SAAC presents mental health panel for student-athletes

MINOT, N.D. – The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has composed a mental health panel set to take place on Tuesday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in Aleshire Theater, located in Hartnett Hall.

The event was created to start a conversation, that is uncomfortable for most, about student-athletes and mental health so both the athlete and the coach can better understand how to manage such issues helping athletes to not only play better, but most importantly, feel their best.

“We as a SAAC realize that there is a big need for support around student-athlete’s mental health, and an interactive event such as the mental health panel would be an awesome event for student-athletes to learn of resources and skills to help keep up with their mental health,” SAAC President Andrew Makarchuk said.

Another main goal that SAAC wants to achieve through this event is to inform student-athletes about resources on campus and in the community.

“There are a lot of resources on campus that student-athletes can go to if they need help with their mental health, and this panel will highlight them as well as ways that they can stay on top of their mental health in their personal and athletic lives,” Makarchuk said.

Zoya Robbins, a senior on the MSU softball team, is one of the SAAC members that helped turn the idea into a reality. She will speak on her experiences with mental health, as well as another student-athlete, prior to a Q&A with panelists.

“I believe that this will help student-athletes be more vulnerable and less afraid to find tools to help with their mental health. This panel will provide so many points of views on mental health that will only benefit student-athletes,” Robbins said. “Student-athletes should become more comfortable around their peers, speaking about their mental health. The more comfortable we can make our MSU community speaking about mental health, the better we will all be for it.”

Another important topic that SAAC hopes to get across is that mental health should be viewed just as important as any physical injury an athlete may go through. The stigma behind mental health, especially in college athletics, is that in the majority of scenarios, the issue is talked about too late.

“I have experienced this stigma first hand, and that's why I'm choosing to speak on this topic prior to the mental health panel. Everyone's story is important and valuable, and I'm hoping that sharing mine sheds light on the stigma. Everyone is going through something, and I just want people to feel comfortable about speaking about what they're going through,” Robbins said.

On top of the mental health panel that day, the MSU softball team will be hosting a double header vs. Minnesota State University Moorhead, beginning at 1 p.m., that will be dedicated as mental health awareness games.

“A couple teams in our conference have come together to play games dedicated to mental health and ending the stigma that surrounds mental health so that's kind of what inspired our team to do the same,” she said. “It will be a great segway into the mental health panel.”

The panel consists of four athletic staff members and two student-athletes. They will respond to questions that were submitted by student-athletes anonymously or during the open question portion towards the end.

“It's important because college students should feel like their mental health is a priority while navigating through everything college life throws at them,” Robbins said.

“I would love to see more coaches and players be willing to talk about these sorts of things and come up with strategies to maximize their mental health in their personal lives as well as helping them perform athletically,” Makarchuk said.

About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.

Published: 04/20/22   


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