Mental Health in the Student Athlete

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This toolkit contains FREE materials to encourage creating a culture of caring in your school community. One where everyone feels seen and supported.

Teens are facing an escalating crisis in mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in three high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness

or hopelessness in 2019. Nearly 20% of all high school students had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, a statistic that rises significantly for LGBTQ students and students of color. Sports teams offer unique opportunities to create spaces where teens feel safe, seen, heard, and valued.

A trusted, caring adult can be a game changer for young people, and coaches are ideally positioned to provide that support. You can be the first to notice when an athlete is struggling emotionally, and the first person an athlete trusts enough to reach out to.

***Download your***
***guide today***
**This guide will walk you through straightforward—but significant—steps you can take to:**
**•       Support mental health on your team.**
**•       Recognize and reach out to a struggling athlete.**
**•       Connect athletes to professional help, if and when it is needed.**

The Jed Foundation (JED) and Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) created this quick, easy-to-use guide to increase your knowledge and comfort in navigating these situations and conversations. We want to help you feel prepared, and we want you to know:

• You do not have to be a mental health professional to support an athlete with their mental health.

• You are never alone when you support athletes.

• You don’t have to provide care. You can be the bridge that connects them to it.

5 Mental Health Clips for Every Coach, Athletic Director and Sports Parent