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AFH Opinion

AFH Opinion

AFH Staff Opinion

Our Work Must Go On: What’s Changed Since Our First Mental Health Article?

Written by Suzanne Potts, LMSW, MPH & Rachel Chao

In 2019, we published an article talking about the real need for resources for athletes to protect and support their mental health. We shared these startling facts: approximately 35% of elite athletes experience mental health challenges, and only 10% of collegiate athletes in need of mental health resources actually seek them out. When we published it, there was a small minority of athletes who were willing to share parts of their stories, and mental health was only starting as a more common cultural conversation. 

In 2019, we could not have imagined where this conversation would go. 

Three years later, we’re still committed to elevating stories of athletes’ mental health journeys, and advocating for increased accessibility, awareness, and acceptance of athlete mental health resources.

Three years later, we’re still committed to elevating stories of athletes’ mental health journeys, and advocating for increased accessibility, awareness, and acceptance of athlete mental health resources. We solidified our dedication to athlete mental health by launching Whole Being Athlete in 2021. We are grateful and humbled to lift up the voices of our Mental Health Ambassadors, who have had the courage to share their own stories. We have worked with remarkable partners such as Doc Wayne, Hilinski’s Hope, The Hidden Opponent, PBS’ Well Beings and others who inspire us with their activism and courage. We have committed to consistently adding resources to our Mental Health Resource Hub, to ensure that help is never that far away. Athletes at all levels, from high schoolers to Naomi Osaka, have spoken out more and more about the importance of protecting their own mental health and supporting others to do the same. Organizations and teams have begun to do more work to re-examine how their environment impacts the mental health of their athletes. 

In the last three years, so much has changed, and yet  so much more work needs to be done. This conversation continues as a reaction to devastating losses in the sports world. In the spring semester of 2022, there have already been five confirmed student athlete deaths by suicide – each of these losses representing more than an athlete, but a person with hopes and goals and a community that misses them daily. In the last few weeks, we have had the opportunity to speak to current, future, and former athletes who have reached out to us, asking what they could do to help. Each of them have shared stories of their own challenges, and feelings of isolation, anxiety, or despair they experienced as an athlete. With these conversations, we heard a common theme of gratitude that this topic is coming up more and more… and the push to ensure that other athletes know that they are not alone.

Our work is just beginning, and this conversation is nowhere close to ending. Where do we go from here?

We go with courage, to start hard conversations. We created the Pledge to Reach Out to encourage athletes of all levels and abilities to reach out to their teammates who may be struggling. We will continue to reflect as an organization, to recognize how to better take care of ourselves, and our athletes.  We will take action when needed.

We go with recognition of the lives that we’ve lost. We remember the humanity of the athletes who have died by suicide. We think of their family, friends, and teammates, and will continue to hold them in our hearts. We are inspired by the families and friends involved at Hilinski’s Hope, Morgan’s Message, The Hidden Opponent, Doc Wayne, and so many other incredible organizations invested in supporting athlete mental health.

We go with resources and hope. We will continue to give a platform for stories of those who are willing to share their stories, to remind people that there is help and support waiting for them, whenever they’re ready to access it. We will continue to share hotlines, websites, and organizations that provide mental health support. We will continue to prioritize education around mental health and wellness. We will commit to bringing together athlete voices, stories, resources and more to elevate opportunities to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

Wherever we go next, we’re ready for the challenges ahead. We hope you will join us.

Mental Health Athlete Spotlight

Injuries, Recovery & Mental Health

By Mattis Koch

Mattis Koch is a current student at Missouri State University, and former collegiate soccer player. Mattis is originally from Germany, and has played internationally with FC Union Berlin Youth Club.

And there I was laying on the pitch with that weird numbness in my right leg. I knew exactly what happened because I had this feeling before: I tore my ACL. Again. The second time this year. I didn’t know what to think or what to feel anymore. 9 months I had been working 4 to 5 hours a day with athletic trainers, doctors, and coaches with the goal in mind to play soccer again. I missed this feeling of leaving my heart out on the pitch, competing, winning, losing, trash-talking, and just everything soccer is about. 9 long months of pain, sweat, and tears just to have those feelings back and in the second session with my new team, I tore my ACL again.

I came from an elite youth academy in Germany to a top 10 D1 soccer program to get injured on the second day of practice. 6,000 miles away from my family and friends, laying on the turf feeling like this moment would never end. My knee didn’t even hurt, I was too devastated to feel anything.  Why does this happen to me? Why again? What do I do now? Can I ever play again? The following months after my second ACL reconstruction surgery I did not have the fire in me that I had during my first rehab. I was anxious to play again. What if I tear it a third or a fourth time?  I was supposed to go pro, earn the big bucks, win titles, be famous and not looking down on my crutches while desperately trying to walk again.


I wish this was the amazing story of how I still found the motivation to return to play soccer, win the NCAA championship, and get drafted to the MLS, but it’s not. This is the story on how to overcome and deal with mental health issues during a career-ending injury and how to deal with the fact that a lifelong dream can be taken from you in a short period of time. I felt this certain emptiness inside me and didn’t know how to fill it. I felt like a failure, and I felt alone. All my friends are out there signing contracts and winning titles while I’m just trying to deal with the fact that I will never do any of those things again.

This is the story on how to overcome and deal with mental health issues during a career-ending injury and how to deal with the fact that a lifelong dream can be taken from you in a short period of time.

Mattis Koch

The stigma associated with mental health for athletes makes it almost impossible to openly talk about feelings to teammates and coaches. It is considered a sign of weakness; and I was too proud to tell others how bad I was struggling. Psychology has a big impact on recovery from severe injuries and dealing with mental health issues often results in worse rehabilitation outcomes. Although it is not well researched, tools like positive self-talk, goal setting and healing imagery can aid the athlete in recovering from injury. Injuries are part of every sport, but the mental aspect is often overseen by many. As an athlete you are just supposed to “deal with it”. If you feel like the injury hurts your brain more than the affected body part, don’t be afraid to seek help. It will benefit you during the time in rehab, and later in life, whether you continue your athletic career or not.

If you feel like the injury hurts your brain more than the affected body part, don’t be afraid to seek help.

Mattis Koch

It’s okay to struggle and feel lonely, especially during injuries. Don’t be afraid to reach out to psychologists, teammates, coaches, or family about your mental health. It is not a sign of weakness; it shows how strong you are and is the first part of the healing process. You can only be helped if people are aware of what you are going through.

The Whole Being Athlete Series is a platform for athletes to share their stories about their own mental health journey. If someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please call the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) hotline 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) M-F 10am-8pm Eastern or info@nami.org. Athlete-specific mental health resources can be found here.