There’s nothing more fascinating than the pure athleticism required to compete at the highest level.
Athletes appear superhuman, masters of their craft, but in moments like these, it’s hard to see them as real people.
The book “Mind Games” explores how the perception that athletes are perfect or invincible impacts an athlete’s mental health. “Mind Games” gives readers insight into the historical and current state of sports psychology. Julie Kriegman, a freelance journalist who has worked for Sports Illustrated and The Ringer, interviewed several famous Olympians, professional athletes, and coaches to find out how athletes get through difficult mental health situations.
Kriegman will host a book talk and signing at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill on August 27th at 5:30pm, and her book is available to order.
Her events’ proximity to both Duke University and the University of North Carolina makes them a perfect fit for this story. Kriegman’s book delves deep into the challenges student athletes face in balancing rigorous training with demanding classwork. Often, they lack access to mental health care. Kriegman cites her own experience with sports and mental illness as the inspiration behind “Mind Games.”
“I ran cross country and track in high school, and I also began to struggle with mental health issues in high school,” Kriegman said. “As I got older, I realized that athletes at a much higher level than me were willing to talk about these things.”
Through his writing, Kriegman has been able to amplify athletes’ stories and raise awareness for making mental health care more accessible in the sports world. When asked about the availability of mental health resources for college athletes, Kriegman acknowledged that there have been major improvements over the past decade. The number of mental health professionals available on college campuses has steadily increased, and student-athletes are more vocal than ever about the mental aspects of sports.
“We need to acknowledge these steps, but also press the NCAA to do more and, more importantly, listen to what players want to press the NCAA to do more,” Kriegman said.
Kriegman said there’s still a lot of work to be done: For example, the NCAA has yet to require member schools to have at least one mental health professional on staff.
Kriegman believes the root of the problem lies in a fundamentally flawed connection between sports and higher education, where student-athletes are expected to not only practice up to 20 hours a week, but also travel, rehab, study and attend classes.
“Sometimes, participating at a very high level of sport is not in the best interest of the mental health of these athletes,” Kriegman said. “I think there are certainly mismatches in the system, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do our best to improve the training environment for our athletes.”
In “Mind Games,” Kriegman outlines several ways to do just that. One is to better integrate mental health care into student-athletes’ regular lives: Getting mental health screenings at the athletic facility instead of at the hospital makes seeking care much less scary.
Coaches, trainers and managers can also normalize help-seeking rather than viewing mental illness as a “sign of weakness.” Kriegman suggests that coaches simply share their experiences and remind people that there are people out there who will help them if they need it.
Some of this work is already happening at Duke University, thanks to the support of former and current players and coaches. Joan Palombo McCallie, head coach of the Duke women’s basketball team from 2007 to 2020, is a vocal advocate for mental health in sports. In her book, “The Secret Warrior,” McCallie recounts how she was advised to keep quiet about her struggles with bipolar disorder so as not to distract players. Just as players can ask for help, coaches should also feel comfortable speaking up when they need support.
UNCUT Duke is a student group on campus, one of many chapters across the country, that gives student-athletes a platform to tell their stories, including their struggles with mental illness. UNCUT also allows student-athletes to showcase their lives outside of sports, including their passions and campus involvement. These athlete-led efforts are integral to the mental health movement in sports, raising awareness of the issue and holding institutions accountable for not taking action.
“You have to give credit to the players for standing up and generally trying to stand up for themselves and each other,” Kriegman said. “They don’t owe it to anybody, but it’s really inspiring to see.”
Everyone, from fans to players to administrators, has a role to play in improving mental health in sports. As Kriegman writes in “Mind Games,” the solution isn’t as simple as providing more mental health resources to athletes. Addressing the problem requires taking care of athletes financially, supporting the mental health of coaches, and introducing sports psychology at a younger age.
Improving an athlete’s mental health starts not only with continuing to study sports psychology, but also by applying mindfulness to everyday life. Everyone will struggle with mental health at some point in their life, and Kligman believes no one should suffer in silence.
“I urge people to continue to speak out and realize that we’re not starting a dialogue, but we’re deepening a dialogue,” Kriegman said.
Following the Chapel Hill event, Kriegman plans to spend a week exploring the Duke University archives to research her next book. “Finding Renée” covers the life of Renée Richards, the transgender tennis player who sued the United States Tennis Association for the right to play in the 1976 U.S. Open. Kriegman is a recipient of the Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library’s Harry H. Harkins Travel Grant for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history. She will be examining a collection of papers by feminist activist and author Eleanor Fore Dean-Stark, donated to the library between 2014 and 2015. The collection includes notes, photographs and interviews from Dean-Stark’s unfinished biography, which Kriegman plans to use for her next project.
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