlil Dover.
"It's really impactful for student-athletes of all teams to come together and hear their stories. Hopefully we can each take away a little bit of their stories and be able to implement some of the changes we need to make to improve our mental health," he concluded.
Gallery: (2-28-2022) SAD: THRIVE Summit
So what stood out in each individual's message the most?
"The relatability of it all," said Mary Griffin, a junior on the lacrosse team. "They really harped on asking for help in the changing times that we're in. It's going to be more normalized that we are asking for help and seeking help and using the resources that a school like Virginia Tech has."
Dover, himself, had similar thoughts.
"I think just the overall opening of vulnerability within their stories, also just the encouragement to indulge in these resources that we have," he added. "Whether that be by meditation, the Calm app, a therapist. I really hope that people can realize that it isn't just trying to get past these things and that there are issues that we need to address as student-athletes."
Emery had a successful tip for in college and beyond. Possibly putting the cherry on top to a cleansing type of night within the confines of one of Tech athletics' newest additions.
"You just have to have grace and be kind to yourself. This mental game, with sports, can take that much more of a toll on you outside of your sport," she addressed.
"Being able to learn [how to handle it] early while you're in the sport, that really helps you afterwards. Just positive self-talk and being able to have grace no matter what's going on and being able to just love yourself, really helps build for after your sport and life ahead."