University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville at the forefront of student-athlete mental health
11.03.2022 | General
The week of October 10 was declared World Mental Health Week.
And UNC Asheville's student-athletes are doing their part to raise awareness to this critical issue.Â
Dr. Laura Jones is an associate professor of health & wellness at UNC Asheville. She and UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone created a new mental health initiative for the Bulldog athletic department a few years ago.Â
"For a long time, there's been a real stigma when it comes to mental health," stated Jones. "And that's especially true with student-athletes who aren't supposed to struggle mentally. They're supposed to tough it out and be above having to deal with mental issues."
"But as we've all seen the past few years, that's just not the case," added Jones. "Student-athletes have a lot of pressures thrown at them. There have been studies that show NCAA Division I student-athletes struggle more than students. And a lot of times they just don't have a place to turn to."
"Thankfully, Janet Cone realized that a few years ago and we got together determined to put something together that would help UNC Asheville's student-athletes when it came to mental health," Jones also said.
Jones, a highly-regarded faculty member at the University with an expertise in health and wellness, mental health, neuroscience and other related areas, created a program where student-athletes, coaches and administrators would be educated and treated in mental health.
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Ever since joining Bulldogs athletics, mental health services directed by Jones at UNC Asheville have been generally regarded as a model for college athletics throughout the country.
"I can't say enough about Janet Cone and her support to make this program work. We've also had great support from the coaches and administrators," said Jones.
And one of the key components of the program is the student-athlete ambassadors. Each athletic team at Asheville has a student-athlete ambassador on its roster.
"I'm really excited about how our student-athletes have bought into this program," explained Jones.Â
One of the student-athlete ambassadors is baseball player Cameron Johnson. He explains why he wanted to be an ambassador.Â
"Mental health is just as important, if not more important, than our physical health. Everyone has their struggles, some more than others, but there's always a way out. I felt like it was important to be involved in breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health," said Johnson. "My anticipated outcome of this program is to shine a light on mental health struggles and allow for action to be taken on behalf of our administration, athletic department, and community to benefit the student-athletes that will improve accessibility, resources, and support."
"The ambassador program will look to create workshops, develop resources, advocate on social media, and meet with faculty groups and donors" he added.  Â
Johnson explains that there are still a lot of misconceptions about student-athletes and what they go through.
"The perception around college athletes is toughness. And while that is true, we carry such a heavy burden of responsibilities while enduring and balancing many things throughout our day. Throughout the week we're waking up at 4:30 in the morning for weights and not getting home until 7:00 that evening," stated Johnson. "Stress can build up and time management is crucial. Creating that balance between family, social life, athletics, and academics is important. It's about working every day to fulfill your purpose and accomplish goals while maintaining peace and happiness."
Men's basketball player Fletcher Abee will be a junior on this year's Bulldog roster. He came to Asheville after transferring from The Citadel.Â
"My main purpose in being an ambassador is that I wanted to make sure that our team takes this seriously. I wanted to have input into this program and make sure that our mental needs were met," said Abee. "And I can tell you from being an ambassador that this has been a great program for our team."
Abee echoed what Johnson said about the pressures of being a student-athlete.
"We're taught at a young age as an athlete that we just have to 'tough things out.' You shouldn't need help. Needing help is a sign of weakness," explained Abee. "Just put your head down and keep going. But that isn't healthy. Sometimes you need a break or just someone to talk to and explain about what you're feeling and what you're going through."
Women's soccer player Brianna Bitz decided to become an ambassador due to her own personal experiences and the tragic death of Stanford soccer player Katie Meyer who committed suicide last spring. Â
"I wanted to be an ambassador because I have my own personal experiences that I have been through and wanted to bring a student-athlete voice to mental health," said Bitz. "This is such a great program we have at UNC Asheville. I was really stunned when I heard about Katie Meyer's death. She seemed from the outside like she had everything going for her."
"Sometimes it's hard being a student-athlete. The biggest thing if you come forward with something that is bothering you, you're worried that you're going to be seen as weak and you should tough it out," added Bitz. "Mental health is just as important as your physical health and I am so glad that UNC Asheville understands that and has resources for us if we're struggling. I'm honored to be the ambassador for women's soccer and I'm always going to be there for my teammates."
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