Mental Health issues with NCAA student/athletes

[volleyq17]

Interesting and informative subject

FOXSports- Mental health issues a huge challenge for NCAA in regard to student-athletes-http://www.foxsports.com/other/story/madison-holleran-ncaa-student-athletes-mental-health-issues-032515

[volleywow]

I usually lurk but this subject is important. My relative played four years for a top collegiate WVB team. In that short time there was one player who was dangerously anorexic. Her teammates called a meeting with the coaching staff because it was being ignored. She continued to play, the issue was never mentioned again, and no one knew if she got help or not. Another player went beyond normal college student binge drinking, in three years she had at least four trips to ER for stomach pumping and several episodes of drinking until unconscious, and a suicidal threat psych hold. She remained on the team and her teammates didn't seeing any real consequences or treatment. The head coach didn't address it with the team until her drunken behavior caused a problem on campus and there was no choice but to dismiss her from the team. A third player had grave mental health issues. The university has more funding than most and is in a part of the nation where therapy is common. Most feel that the head coach isn't confident in knowing how to address these issues and avoids them. There is a need for far more training for coaches in how to address mental health and substance abuse issues because this one school can't be the exception.

[hammer]

Mar 29, 2015 17:07:54 GMT -5 volleywow said:

I usually lurk but this subject is important. My relative played four years for a top collegiate WVB team. In that short time there was one player who was dangerously anorexic. Her teammates called a meeting with the coaching staff because it was being ignored. She continued to play, the issue was never mentioned again, and no one knew if she got help or not. Another player went beyond normal college student binge drinking, in three years she had at least four trips to ER for stomach pumping and several episodes of drinking until unconscious, and a suicidal threat psych hold. She remained on the team and her teammates didn't seeing any real consequences or treatment. The head coach didn't address it with the team until her drunken behavior caused a problem on campus and there was no choice but to dismiss her from the team. A third player had grave mental health issues. The university has more funding than most and is in a part of the nation where therapy is common. Most feel that the head coach isn't confident in knowing how to address these issues and avoids them. There is a need for far more training for coaches in how to address mental health and substance abuse issues because this one school can't be the exception.

Probably worth pointing out that there are coaches who want to address these issue(s), but other administration officials may be warning them about potential legal ramifications. Some of these are no doubt due to privacy concerns.

[dkh]

I urge a few to post the link on social media where student athletes will see it and see how many "likes" it gets. It's a good indication of how relevant the topic is to your athletes. You may or may not be surprised by the number. I would also point out that there seems to be a high number of student athletes working towards a degree in psychology and may find the topic of interest.

[volleywow]

You brought up an essential factor when a coach deals with these issues. Working in the medical field HIPAA is beat into us and probably with coaches too. However, this coach isn't comfortable with touchy feely discussions and the lack of response went beyond HIPAA restrictions. It's a tough gig because they're coaches, not therapists. I wonder if the NCAA spends too much time discussing HIPAA restrictions and not enough training material on what is largely a population of men in charge of 15 teenagish females. The NCAA may be lacking in mandating sufficient trainings on the issues pertaining to female athletes. I didn't know much about this population until my niece started playing college ball but I discovered what you all probably already know. They're a unique population and are often overachievers and perfectionists. This can be fertile ground for eating disorders, intense pressure, depression when not living up to expectations, and sometimes self-medicating. Most of these kids fair very well and achieve successful careers and lives. However, the one coach I know about is ill-equipped to address the issues on the team.

Disclaimer: I'm just the uncle and my niece is as level-headed as they come but the stories shared (granted, it was her take on the situation)concerned me. I also realize much can happen behind the scenes that teammates and relatives are not privy to but it didn't look too promising from the outside.