Mount Saint Mary College’s School of Business and Student Business Association (SBA) hosted a panel discussion featuring local professionals in the sports and mental health fields earlier this month.
The event, “Drawing up a Play for Mental Health: What Student-Athletes Bring to the Conversation,” discussed how mental health can impact athletes, as well as the most constructive and beneficial ways that such concerns can be addressed.
The panelists were current Mount student-athletes Riley Norwood of East Haven, Conn., a member of the Mount’s Women’s Softball team; Chris Yearwood of Red Hook, N.Y., a member of the Mount’s Men’s Basketball team; Liz Petrellese of Levittown, N.Y., a member of the Mount’s Women’s Lacrosse team; and Cullen Roper of Stratford, Conn., a member of the Mount’s Baseball team. The panel was moderated by Scott Russell, associate professor of Sports Management.
Coaches and teammates, the panelists agreed, often provide meaningful support during difficult times.
“[Confiding in] a teammate, being open, and asking ‘How do you get out of a slump?’ Just being able to be transparent with my teammates helps a lot,” said Roper. “It’s hard to help someone if they don’t know you need help.”