When people think of the life of collegiate and professional athletes, they tend to only think about the glamorous aspects of it. Whether it be their ‘celebrity status’ or lifestyle that their occupation allows them to live, many people believe that these athletes have an easy life so to speak. This perception is based off of the highlights of these athletes lives that are publicly exposed, but many people do not incorporate their perception what goes on behind the scenes. This leads them to view athletes in this narrow realm of sports without thinking much else of them. There are a variety of different false perceptions and stereotypes that people have on athletes. One most detrimental ones that I have observed is the jock perception that is placed on athletes.

This is one of the most common perceptions that I have seen on athletes. This stereotype implies that people who play sports care less for their academics and have a less intellectual knowledge. The often times causes society to categorize these people as strictly athletes, with not much to offer outside of sports. Not only does this stereotype lower these athletes self esteem, but it also may hinder their actions. This is a stereotype that Student-athletes are faced with on college campuses across the nation. A study showed that student-athletes who enter exams believing the jock stereotype scored lower than student-athletes who were not accustomed to the jock stereotype. (Diekfuss) The effects that this stereotype can have on student-athletes can stay with them at the next stage of their lives. This perception of these student-athletes can make them limit themselves to only striving to accomplish goals in their sports, and not think about what they have to offer outside of sports.

Something that comes to mind when I think about people placing athletes in a categorial box is the topic of politics. There have been a number of occasions in american sports history that demonstrates how athletes used their platform to bring awareness to social and political issues. Some of the most memorable athletes that have done this includes; Muhammed Ali, Jesse Owens, Lebron James, Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapino, Jackie Robinson, and many more. All these athletes faced the same backlash of people telling them, ‘stick to sports’. Or in recent times the infamous quote of Fox reporter Laura Ingraham telling Lebron James to, “Shut up and dribble.” When Lebron was recorded expressing his views on political issues during the 2018 NBA season, Ingraham rebuked him on national television for giving his two cents on the widely discussed topic. She spoke in a way to implied that Lebron had no intelligence outside of basketball calling his comments “barely intelligible” and “ungrammatical”. Rather than limiting himself to the human being that Laura Ingraham perceived him as, James did they opposite. Instead he launched the #MoreThanAnAthlete movement and documentary. The movement received tremendous support and has been huge in advocating for athletes to express their intellect outside of their respective sports.

Colin Kaepernick is another prime example of society placing athletes in a box. Kaepernick generated one of the most historic protests in sports history. During the 2016 NFL season, Colin Kaepernick would kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustices towards people who faced oppression. This ultimately led to a large amount of controversy regarding politics. Many people including politicians themselves publicly criticized Kaepernick’s actions, deeming him un-American and unintelligent. This had a extremely conflicting effect in politics. The backlash forced people to choose sides, blinding the opposing side from even comprehending what his protest was even about. Headlines all over were not about how Colin Kaepernick was protesting against issues such as police brutality on african-americans, but rather how he had ‘No respect for America and it’s veterans of the armed forces’. Since Kaepernick was a football player, people did not care to hear what he was trying to say in the first place. The notion that he was not knowledgable enough to speak about topics outside of football was enough for people to disregard his opinion anyways, nonetheless go against the norm of standing during the national anthem.

This perception of athletes is more detrimental than it appears. This is especially true due to the large percentage of minorities that play professional sports. Some of the most influential people of color in the United States are athletes. They are admired for what they do in their fields of play which allows them to have powerful voices that are heard. Whether it be in the press, social media, or an actions like Colin Kaepernick, it is essential that athletes of color use their platform to speak or these types of social issues that are present in America. They can speak for a wide category of people whom may not have a voice that is heard. By limiting these athletes to ‘stick to sports’ it not only oppresses them, but the people that are affected by the social issues that they are bringing awareness to. The fact of the matter is, athletes have much more to offer to the world than their physical performances during their respective competitions. Society does not limit an entrepreneur from chasing different business ideas, or an artist from venturing into their creativity. Society definitely does not refrain people who are not in the realm of sports from critiquing athletes in their own sports. So why does society limit the knowledge of athletes outside of sports?

Works cited

Diekfuss, Jed. “The Dumb Jock: How Stereotype Threats Impact Student-Athletes’ Standards of Academic Competence.” MINDS@UW Home, 1 Aug. 2012, https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/63058.

Russell, Scott, et al. “The 20 Most Political Athletes in U.S. History.” Pastemagazine.com, 19 July 2019, https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2019/07/the-20-most-political-athletes-in-us-history.html.

Miller, Kathleen E. “Sport-Related Identities and the ‘Toxic Jock.’” Journal of Sport Behavior, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3107047/.

The topic of mental health is one that has been swept under the rug in the world of athletics for far too long. It is very normal for people to struggle with their mental health. So why is it that athletes are less inclined to seek help than people who do not participate in athletics? In 2012 it was reported that 1 in 5 adults experience a mental health issue each year. That number jumps up to 30% when looking at adults ranging from 18-25 years old, which covers the typical age range of collegiate sports participants. Less than 1/3 of those people in that age range who struggle with their mental health actually seek some form of treatment. (Bauman) There are many driving factors behind this.

The ever lasting “mental toughness” culture that is apparent in sports plays a huge part in this. As an athlete, you are shaped to have mental toughness to be able to withstand any adversity that you may face in your field of play. You hear this message from the moment you start playing your respective sport. While this mental toughness does give you the strength to withstand your mental challenges in a way, it is also conflicting to your own mental health. This can create a cross road when thinking about seeking help for your metal health. Often times athletes feel like if they seeking mental health attention is a sign of weakness. As if moving towards the direction of getting help would be foregoing the lessons of perseverance and, “pushing through the tough times” that they have been taught since they were young. It is even more complex than that. Not only do these athletes feel like they are letting their teammates/coaches down, but seeking help can also make themselves vulnerable as well.

In brutal honesty, seeking mental health treatment can put an athlete at risk. There are a variety of consequences that could stem from this, especially if they inform their coach. This is all apart of the culture that lives in the world of sports today. In my own experience, I have heard the phrase, “Football is a business.” countless times. This holds true especially once you get to the collegiate level, and it is amplified if you make it to the pros. Like any business, the measure of success is profit. Well in football for organizations and universities, the profit is dependent on each athletes production on the field. Your performance is looked at as a reflection of your position coaches’ teachings. These coaches jobs are literally on the line every single year. They are reliant on your ability to succeed on the field in order to make their living. If you were to present your mental struggles to your coach by asking for mental help, it could result as you being looked at as a liability. You could lose playing time, accountability, trust and in some cases even your contract to play. This leaves a student-athlete feeling as if the incentive for receiving mental health attention is outweighed by the risk of the consequences they may face. The University of Michigan’s head football coach, Jim Harbaugh exemplified this. A former player for the Wolverines opted to transfer citing depression as the reason when petitioning to the NCAA for immediate eligibility to play at his next school. When commenting on the situation Harbaugh is quoted saying “The youngster that says, ‘This is a mental health issue. I’m suffering from depression.’ Or that’s a reason to get eligible. And once that’s known: ‘Hey, say this or say that’ to get eligible. The problem I see in that is you’re going to have guys that are, ‘OK, yeah, I’m depressed.’” (Barnhouse) Believe or not the majority of coaches share the same view as Harbaugh on the topic of mental health. This goes to show that student-athletes mental health is not taken seriously enough and how overall coaches are not keen to properly handling these issues yet.

The dynamic of mental health in athletes in intriguing when looking specifically at student-athletes. As a student-athlete not only do you feel the competitive pressure in your field of play, but you also feel the same amount of pressure in your daily life as a non-athlete student would. Whether it be with school, social life, family, etc., a student-athlete is constantly facing an uphill battle in deciding what to spend their time and energy on mentally, physically and emotionally. Thankfully Universities have plans of action to help student-athletes balance their sports and school. Schools allocate millions of dollars into their student-athletes. There are nutritionists to help ensure you are eating a proper diet to perform at your best. There are strength and conditioning coaches that put you through a variety of different workouts to get your body into peak shape. There are an array of different counselors, advisors and tutors that ultimately make sure that you are successful enough to not be at risk to be academically ineligible. There are medical trainers and training rooms to help mend whatever injuries you may be dealing with, and even physical rehabilitation to prevent injuries that have not occurred yet. However, it is rare to find these same outlets that help a student-athlete succeed for their mental health, “For all the boxes that get checked to help an athlete succeed, mental health at most schools doesn’t get a box; it’s not on the list.” (Barnhouse)

This is not the case for all student athletes though. Some are fortunate to have the importance of mental health advocated to them as well as the resources presented to them. I am one of those people. Here at Oregon State, my head coach has done a tremendous job in letting us know that it is not only normal for student-athletes to struggle with mental health, but that it is OK! This was a big relief for me personally in my experience. There have been times throughout my career here at Oregon State where I have been depressed. It has run in my family for a very long time. In moments of depression I would feel as if was letting everyone down. I was so frustrated with myself for struggling and allowing that struggle to deter my focus from football. It was not until my coach pointed out that ‘I had not seemed like myself lately’ for me talk to him about what I was dealing with. In a fairly brief conversation, I told him about how I was struggling. What he said to me will stick with me forever. He told me that he wants me to know that it is even more important to seek mental health attention than physical health attention for an injury, “Just like you know there are resources for your physical health, I want you to know that there are resources for your mental health.” said my coach. Without hearing this from my coach I can honestly say I would have never chosen to seek mental health help.

It seems so simple, but I think that discussion coming from coaches to players that advocates mental health awareness and resources would have dramatic effects. As a student-athlete it is a hard decision to make when deciding to seek mental health attention, especially when you know the potential consequences. In order for more student-athletes to openly seek help for their mental struggles, it is important for them to feel as if their coaches genuinely care for their mental wellbeing. Oregon State University exemplifies efforts of this through their #DamWorthIt campaign. This is a initiative led by student-athletes at OSU to help break the mental health stigma. The DamWorthIt campaign’s mission is to, “Utilize the influential platform of sport to open up the conversation around mental health in the college environment and work to end the stigma. Making every team, every sport, and every student know that they are Dam Worth It.” (Oregon State Athletics) This provides student-athletes with a safety net to be able to express their mental struggles without having to face that cross road when deciding whether or not to seek help.

Works Cited

Edwards, Brian. “Trends in Reporting Mental Health Concerns among College Student Athletes Based on the National College Health Assessment.” OhioLINK ETD: Edwards, Brian, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/pg_10?0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:ucin1535374506247441#abstract-files.

Bauman, James. “The Stigma of Mental Health in Athletes: Are Mental Toughness and Mental Health Seen as Contradictory in Elite Sport?” British Journal of Sports Medicine, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine, 1 Feb. 2016, http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/3/135.

Oregon State Athletics. “Support Dam Worth It.” DamWorthIt – Oregon State Athletics, https://static.osubeavers.com/custompages/damworthit/.

One of the most beautiful things about sports is how it brings people together. Fans of different sports all over the world can come together to watch their favorite athletes and sports teams compete at the highest level. For most fans, what they see is the final product, the results. Athletes are known for what they can do physically based off of how well they perform in their respective field of play. Have you even stopped an wondered, at what cost does it take for these athletes to continually generate these physical performances? The worst part of all sports that does not receive the glam and glory is injuries.

It does not matter which sport you participate in, injuries are bound to happen. Now the extent at which athletes are at risk of injury does in fact differentiate depending on the sport. Playing Football in my case is almost like a roller coaster ride. A career with a stretch of thrill, but somewhere along the ride you are bound face brutal pitfalls of injuries. Have you ever heard the saying that, “Football is a gladiator sport”? At the highest levels, hundred-thousands of fans will pack into a arena to watch the physically violent clash of their beloved sports teams. Like the gladiator times of ancient Rome, fans will strongly align with a side and cheer at the sight of pain being induced on the opponent. An associate professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and History at Penn State states that, “Large-scale sporting events create intense bonds among fans, provoking feelings of belonging, validation and camaraderie. Individuals feel part of a greater whole, and they feel empowered.” (Hicks) Also much like these times in ancient Rome the emphasis was not on the wounded, but rather the warrior who came out victorious as they were celebrated over bloodshed. The sad reality is, no one cares too much about the fallen or even the damage the was taken taken by the victor.

Injuries are simply a part of the game. The NCAA conducted a study specifically on injuries that occurred from the 2004-2009 football seasons. It was found that, “The overall injury rate in NCAA football is 8.1 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures” (NCAA) That means for every 1,000 collective practices or games of all the teams associated in the NCAA, there is about 8 injuries that occur. The statistic mind-boggling when you think about the roughly 65,000 student-athletes that participate in those football exposures through the NCAA. Throughout these five seasons, there were also 23 non-fatal catastrophic injuries reported. However, there were 11 fatal injuries that were from indirect catastrophic injuries. This is described by the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research as, “fatalities that are caused by systemic failure as a result of exertion while participating in a football activity or by a complication that was secondary to a nonfatal injury.” (NCCSIR)

One of the most recent examples of a fatality from an indirect catastrophic injury was the tragedy of Jordan McNair in 2018. On May 29th of 2018, Jordan McNair a 19 year old collapsed while participating in football workouts at the University of Maryland. During the work out he was reported to have shown signs of extreme exhaustion, as well as a loss of equilibrium. He was rushed to a local hospital where he passed away due to a heatstroke that was sustained during the workout, with reported body temperatures of 106 degrees (ESPN) This tragedy ties back into my fundamental question, at what is the cost? In the world of college football, the off-season is equally as important as the regular season. This is a time where you are faced with the physically treacherous strength and conditioning team workouts, and participating in those is to only considered to be doing the bare minimum. It is a time where you train as hard as you can so that when the season comes around you have the slight advantage over your opponent. All of this physically demanding work just so you and your team can ultimately be the ones who stand in victory and glory. This young man’s body was literally pushed to the limits and in the most unfortunate and tragic scenario, the expense was his life.

Throughout my time here at Oregon State as a student-athlete I have faced a plethora of them. By the end of my junior year some of my serious injuries included; 3 torn shoulder labrums, 2 torn ankle ligaments, 1 severe concussion, and 1 fractured vertebrae in my neck. That list is substantial enough to end a career. In these times the highlights of sports in your life turn to gloom, and you feel as if you are walking down a dark path. A path that is not filled with camaraderie from fellow teammates and fans, but rather loneliness and uncertainty. In March of 2019, I did not know if I would ever be able to play football again. During a spring practice I had a scary collision with a steel fence that borders our practice fields here at Oregon State. Immediately upon impact, the pain was like nothing else I have felt before. The practice was stopped as the medical staff rushed to my attention. The whole thing was a blur to me, but I remember laying on my back unable to move until the paramedics arrived. As they carefully cut my pads off of me and dissembled my helmet piece by piece, with tears streaming down my face I told my coach, “I just want to play.” As I rode away in the ambulance, I couldn’t help but think if I was leaving a piece of my life behind for good. Fortunately for me, the doctor diagnosed me with only a fractured vertebrae in my neck. He said if it were not for me lifting my head up in a split second decision before colliding with the fence, I would have been paralyzed. I was beyond blessed to have made a full recovery and return to doing what I love.

I love a game that will never love me back. I play football because I am passionate about competing and playing my heart out to accomplish goals with my teammates. When you face serious injuries that is all taken away from you momentarily, and in the most unfortunate cases it is taken away from you forever. Football does not love anyone back. The physical toll that it takes on your body is unavoidable. This holds true for the majority of sports. Often times society gets so caught up on the entertainment aspect that sports generates, that they neglect all of the physical effort that it takes for these athletes to provide the entertaining product of all of their hard work. For the ones who are watching it may cost money, in some cases a large amount of money depending on the game. But for the participants, it costs so much more than what meets the surface.

Works Cited

University of North Carolina. “Definitions – National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research.” National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research Definitions Comments, https://nccsir.unc.edu/definition-of-injury/.

Hicks, Jesse. “Probing Question: Is Football Similar to Roman Gladiator Games?” Penn State University, https://news.psu.edu/story/141233/2009/09/14/research/probing-question-football-similar-roman-gladiator-games.

Dinich, Heather. “Sources: Maryland OL Jordan McNair Showed Signs of Extreme Exhaustion.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 10 Aug. 2018, https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/24343021/jordan-mcnair-maryland-terrapins-died-heatstroke-team-workout.

NCAA, “NCAA Football Injuries.” NCAA, https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/NCAA_Football_Injury_WEB.pdf”