Post Injury Mental Resilience Program

An injury can sideline more than just an athlete’s body—it can impact their identity, confidence,
and mental well-being. Our Post Injury Mental Resilience Program provides one-on-one
emotional and psychological support for athletes navigating the challenges of a season- or
career-ending injury. Through tailored guidance, we help athletes process grief, rebuild
resilience, and find purpose beyond the game. We address feelings of isolation, anxiety, and
depression, equipping athletes with the mental tools to stay strong during recovery. Whether
returning to play or transitioning to a new chapter, our program ensures no athlete faces this
journey alone.

Recent studies have highlighted significant mental health challenges among student-athletes.
According to a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report, 36.2% of
young adults aged 18 to 25, approximately 12.6 million people, experienced a mental illness.
Student-athletes are a part of this demographic, and more must be done to create a supportive
environment where they feel empowered to seek help and openly discuss their struggles.

ADDRESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES OF STUDENT-ATHLETES

Mental health remains a critical yet under-prioritized issue among student-athletes. According to a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report, 36.2 percent of young adults aged 18 to 25, approximately 12.6 million people, experienced a mental illness. Student-athletes are a part of this demographic, and more must be done to create a supportive environment where they feel empowered to seek help and openly discuss their struggles.

California has recognized the importance of this issue through the CalHOPE Courage Award, which celebrates college student-athletes who have overcome substantial challenges to excel academically and athletically. The monthly award highlights the resilience of these student-athletes and demonstrates that facing and overcoming challenges is a natural part of the journey.

STUDENT-ATHLETES REPORT FEWER MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

Data from the NCAA Student-Athlete Health and Wellness Study shows student-athletes are reporting fewer mental health concerns than they did during the height of the pandemic, although the improvements are smaller in some demographics. The full study will be released at the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix.

Data collection for the Association-wide study administered by NCAA faculty athletics representatives began in September 2022 and concluded in June 2023. More than 23,000 student-athletes participated in the study.

Across all three NCAA divisions, this study revealed that mental health concerns are down across nearly every category from online surveys conducted by the NCAA at several points during 2020 and 2021. In men's sports, the biggest drops occurred in constantly feeling overwhelmed (down from 25% to 17%) and being mentally exhausted (down from 22% to 16%). The most significant decreases came among Division I men's sports student-athletes.

Among women's sports participants, reported mental health concerns were also down in nearly every category, but the decreases were smaller in comparison: 44% of women's sports participants reported feeling overwhelmed (down from 47%), and 35% reported feeling mentally exhausted (down from 38%).

Despite these improvements, certain groups continue to face higher rates of mental health
struggles. Women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ student-athletes reported the highest rates of mental
health struggles.

Enrique Hernandez