Why Coaches and Athletes Should Be Teammates In Fighting Mental Health Stigma
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Big-name athletes like Simone Biles put mental health in the spotlight. The Million Coaches Challenge aims to continue the movement by training youth coaches.
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Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottAfter making her third Olympic team, Simone Biles understandably received thunderous applause—but it wasn’t just for nabbing a spot on the squad that will compete in this month’s Summer Games in Paris. In her post-meet interview in front of the entire arena, Biles credited “being in a good mental spot and seeing her therapist every Thursday” for her comeback and a return trip to the Olympics.Cue the ovation and cheers from the crowd.For Biles, just speaking out about mental health has been a journey—one that heightened when she pulled out of the team and all-around events at the pandemic-delayed Olympics in the summer of 2021 after a case of the twisties. This mental block leaves athletes feeling disoriented in the air. Biles hasn’t been alone. Tennis star Naomi Osaka, now a mother who will compete with Team Japan in 2024, has also been open about her mental health struggles. The NCAA released the results of a student-athlete well-being survey in 2023 that found that reports of student-athlete mental health concerns are 1.5 to two times higher than pre-pandemic.Seeing these numbers and hearing of mental health concerns among professional athletes may seem discouraging. However, one sports psychologist says talking about it, especially in athletics—a community where “toughness” and “just doing it” are celebrated—is essential.“Athletes like Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka have changed the narrative that being strong and tough on the field, mat, and court doesn’t mean ignoring any mental discomfort and pretending everything is OK when something goes wrong,” says Seiji Takaku, PhD, a psychology professor at Soka University of America and CEO of Optimal Performance and Mental Consulting, LLC. “Every athlete needs to be healthy both physically and mentally. The mental health of athletes has been ignored way too long.”However, athletes can’t be alone in asking for help and finding it. Coaches can also help set the tone and create a culture where seeking services to work on mental health isn’t seen as a “weakness.” As confidants, role models, and surrogate caregivers to athletes at all levels, coaches can also help athletes find resources, like therapists. The problem? Many don't know how.The Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) aims to help coaches change that through training that gives them confidence beyond the technical X’s and O’s of their sport. The list of organizations involved is a who’s-who of sports, including The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program (Project Play), U.S. Soccer Foundation, Little League, USA Weightlifting, and the Susan Crown Exchange, which is funding the initiative.“It’s crucial that coaches are not only well-versed in the technical aspects of the game but also skilled in youth development principles,” says Kevin Connors, the managing director of the Susan Crown Exchange. “Training programs for coaches should emphasize the importance of positive youth development and the integration of social-emotional learning strategies.”We spoke with representatives about the Million Coaches Challenge’s mission and impact, and with sports psychologists not affiliated with the challenge about the potential for effectiveness and long-term success in creating a new culture in sports—one where seeing a therapist on a Thursday is ubiquitously celebrated on youth soccer fields to Olympic venues. Why Coaches Need SupportIt might help to start by discussing the pressures on athletes and what a “strong competitor and teammate” has traditionally looked like. Craig Kain, PhD, a licensed psychologist who has worked with Olympic and amateur athletes, says in sports psychology, there’s something known as the “sports ethic.” He says it encompasses four parts:To be an athlete, you must make sacrifices for your sport and your team.To be an athlete, you must always strive to be the best.To be an athlete, you must accept risks and play through pain (“no pain, no gain”).To be an athlete, you must refuse to accept limits in the pursuit of excellence.“Most athletes, even amateur athletes, have been exposed to some version or some parts of the sport ethic,” Dr. Kain says.” It’s been passed down from coach to athlete for ages. And because kid’s coaches have often been athletes themselves, the sport ethic continues to be the standard of one’s athlete identity.”Indeed, your first experience hearing one or all of these ideas may have been from a youth coach. However, Dr. Kain isn’t pointing the finger at coaches as the ones to blame for mental health issues among athletes. “To be fair to coaches, until recently, they haven’t received much training on how to recognize mental health issues,” Dr. Kain says. “They know how to recognize what’s going on physically with an athlete but not to assess what’s going on internally. Thus, they have tended to see attending to an athlete’s mental health as someone else’s job.”The pressure on coaches to win or lose their jobs also doesn’t help approaches. Unfortunately, athletes don’t win under these rules, and that’s why Dr. Kain says efforts like those of the MCC are imperative.
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How the Million Coaches Challenge is Changing the PlaybookAccording to the MCC, there are 38 million youth athletes and six million coaches. The MCC Belief Statement cites data that found 70% of coaches felt confident they could help athletes navigate social media pressures, find resources for mental health, and receive assistance meeting basic needs. However, only about one-quarter of coaches (25.6%) participated in training on effective motivational strategies over the last year.“At a high level, coaches are largely left to fend for themselves, and the culture of youth sports doesn’t prioritize youth outcomes,” Connors says. “Unlike many other countries, the U.S. sports system is fully decentralized. Leagues and programs largely govern themselves, and we do not have the structures or systems to ensure equitable and high-quality experiences.”Filling in that gap with a strategy that can be used nationally is at the core of the MCC mission and goal to train one million coaches in development techniques by 2025.“By adopting youth-centered coaching practices, coaches can profoundly impact young athletes' lives,” says Vince Minjares, the project manager of Project Play. “This involves creating environments that are not just physically safe but also emotionally supportive, ensuring athletes feel secure to try new things, even if it results in failure, and valued, no matter how they perform. Central to this approach is concentrating on the personal growth and enjoyment of the athletes, which often leads to more meaningful and enduring achievements both on and off the field.”Dr. Kain agrees.“Training coaches is our best hope of breaking this generational cycle of creating athletes who are too tough to ask for help,” he says.Clear, consistent communication is also critical to the training because Minjares says it is foundational for creating trusting relationships between coaches and athletes. The approach to the training is consistent but customizable to an organization. However, according to the MCC belief statement, generally, the five focus areas are:Gaining knowledge and skills about stress response and its impact on behavior, trauma, brain, and youth development. Shifting attitudes and behaviors on what coaching is and should be.Fostering confidence and preparedness in helping student-athletes find vital mental health supports.Youth experiences—helping athletes feel listened to and cared for by their coaches.Community and organizational influence, which is essentially creating a culture of fun for coaches, athletic leaders, and athletes themselves.Data indicates the training is impactful, with MCC numbers showing that 88% of participants reported feeling like it made them better coaches.Dr. Takaku feels the training is comprehensive.“It covers everything from research-based knowledge/skills to effectively coach young athletes, what type of attitudes/behaviors coaches should have when working with young athletes, how to help them become more confident and prepared coaches, and how to help them interact effectively with their parents and the community they serve,” she says.Connors also says the MCC doesn’t plan to call the game over once it hits its one million trained coaches goal. They’re in it to help coaches and athletes ”win” it with evolving resources he hopes to help make available long-term.“Our next horizon is to continue championing a youth sports environment where every young athlete receives the support they need in all the necessary ways,” Connors says. “By doing so, we aim to support every young athlete in reaching their full potential, both on and off the field.”
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