Mental well-being is just as important as physical well-being
Mental-health challenges are becoming the norm rather than the exception for many student athletes. Today’s coaches need to be aware of more than the physical training and preparedness of their athletes to perform on the field. It is clear from the large amount of research on the subject that the academic and sporting performance of a student is affected by mental health issues and in order for a school/college to thrive, and students to succeed, there must be a method of identifying and addressing any such problems.
Mental health issues are widespread
Often the tendency of students to hide mental health issues makes it difficult to identify and ultimately the problem escalates as the article Mental Health in Schools: An Overview points out:
Such problems are exacerbated as youngsters internalize the debilitating effects of performing poorly at school and are punished for the misbehavior that is a common correlate of school failure
The significance of the mental health problem is highlighted by Leigh Meldrum, David Venn & Stan Kutcher in Mental Health in Schools: How Teachers Have The Power To Make A Difference which points out that it is vital that those with responsibility for young people learn how to identify and deal with mental health problems, and when necessary refer the students for appropriate treatment. The article makes it clear that the consequences of not being able to identify or deal with mental health issues are serious and can lead to both short-term and long-term problems for the student.
If ignored, mental health problems can impede social development, leaving young people feeling socially isolated, stigmatized and unhappy. In an attempt to cope with or overcome the symptoms of these disorders, some young people acquire socially or personally inappropriate behaviors, such as dropping out of school or becoming heavily involved in the illicit use of drugs. Mental disorders may also impact the young person’s ability to make and retain a strong and supportive peer network or appropriate relationships with adults
Student Athletes
The article Why Are So Many Teen Athletes Struggling With Depression? outlines that nearly half of American youths struggle with a mental illness before turning 18, while 12 percent have experienced a bout of depression. Playing sports on a regular basis is of course known to boost physical and mental health, but sometimes the demands placed on high-school athletes who train year-round and might need an athletic scholarship to afford a college education mean that their sports can be a key contributor to depression and anxiety. The article goes on to talk about the ‘professionalization’ of sport in High Schools. More and more students are specializing in only one sport and playing it beyond one season and sometimes on multiple teams. This professionalization can lead to over-training and exhaustion which are key contributors to the mental-health problems of competitive high-school athletes. Marshall Mintz, a New Jersey–based sports psychologist who has worked with teenagers for 30 years zones in on sleep issues.
The biggest problem is sleep loss — all these kids are sleep-deprived, and this becomes a major contributor to anxiety and depression
The article also makes reference to the parental pressure some of these student athletes face – and it is not always the overbearing pressure and expectations of over-zealous parents. Some kids can be very aware of the sacrifices their parents have and are making to help them succeed and their motivation to continue becomes one of guilt if they stop, rather than the intrinsic enjoyment of their sport.
Identification is the key
It is clear that one of the crucial factors in dealing with mental health issues is identification and early/effective intervention. The chances of achieving this are significantly enhanced by introducing some form of monitoring that helps build the coach-athlete relationship and provides a voice for the shy/quiet students, a voice they normally would not have the courage to use. Keeping track of an athlete’s routine not only in terms of training, but also nutrition, sleep and mind and body is a facility offered by Metrifit and one that has been highly successful when implemented in High Schools and Colleges throughout the United States, but also sports teams right across the globe.
The Metrifit program helps to provide the data that gives coaches, teachers and parents an insight into the general well-being of the student. It has proven to be invaluable in terms of identifying issues that might be developing and as a result providing the opportunity to deal with them early in order to prevent the problem escalating.
Ryan Osborn, Head Basketball Coach at Carmel High School in Indiana is using Metrifit with this athletes and had this to say about it:-
Metrifit has provided me with an opportunity to get to know and understand our players on a different level. I’ve found our conversations to be more intentional, which has been so important in developing deeper, more authentic relationships. Ultimately, understanding their needs has allowed me to push buttons that leads them to be better people and inspires them to be better athletes
While much of the focus of monitoring has been centered on the athlete, the Metrifit program is something that could be of huge benefit to all students as the importance of mental well-being extends well beyond the sporting field. Young people spend more time at High School or College than anywhere else, even their own homes, which makes it vital that staff and parents are able to tap into any mental health problems that may arise.
How Metrifit can help
Successful change is about small steps in the right direction rather than giant leaps forward. By monitoring these areas, coaches can help manage the 24-hour athlete and have a positive effect on athletic performance. Research on relationships between athlete workloads, injury, and performance has highlighted the benefits of athlete monitoring.
Introducing monitoring tools may serve as a means to reduce the detrimental effects of stress and other lifestyle factors in athletes. Regardless of what monitoring tool or application you decide to use for your athletes and team, it is crucial that you understand why you are monitoring and how you are going to use the data to inform your decision making process.
Metrifit’s athlete lifestyle profiling product takes up very little time for busy athletes (about 5 minutes each month) but provides you with actionable insight to help improve your team’s performance and more importantly highlights the key lifestyle stressors that are affecting the health and well-being of your athletes.
To find out more contact us at or click on ‘Request Demo’ below.
Follow us on social media where we post regular blogs related to sports, performance and well-being.
Mental Health in Schools: An Overview, Center for mental health in schools
Why Are So Many Teen Athletes Struggling With Depression?