MAC Leaders Speak About Mental Health Awareness
As a part of MAC Mental Health Awareness Week, here is what many of our MAC Leaders had to share.
Amanda Pinheiro – Akron – Women’s Track & Field
“The MAC Mental Health Initiative is one of my favorite parts of MAC SAAC. We are in the forefront of the initiative within the NCAA. We are working towards changing the stigma that surrounds mental health. This is something I am passionate about working on. We are using social media and the hashtags #ItsOkNotToBeOk and #TakingMACion to spread our message. The week of Feb. 15-21th will be our Mental Health Awareness Week with the NCAA Mental Health Summit on Feb. 16th. In Akron we are planning on really engaging the whole campus from Greek life to residence halls and making it a big event.”
Jillian Roth – Akron – Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field
"Akron Athletics is spreading Mental Health Awareness by letting all students know that it is okay to admit you have a weakness and that there are many resources to help you get stronger."
Shelby Merder – Ball State – Women’s Basketball
“The MAC Mental Health initiative is a movement that aims to bring a positive light to mental health issues that athletes have. Ball State is working on a PSA to help spread awareness about mental health issues. We are also planning to do a Random Act of Kindness project to instill positivity into our campus and community that is attached to athletics. “
Nicole Hranchook – Bowling Green – Women’s Swimming & Diving
“I am very proud of the MAC for being the front runners on the Mental Health Initiative. Now having a committee, I feel that awareness is the biggest push and the stigma is beginning to be broken down. At BG I feel our biggest change has been informing others where they can seek help. Utilizing the counseling center and their services we are trying to reach out to those who feel they are alone in this battle and let them know we are here to help.”
Treyvon Mask – Buffalo – Men’s Track & Field
“We need to make it ok in this day in age to openly talk about mental health and suicide.”
Casey Voisin – Central Michigan – Men’s Cross Country & Track & Field
“The Mental Health initiative that the conference has made over the last year has been remarkable. For our SAAC here at CMU, we have strived to spread awareness by setting up booths throughout campus during the Mental Health Awareness week with information regarding mental health and contact information to services and resources that can offer help. Being able to spread awareness throughout the entire student body – not just the student-athlete body - has been more than rewarding and effective through the use of social media. We had a lot of success this past spring, and we hope to further spread awareness by interacting more with our students on campus so that we have a better chance to help even more people in whatever way possible.”
Julia Lombardi – Eastern Michigan – Women’s Soccer
“Student-athletes really struggle to ask for help when it comes to Mental Health. Our lives and careers in athletics have taught us to persevere through any adversity we encounter; that anything can be overcome with hard work and discipline. The purpose of the MAC Mental Health initiative is therefore to remind student-athletes that it really is okay to not be okay. At the end of the day, we are only human. Seeking help from anyone does not mean you are weak. If anything it means quite the opposite. The purpose of the initiative is also to promote mental health awareness and education. Individuals, their teammates and their coaches should have their eyes open to mental health issues at all times, and also know where to go for help should it be needed.”
Madison Helterbran – Kent State – Women’s Soccer
“I’m very grateful to be a part of the MAC mental health initiative, because I think it is an issue that gets way overlooked.”
Andrew Dusing – Miami – Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field
“I love the Mental Health Week Initiative because it shows the support that athletes in the MAC have for each other. It is awesome to see rivals on the field, rink, track, or court come together and unify on the same team to make us all better. It is something unique and special about the MAC and I am glad I am one of their athletes.”
Kelsi White – Miami – Field Hockey
“The MAC Mental Health initiative is an effort by the conference to break down the stigma associated with mental health and the struggles that many athletes face with these issues. By promoting the idea “It’s okay to not be okay,” we are hoping that more and more athletes seek out help at an earlier stage if or when they are facing problems in these areas. Athletes tend to try to “suck it up” when it comes to mental health issues and are afraid of appearing weak as a result of them, so breaking down that stereotype will hopefully help those who are struggling. Miami University has made an effort to train and provide materials for coaches and players on what to do and where to go if you are concerned about the mental health of a fellow player or even themselves. There is also a psychologist within the athletic department that has become a permanent fixture within the various teams, showing up to practices and meetings; making himself visible, so that athletes feel comfortable and welcome approaching him if they do have concerns or need to talk with someone. Additionally, Miami is currently planning programming to help spread the word during the Mental Health Awareness week this coming February.”
Taylor Perkins – Northern Illinois – Women’s Cross Country & Track & Field
“The MAC Mental Health Initiative is something that makes me so proud to be a part of the MAC. Last spring at our MAC Leaders Symposium in Cleveland, we decided to create a sub-committee that would work hard with the MAC to make the MAC a leading conference in this initiative. I’ve seen mental health illnesses effect people I love, and the fear of asking for help debilitate those in need. I think one of the greatest things the MAC and the MAC Leaders are trying to do in this initiative, as well as during our MAC Mental Health Awareness Week in February, is to break the stigma associated with Mental Health. I believe the strongest words this campaign has produced is the hashtag #ItsOKtoNOTbeOK. Our school is working on getting ideas together for the Mental Health Awareness Week in February and one of them will definitely be using this hashtag and making a big social media push to promote this cause. In addition to this, our school will be focusing on making student-athletes aware of the services offered to them on campus and breaking the stigma associated with seeking help.”
Aaron Macer – Ohio – Football
“The MAC Mental Health Initiative is important to me because it is a pressing issue for our student athletes. The athletes are always supposed to be looked at as strong and never needing anyone’s help. I have lost one friend and teammate to suicide in high school and almost another one in college. This initiative is important to everyone as a whole and means a lot to me personally to be a part of it.”
Abby Gilleland – Ohio – Volleyball
“I think the MAC Mental Health initiative is an important part of distinguishing the MAC from other conferences. Mental Health among student-athletes is an issue that has been undervalued for a long time and I am proud to be apart of a conference that is making large efforts to improve this issue.”
Marissa Rossetti – Toledo – Cross Country and Track & Field
“The Mental Health Initiative is a very important topic that I am glad our conference is spreading awareness about. I hope in the future we continue to make aware and show others how much student-athletes truely appreciate this initiative. With what our conference representatives have been working on I am sure that more people can start to learn about mental health and even the issues collegiate athletes face during their sport and from day to day. I think with the help of so many people we can talk about it and guide athletes in the right direction so they can play and feel there absolute best.”
John Martillota – Toledo – Baseball
"The initiative taken by the MAC to support and promote Mental Health Awareness is incredible. It is providing a platform and sense of peace for what is most important to all student athletes - their well-being. I am excited to be a part of the continued progress our conference is making in promoting and achieving good mental health."
Kayla Weber – Western Michigan – Gymnastics
“I think the MAC Mental Health Initiative is very beneficial because many students struggle with anxiety, stress, depression, pressure from coaches and teammates, etc. This initiative is working to increase awareness so that student athletes, coaches, and administrators know that ‘it’s okay to not be okay.’ Here at Western, we added a ‘Take Care of Your Teammate’ page into our student athlete planners, which talks about mental health and how to look out for each other. Western will also be taking part in the Mental Health Awareness Week with social media and other activities.”
