Written by: Mikaela Brewer | COO

#Timeout4MentalHealth

Research | Community | Technology | Content

Welcome back to The Huddle!

“Practice the Pause.”

Updates from the Timeout Team & Community

Our Timeout symbol is a pause button — a beacon of rest, recovery, recalibration, and a call to the present moment. As a team, we want to walk the walk, lead by example, and #TakeATimeoutForMentalHealth when we need to.

Each team meeting we check in about burnout — our chronic stress, energy depletion, exhaustion, apathy, capacity, and bandwidth. Over the past while, our team’s burnout scores have been extremely high. We’ve realized that we need to hit the pause button while we’re working on building it. And that’s okay.

In the best interest of our mental health, we have decided to take August off. We’ll be scaling back to focus on fundraising and critical objectives until September. One of these critical objectives includes exciting momentum with product development and customer acquisition, which we will keep rolling. Our official Program Evaluation product launch will be in early September. Stay tuned!

Thank you so much for being a part of building Timeout to what it is today. We feel the energy from our community, and it continues to propel us forward.

A Few Things Coming Soon…

That we would love your support with!

• We’re looking to meet with angel investors — if you’re able to help us connect, we would greatly appreciate it!
• If you’re interested in beta testing with us, please email annie@thetimeout.app & mikaela@thetimeout.app
• If you’re interested in joining the Timeout Community, please email nadia@thetimeout.app & deja@thetimeout.app
• If you’d like to write with us on Medium, please fill out this form or sign up for a potential interview consult here.
• We are looking for animators & illustrators! If you are interested or know someone who is, please email mikaela@thetimeout.app for more information.

Thank you so much for being here. We appreciate your time and dedication to saving athletes’ lives. If you’d like to follow up with us about any input, thoughts, insight, questions or concerns, please reach out to admin@thetimeout.app.

We’ll be in touch soon!

With gratitude,

The Timeout Team

Timeout Company Newsletter was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Trigger Warning: this interview discusses self-harm and suicide — please read & engage if it is the right time for you.

“God can definitely lead you to a therapist. Maybe that’s the answer to the prayer that you needed to hear. […] I’ve done therapy before. I’ve done counseling before. I encourage anybody to do it. It’s been so helpful for me — especially growing up in the church. I know there have been people who have really not been fond of counseling or therapy because they feel like the only counselor is God. And yes, He’s a wonderful counselor, but God also created people to be counselors and therapists.”

The athlete ecosystem is one of the most vibrant, inspiring, and soulful communities. It is also submerged in an expectation that these things can only be maintained by a standard of mental toughness that deeply embeds mental health stigma. At Timeout, we’re deconstructing this barrier by painting the full picture — bringing you the humans beneath athletes, coaches, care providers, and anyone else immersed in this world. We’re exploring mental health research in a fresh and approachable way — by welcoming our entire community into the conversation and asking questions that will prompt change. Let’s redefine mental toughness together.

In this interview series called “Origin Stories,” we are talking with individuals living in the athlete ecosystem about their journey as a human, and the mental health challenges that come with it.

This month, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sylvester Long, a motivational speaker, author, musician, and former athlete from Columbus, Georgia. His goal is to help others become the best version of themselves they can be — help them realize that the pain we experience is temporary, but connected to the purpose that is defined, designed, and destined for our lives.

Learn more about Sylvester here & explore his work here!

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

The Journey from Athlete to Athletic Director

MB: Tell me a bit about your journey with athletics and going from being an athlete to wanting to be more on that sports admin side of things, because they’re obviously very different experiences. So I’m curious about your path to get there.

SL: Growing up, I’d [played] sports my entire life — baseball and especially when I got into high school track & field was my main sport. I’ve loved it ever since and I did it all the way through college. So I enjoyed competing. I enjoyed competing with my fellow teammates who I still talk to today. I enjoy just being in that atmosphere.

My undergrad degree was in exercise science, so I wanted to do something [along] that route. So my final year [of college] I did an internship with the athletic department. It’s weird to see the operations side and the admin side of things and it really piqued my interest. So I was like, “Okay, I feel like this is something I want to do because I want to be in this exciting atmosphere still, but also help athletes and help the departments thrive in the best way. So that’s where it kind of started for me — I wanted to be in sports administration because the transition from being a fan, to being an athlete, to wanting to work in that atmosphere, I feel like it’d be a cool transition for me. So that’s my overall goal at least, because of course I want to coach too, but the overall goal is to be an athletic director.

MB: Yeah, that’s so cool and so true. There’s just a whole other side of things and a different way that you get to see athletics versus actually competing. You kind of get that bird’s eye view, which is really cool.

Faith as a Lifestyle

MB: So I want to get into what you and I wanted to talk about which is this whole spirituality & religion piece and how that’s played a role in your athletic career, in your life in general, and how those things are connected. So I guess we can do a broad overview — how did that really start for you? Where did your faith start?

SL: So I grew up in the church, Christian. My mom was a minister, and my grandfather and grandmother were Pastor & First Lady of the church. So growing up, we had to go to church because, you know, the whole family had to go. And it started all the way back as a kid, when I didn’t want to go because I knew I had to go. But I really started to get my own understanding at a young age — what it meant to really go to church, work to be a part of it, and have that experience with God. So it was probably middle school when that happened — I really started to develop my own relationship with Him because I just knew how important He was in the lives of my family members. And I wanted Him to have that much importance in my life as well. So every day I do what I can to put Him first in everything that I do — athletics, competing, speaking, whatever the case may be. Because honestly, I wouldn’t be where I am without Him, you know? Because everything that’s happened in my life had to happen the way it did, for a purpose. So, I just look at it as: He’s the reason that I’m here. He’s the reason that I’m able to speak to people, do motivational speaking and have the patterns that I do in the calling that I have.

MB: I love that. I’ve kind of grown into my faith later in my life — I was already in university. So that’s really cool to hear how you grew up with it and how it was just a part of how you did your everyday life. And I’m curious how your faith was further shaped by sports?

SL: Yeah, so every time before a meet, or before a game that I was in, we always prayed — praying that we’d do well and that no matter what the outcome was that we’d do our very best. Because we knew things happen. We knew that losses will happen and that’s a part of the game — it’s just a matter of how we reframe it in our minds. I had to learn that because at times I was a bad loser, I’m not going to lie — I just didn’t take anything well at all. But I had to learn at some point that losses can be considered a lesson. You can take what you learn, move forward with it and apply it the next time.

I want to help other people learn that same lesson as well, whether it be in athletics or just anything else in life. So that’s when I started doing motivational speaking. In 2014/2015 when I started, I’ve been wanting to help people turn pain into purpose, and understand the reason why everything happens — helping them become the best version of themselves that they can be. He’s really been a big part of everything that I do because he’s like a foundation. I use him as a foundation in anything that I speak about. Whether it be a testimony about my life or what I think about my thoughts, I use God as the foundation of that.

MB: I really like how you said that and somebody told me at one point: it’s okay if you want to be mad when shit hits the fan. It’s about it being more of a back and forth, open conversation — the foundational conversation.

Pain into Purpose

MB: I know you touched on this a little bit — hardships and pain and a lot of the things that we go through just as people. But if you’re comfortable sharing, I’m curious how you got to that point where you could really talk about turning pain into purpose, and how your faith was the overarching piece of that.

SL: So one piece of advice my grandfather always taught me growing up — and I took it with me ever since he passed — was that the life that I’m living right now is not for me, it’s for somebody else, because somebody is [always] watching how I operate. Somebody is watching or seeing how I get through my obstacles in some way, shape, or fashion and is maybe struggling in their own way, going through the same thing that I’m going through, or something different. They’re wondering: how are you able to pick yourself back up? How are you able to keep moving forward? And I just tell them it’s not easy. It’s definitely not easy moving forward because sometimes we end up going backwards. Sometimes we end up just feeling how we feel. You have emotions for a reason. We’re not robots — feel those emotions. Don’t stay there too long, but feel the way you feel. And it’s just a matter of putting a name to what you’re feeling, acknowledging that it’s there.

For a while, I didn’t really know how to share my story. I didn’t know how to talk about it until college at least. So college came and I just really wanted to change some stuff up because I was always a quiet kid — you know, always to myself and kind of shy. So it really helped me to grow as a person and as a speaker to be able to share my testimony with somebody who’s been in my shoes in some way, shape, form, or fashion because that’s my overall goal. I want to help somebody even if it’s just one person, helping them turn their pain into their purpose and go from a test to a testimony. So it all started with me just making the decision to want to share my story because somebody may need to hear it. I may not know who it is, but somebody needs to hear it.

MB: I love that. I mean, definitely not an easy conclusion to come to. It’s reminding me of the verse — I think it’s 2 Corinthians 1:4 — about your pain having a purpose for other people and the things that you’ve walked through can help you help other people walk through them:

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given.”

I used to write it on everything when I was going through my own mental health battles. So I appreciate you sharing that because it’s really important. We have to take care of ourselves, but we also have to see how the things that we go through will help others if we choose to share about it.

SL: For sure, yeah. I always have certain verses — my favorite verses. One of my favorites is Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know the plans that I have for you. Plans to prosper and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.”

That’s one of my favorites because it just gives me that reminder that I’m here for a reason. I was called to do something, purposed to do something — whatever the case may be. And I intend on doing that in some way, shape, or fashion and that’s how my motivational speaking came. Ironically (not ironically) a year after [my grandfather] passed is when I started speaking. So I feel like it wasn’t a coincidence that I started at the end. I knew that his legacy had difficulty in some way, and I fit here and I felt that God showed me that that was the time. He gave me the opportunity to start doing motivational speaking at a time of wanting to pursue it the least.

MB: Yeah, so amazing. And I mean, this is applicable for people who don’t identify as Christian or don’t have a specific religion or faith that they identify with. Maybe they just identify as being spiritual, you know, but it’s a lot of the same messaging that people can hold onto: there’s something bigger than themselves.

Finding Your Footing

MB: I’m curious if you have any advice that you would share for young people, especially athletes, who are maybe not quite there yet, but they’re trying to find their footing.

SL: When it comes to knowing what your purpose is, you’re not going to know it right off, and that’s part of the process. It’s [more] like doing things that you really enjoy — if you know something really tugs at your heart, and you want to do something about it to help, you’ll have an idea of [where to go] in that route. Just take it one step at a time and go from there.

Because there’ll be signs there. There’ll be signs given to you or shown to you. For some people [it may be to] teach or preach. For some people, they may be called to be a doctor or therapist.

It’s not going to be easy pursuing it because you’re going to have people who are going to try to imitate you, but let’s just be honest, they can steal the recipe and cook all they want but the sauce ain’t gonna taste the same. Only you can pursue that the way you do.

MB: Yeah, well said! It’s almost like: you might not know exactly what you’re supposed to do, and it might be a little bit confusing, but you’ll know whether or not you’re going in the right direction. And I think faith helps with that for sure — letting yourself be guided.

Mental Healthcare & Faith Coexist

MB: One thing that I’ve always struggled with or kind of had trouble wrapping my mind around is: I was sometimes told by friends, “Oh, you just need to pray about things that you’re experiencing.” And I’m thinking, I don’t know — I think sometimes you may need help beyond [prayer], in medical care, seeing a therapist, and medication. I believe that those things coexist. But mental health care and faith butt heads in some cases, or people see them as butting heads. So I’m curious [about] your thoughts on that or your experience with that if you’re comfortable sharing.

SL: I was the same way growing up — you’re told to pray about it. Prayer changes things and I’m a firm believer that prayer can definitely change things. But I also believe that God created people to be therapists. God called people to be therapists because that’s a way of ministry and ministering to people. So people are out here doing what they’re called to do. It’s a matter of how people look at it. In that regard, they definitely can coexist.

Mental health is very important to me. And I’ve been very, very vocal about it lately, and especially the past couple of years. I just want people to understand that mental health is real — just as much as physical health. Just because you don’t see nothing wrong doesn’t make it any less real, or fake or anything like that. Mental health is real. People go through things in their minds that you don’t know about because they may not want to talk about it.

There is pain going on there. You may not be able to see it but it's inner pain inside that people don’t necessarily talk about. Some people may not be comfortable talking about it and that’s normal. You know, it takes time to open up about that.

MB: It definitely does, and I think that when you really struggle, it doesn’t mean that you’re failing at praying. You can (and should) definitely pray about it. But sometimes you need a little extra help, and that’s okay, and those things can happen at the same time. That’s something I’ve heard from a lot of athletes in particular — they think they gotta power through it and keep praying about it and figure it out on their own. God can lead you to a therapist, just as He can lead you to anything else. I think that’s super important.

SL: I so agree. I love what you said there because God can definitely lead you to a therapist. Maybe that’s the answer to the prayer that you needed to hear. People don’t think about it like that. The answer to that prayer may be a spiritual counselor or pastoral counsel [who] can give you tips that can help you along your faith journey and mental health journey. God can answer prayers. And there are more ways than one.

I’ve done therapy before. I’ve done counseling before. I encourage anybody to do it. It’s been so helpful for me — especially growing up in the church. I know there have been people who have really not been fond of counseling or therapy because they feel like the only counselor is God. And yes, He’s a wonderful counselor, but God created people to be counselors and therapists too.

There was a quote, and I’m trying to remember how it goes:

“He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the call.”

You know, people are kind of stuck in their old ways because they don’t want to adopt new ways — which I can understand to an extent — but you know, things change, life happens, new methods will come about and God created it (or whatever you believe in because I know there’s all kinds of religions). Everything’s here for a reason. Take advantage of it while you’re here because I want you to be able to get the kind of help that you need.

MB: Yeah, so true. And it’s such an important conversation because people don’t talk about this. So, I really appreciate you being so open and honest about it. Thank you.

Comparison, Perfectionism, and Fearing Failure

MB: So I want to pivot a little bit because I was looking through your book and I really liked the way that you broke it up into some of the different struggles that you’ve had, and how that plays a role in turning the pain that you feel from them into purpose. Let’s start with the comparison, perfectionism, and fear of failure area — what has that looked like for you either as an athlete or just as a person? How have you navigated that alongside your faith?

SL: Honestly, that was probably one of my favorite parts to [write] about because I have been guilty of that — comparing myself to other people, especially while trying to get to where I want to be in life. And I look at other people and I’m like, “I’m happy for you. You’re doing your thing.” but as happy as you are for that person, you can’t help but feel: okay, when’s it gonna be my turn? I’m still stuck. I feel like I’m just in the middle here. I don’t know what to do anymore. And along with that fear, I also felt like failing was something that I just couldn’t take because I had a bad reaction to it. I had perfectionism problems growing up and I had to learn that the hard way.

I had to learn (as well as other people had to remind me) that comparison is the thief of joy. Me trying to compare myself to other people, especially on social media, can have a negative effect on my own joy in my life. Don’t compare your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 20.

I had to learn that people post the highlights — the good stuff — but a lot of times people don’t post the downfalls that they’re going through on social media. You’ll see people post: “I just got this job,” or “I got this house” — all the great stuff — but nobody really talks about the things that they went through to get there. You never know what they went through to get what they have now.

So, I had to understand about celebrating the here and now — the moments that I do have now and just understand that my time is coming. Even to this day, I can struggle with it from time to time and that’s normal. But in those moments, I have to remind myself that my time is coming and it won’t be like this always. It’s going to happen at the right point in time. It may not be on my time, but it will be at the right point in time. And when that time does come, I’ll be more grateful for the things that have happened before that had to happen to get me to where I want to be in life. So it’s just a matter of showing gratitude and being thankful for where I am now.

I could be dead right now. But I’m not. I’m able to move my limbs and I’m able to breathe. Even if you’re not in the career that you want to be in right now, or where you want to be in life, still look at the blessings that you do have. I have a roof over my head, I have food on the table, and clothes on my back. So gratitude is a big part of this for me. I had to learn and understand what it meant to really show gratitude and be thankful for what I already have.

MB: Yeah, absolutely. And I think one of those things too is growth and being grateful for growth because there are so many things — especially when you have that perfectionist mindset — that you label as failure when they’re actually growth. And that’s something that God has led you to intentionally, but it’s really hard to recognize in the moment.

Imposter Syndrome & Transitions

MB: I want to get into another side of comparison and perfectionism — the whole idea of imposter syndrome, especially as athletes and athletes transitioning into spaces where they’re no longer the captain or the senior. How have you navigated that feeling of imposter syndrome?

SL: Yeah, I’ve had to deal with impostor syndrome for as long as I can remember. You feel like you’re at the top of the world, you’re going okay, and then you start somewhere else, and you see all these people who are higher up and you don’t know how to feel.

Then you think, “Maybe I’m not as good as I thought I was.” You start to have these doubts creep into your mind.

I think it’s just a matter of knowing your worth. Knowing who you are on the inside and knowing how good you are and not letting anything or anybody say otherwise. Knowing who you are in Christ, knowing who you are as a person, and as an athlete.

I was a pro at beating myself up and I had to learn that we all are imperfect. We all make mistakes. You know, I feel like we all want to win, but you’re a winner if you give it your all because some people wouldn’t give it even 50%. So give it your all. Give it 110% in whatever sport that you’re in, whether it be volleyball, tennis, or basketball. Even if it’s outside the court give it your all because if that’s something you love doing, you won’t let anything or anybody tell you that you’re not meant for this. How do you know when I’m not meant for something? You don’t know me. I don’t know you. So I know what I’m good at. I know what I’m meant to do.

Now, if it’s not meant for you, you’ll know it’s not meant for you. But don’t let nobody tell you that you’re not meant to do this. You’re gonna have a lot of haters and they can keep drinking the Haterade and keep drinking it all day. But the more they talk about it, the more you keep pushing to do you. The more you keep pushing to get to the best you that you can be and the best athlete, runner, and person that you can be on this earth. Because there’s only one you. No one can do you better than you. So instead of trying to be like everybody else, just be the best you that you can be at the end of the day.

Imposter Syndrome & Racism

MB: I want to touch on [this] too because sometimes, something like impostor syndrome or feeling like you don’t belong somewhere can be confused with internalized and systemic racism. Could you share how you’ve been able to separate instances where that’s the case versus where it’s maybe just your mind telling you things?

SL: There’ll be moments where you feel like your mind is playing games with you — your enemies trying to play games with you — because you’ll just instantly have thoughts in your head: you don’t belong here, you don’t need to be here, you’re not good at that. Those are just the enemy. The enemy is trying to play games in your mind and if you allow it to continue to play games it’s going to affect you in a negative way.

Now when it comes to systemic racism, that’s definitely something that I don’t wish on anybody because [whether] some people see it or not, racism is real. It’s been real. You [can] exhibit that it is just by [not believing in it].

It can be a lot to deal with racism, you know, to deal with people who call you derogatory names. And it can take a toll on you. I shouldn’t be surprised [that] there are people out here like this, but at the same time, it hurts because we’re supposed to be a community. There’s no unity here. It’s division. It’s a lot of division around nowadays. And if anybody knows me I’m all about unity. I’m all about togetherness — you can’t spell community without unity. And if there’s no unity there ain’t no community.

Sometimes the enemy can play tricks on you. Sometimes the enemy can just throw things in your mind and try to throw you off your game. But then there are moments. And I’ve had moments like that where racism has been prevalent right in my face. As bad as it feels to have that directed at me, I’m still going to treat people with loving kindness. And that’s what I want to do. There’s a lot of hate in the world and I want to combat that with love as much as possible. I can love you from afar. I ain’t got to be associated with you, but I love you from afar. I wish you well. I wish you all success in the world. But at the same time, I will say: look at yourself at the end of the day, and the kind of energy you gave to me. I don’t wish bad on you, but it’s just gonna come right back to you whether you believe it or not.

MB: Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, I think one of the hardest lessons is that compassion and accountability coexist. And I can imagine — of course, I don’t have that experience — but trying to hold that in your head is really, really hard. And it’s just a completely different type of pain. I mean, it’s a reflection of that person, not of you.

SL: It may not happen to you directly. You may not be the one doing it directly to somebody, but if it’s right in your face, you gotta acknowledge the fact that it’s right there. You have to worry about what’s going on in your mind. What are you thinking about? What was on your mind when that happened? Accountability is key. Hold yourself accountable for your actions because they have consequences.

Navigating Isolation & Loneliness

MB: I know you’ve written a lot about isolation, loneliness, and depression, which I’m sure has played a part — how do you pull yourself out of those moments? Because we all feel them in some capacity, and they’re really difficult to navigate, especially when you’re unfamiliar with some of the mental health-related coping mechanisms and faith as well.

SL: Yeah, I’ve always felt like I was an outsider. Growing up, I felt like I just didn’t really fit in anywhere. I was a black sheep in my family, to be honest. The only person who I had growing up who I knew was there for me (other than my mom and my sister) was God. People bullied me into isolation and I didn’t want to talk to anybody. People called me names because I have dyslexia too.

So I’ve dealt with so much, and there were times I felt like I wanted to kill myself to be honest, because I felt like: is all this worth going through? And it sucked to be honest, because I really didn’t have friends like that growing up. I really didn’t. And when I did have the few friends that I had, I really do appreciate them. I really do. And then as I got older, I did what I could to not let what others say get to me.

I know who I am. I had to remind myself that I know who I am in Christ. I know who I am as a person and the kind of qualities that I can bring to the table. What I’m not going to do is let you dictate who I am, what I could do on this planet, and what I can do. So I’d rather be around people who I know care about me and love me and have my best interest at heart. And I’ve gotten some great friends over the years and I’m so, so thankful for them. I’m able to talk to them about anything. I’m able to be vulnerable and vulnerable has not always been an easy thing for me, especially being a man in society, you know?

So if you’re fighting isolation or any sort of depression, just know that you’re definitely not alone on that. You may feel alone in the moment. There is somebody out there who cares about you. There’s somebody out there who wants to see you succeed, who wants to help you, who wants to be around you. There are qualities that you bring to the table that they see in you that you may not see in yourself in the moment. But there’s somebody out there who would love to be around that kind of good energy that you bring to the table. So please, do what you can to surround yourself with good people — like-minded people who you know you can count on, and who not only say they’ll be there but prove it in their actions. I’ve got a lot of people who can talk the talk, but they can’t walk the walk. So if you can talk the talk and back up what you say — you’re a good genuine [person] and you’re good in my book.

Defining Vulnerability

MB: Yeah, amazing. I’m gonna remember all those things. I just appreciate your vulnerability and willingness to dig into some of this because I know for me, it’s like opening a wound sometimes. So I appreciate that and it actually feeds really well into the next question I want to ask, which is: what does vulnerability mean for you? And I know we’ve been very vulnerable here.

SL: I love when somebody asks me that because, for me, vulnerability is the ability to be your full self. Even in all the pain that you go through — it is to be yourself. Because a lot of times you put on the front [that] you’re good. If you’re not having a good day, say something. If you’re not feeling well, say something. If you’re feeling good, say something. Just be you at the end of the day. Don’t be ashamed of your story. Don’t be ashamed of who you are or where you come from. Because that’s another thing that I’ve been seeing — some people are ashamed of where they come from. I’m not going to be ashamed of where I come from and who I am because I am who I am for a reason. I was created this way.

Using Your Past to Level Up

MB: For the longest time, I don’t know if it was shame, but I was afraid of being myself in the ways that mental illness had changed me. Because it definitely does change you. I don’t think it changes the core of who you are as a human, but it does change you in ways that you can’t control. And that just goes along with what you said: don’t be ashamed of your past and who you are and where you come from. It’s a part of you and you bring that to every table that you sit at. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s just a piece of who you are.

SL: We all have a past. We all have done things that we’re not proud of. I know I sure have, especially in college, but it’s just part of who you are — it’s not who you are now it’s who you were in the past. But it’s a matter of not being ashamed of it. We may not be proud of our decisions, but look where we are now. Look where you are now, and just be thankful for where you are because you may not be where you want to be but you can be thankful that you’re not where you used to be.

You know, as we get older, we’re always evolving. We’re always growing not just physically but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, in every aspect of our life. We’re growing in some way, shape, or fashion and we can’t stay the same forever. Every new level is going to require a different version of yourself because you know what they say: new levels, new devils. But there’s also new deliverance at the same time.

MB: Yeah, I’m thinking of video games and when you get to the next level there are more monsters and other things to be worried about, but then there’s also more epic tokens.

SL: I get that so much because I’m a video gamer so I get that so much.

MB: Yep, and I’m not so I’m low-key proud of myself for that, haha.

But yeah, that’s just so true for different stages of your life. There are more intense challenges as you get older. A lot of people talk about that transition out of college and going from being an athlete to [being] thrust into the real world. And you’re like, “Okay, who am I? And what are all these adulting things that I now have to do?” And it’s scary, but then there’s also so much that comes out of that — growth, the people that you get to meet, the conversations that you get to have, how your faith can grow, and how you use the things that you learn as an athlete in your life. There are so many things that actually do transfer over that you don’t even realize.

SL: It definitely is such a transition. And post-grad depression is real. Some people have made their sport their whole identity. Once they finish they feel lost in who they are. They don’t know who they are anymore. So I look at it as, yes, you competed in that sport, and that was a part of what you did in the day. But that doesn’t mean that’s your whole identity. There’s more to you than the athlete. After athletics. I’m still the same person or I’m an elevated version — an elevated version of myself. Use what you learned in athletics to apply it to your life, whether it be professionally or personally.

MB: It’s so hard because you can’t separate who you are from what you do. It’s a piece of you but it’s not the only piece.

Sylvester’s Message for Us

SL: I will say it’s very important to understand that what you’ve done in the past will always be a piece of you. Because what you’re going to do — the things that you’re going to accomplish, the dreams that you’re going to be able to turn into fruition and reality — is going to be [amazing] in comparison to what you did in the past. So be grateful, and be proud of what you did in the past, but look ahead as well for what’s in store for the future. You can have those memories, you can reminisce from time to time, but don’t live in the past. Live for the now.

MB: Yeah, I love that. It’s like: don’t live in your story too much. Thank you so much for all of the wisdom and vulnerability and everything that you shared. I think this is really going to help a lot of athletes with an aspect of their life that isn’t talked about a lot. Whether that’s mental health or their faith, we just don’t see that represented. So I really, really, really appreciate you and your time and everything that you shared.

Origin Stories: Sylvester Long on Purpose, Faith, and Vulnerability was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Written by: Mikaela Brewer | COO

#Timeout4MentalHealth

Research | Community | Technology | Content

Welcome back to The Huddle!

“Nice words with no action hurt when they are uttered by those with power.” — Mumilaaq Qaqqaq

As the world feels like it is crumbling around us, we must do our best to see action as the greatest form of love, fight, and justice for one another’s lives.

Updates from the Timeout Team & Community

Development

As we move into beta testing the Timeout digital platform, we’re looking for a CTO who is fluent in React Native to help guide us. Please contact maya@thetimeout.app if you’re interested!

If you’re interested in beta testing with us, please reach out to annie@thetimeout.app.

Content & Partnerships

We are looking for student-athletes to test and workshop the first iterations of our content projects! Please email mikaela@thetimeout.app if you are interested in participating!

If you’d like to write with us on Medium, please fill out this form or sign up for a potential interview consult here.

We are actively looking for animators & illustrators. If you are interested or know someone who is, please email mikaela@thetimeout.app for more information!

Ambassador Program

Our Ambassador Program is underway! If you’ve been searching for a community to connect with or a way to share your story, the Timeout Community is a space for any athlete who wants to discuss mental health and their personal experiences. The main discussion platform will be Discord, alongside invitations to workshops and events that we host, interactions with blog posts, and participation in Timeout’s ongoing mental health research.

If you’d like to join our community, please email either deja@thetimeout.app or nadia@thetimeout.app!

The Timeout Team in the News

In June, Maya & Mikaela spoke at the Green Sports Alliance & Pac-12 Sustainability Conference. Below are the recaps from both conferences:

Within collegiate athletics departments and beyond, the Pac-12 Sustainability Conference is elevating its approach to sustainability practices and action. Through sharing best practices and designing new holistic initiatives, they are impacting and transforming social and environmental progress in college sports.

As the largest and most influential gathering centered around sustainability in sports, The annual Green Sports Alliance Summit brought together fresh best practices and innovations from hundreds of industry stakeholders.

Timeout had the privilege of participating in and presenting at both conferences alongside some incredible people. Our presentation included a deep dive into the beta testing case study we conducted with our Program Evaluations. Here are the highlights:

View one of our presentations here!

During our presentation, we did a quick poll. Join the activity here:

• Viewing your institution as an ecosystem, what letter grade would you give its mental health care model, factoring in: autonomy, stigma, trust, efficiency, safety, the management of stakeholder expectations, sport counselor roles, social environments, athletics healthcare administrators, collaborative and integrative care, interdisciplinary team planning, and the availability, familiarity, and understanding of student-athlete-specific mental health resources and education for all stakeholders?
• Participation link — submit your answer!
• View results link — see what others are saying!

We are so excited to have been able to speak & share the stage with some incredible people. Read about their work here & here.

Keep up with our awards & grants here.

Community Mental Health Timeout

Within each newsletter, we’d like to build in an opportunity to pause, be vulnerable, and take a community mental health timeout. Here are a few resources to breathe and connect with this month.

The 988 Launch

Click the links below to read more:

• What to Know About 988, the New Mental Health Crisis Hotline
• The Lifeline and 988
• FACT SHEET: 988 AND SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE
• 988 becomes the new 3-digit suicide prevention hotline on July 16: What to know
• 988: Reimagining Crisis Response

Though this is a huge step forward, 988 is not without its limitations. As NAMI reports, crisis response should include 24/7:

1. Crisis Call Centers — “Someone to talk to”
2. Mobile Crisis Teams — “Someone to respond”
3. Crisis Stabilization Programs — “Somewhere to go”

As the number of calls, texts, and chats through 988 are expected to rise from 3.3 million (2020) to 7.6 million, there is a concern about country-wide resources and funding. Though there was a $432 million investment in the transition to 988, much of this funding has gone directly to states or been used to expand and strengthen infrastructure. With reliance on one-time funding for the crisis line, many states don’t have the financing for steps 2 and 3 above, which would allow them to create a more holistic crisis response system.

As we explore ways to connect the Timeout Community to the resources they need, we’ve partnered with researchers at the University of Louisville and Spalding University as they build programs to divert 911 callers in crisis to mental health professionals, rather than police. We’re hoping to create a wraparound system that includes all three steps above — someone to talk to, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.

Click here to browse non-police response alternatives by state.

BetterHelp Affordable Therapy Program in Partnership with Resilience Rally

Our friends over at Resilience Rally are providing free and low-cost therapy for all community members! You can sign up to become a Resilience Rally member here and read more about their incredible therapy program and resources here.

Supporting Abortion Rights & Access

What Happened & How are Female Athletes Affected?

• Athletes, Players Unions and Leagues Criticize Abortion Ruling
• After ‘Devastating’ Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe v. Wade, Women Athletes Worry About Their Future

Find & Give Support

• Hey Jane
• Seven Things You Can Do Right Now For Abortion Rights
• Your Personalized “It’s Not Over” Checklist, Aka How You Can Join the Fight Right Now
• How to support abortion access in a post-Roe America

Supporting the LGBTQIA2S+ Community Beyond Pride

• 3 Ways to Support the LGBTQ+ Community Beyond Pride Month — Business leaders explain why putting a rainbow up every June is far from allyship.
• Ways to support the LGBTQ+ community beyond Pride Month
• LGBTQ+ Athletics & Education Teen Toolkit
• Pride & Sport: Anastasia Bucsis opens up about the importance of mental health
• I’m Out by Jason Collins
• These LGBTQ Athletes are Fighting For Equality Both On and Off the Field
• 23 professional athletes who identify as LGBTQ

Thank you so much for being here. We appreciate your time and dedication to saving athletes’ lives. If you’d like to follow up with us about any input, thoughts, insight, questions or concerns, please reach out to admin@thetimeout.app.

We’ll be in touch soon!

The Timeout Team

Timeout Company Newsletter was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The athlete ecosystem is one of the most vibrant, inspiring, and soulful communities. It is also submerged in an expectation that these things can only be maintained by a standard of mental toughness that deeply embeds mental health stigma. At Timeout, we’re deconstructing this barrier by painting the full picture — bringing you the humans beneath athletes, coaches, care providers, and anyone else immersed in this world. We’re exploring mental health research in a fresh and approachable way — by welcoming our entire community into the conversation and asking questions that will prompt change. Let’s redefine mental toughness together.

In this interview series called “Origin Stories,” we are talking with individuals living in the athlete ecosystem about their journey as a human, and the mental health challenges that come with it.

In honor of Father’s Day, Marissa sat down with Head Women’s and Men’s Volleyball Coach at Trinity International University, Luke Ward. Since taking over the women’s program in 2015, Coach Ward has had the most successful win record of any coach at the university. Aside from his tremendous success as a coach, he is also a father, husband, and mentor. Luke shares his perspective as a dad and coach on the state of mental health in the athletic community today.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Coaches play such an important role in their athletic communities. How they view mental health is really going to drive a healthy (or unhealthy) space for athletes to deal with various issues they might face throughout their athletic career. If they create a healthy space, coaches are leaned on beyond just their coaching abilities — this can sometimes include playing the role of a counselor, mentor, and parent figure. Balancing each of these different roles requires them to also prioritize their own mental health so they can continue to pour into the lives they touch every day.

In the same light, parental figures also play a role in how an athlete views their mental health. Fathers specifically play a role in the mental well-being of an athlete. According to research done by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, support from parents has a direct influence on athletes’ level of stress and motivation. In fact, positive family relationships appear to decrease worry, upset, and delays in injury recovery in athletes — all directly coordinating with mental health.

MM: When you first became a coach, was mental health an important aspect on your radar?

LW: Yes and no, I understood that it was important but wasn’t sure how to fit it into what we did as a team. At that point, mental health was still a more taboo topic than it is today. I knew mental toughness played a role in being a successful athlete and team but I didn’t know how to balance the expectation of being excellent and dealing with real-life mental and emotional health issues.

MM: How has your view of mental health changed over your coaching career?

LW: Through getting my master's in coaching and experiencing my own battle with depression, I have been more intentional and aware of cultivating a culture where you can bring the best and worst parts of yourself. We come into practice/matches and we are already enough….in our gym — we’re working to be a little bit better than we were the day before. No judgment or shame on having baggage or bringing your authentic self.

MM: How has the pandemic played a role in athlete mental health?

LW: Isolation and fear have been huge factors in the athlete’s mental health. The pandemic took away routine, stability, and community — all important values in being part of an athletic team. Depression and anxiety are at an all-time high. Even with athletes returning to play after COVID and the lack of consistency with schedule changes and quarantines, we’ve expected and demanded more from this athlete than any other generation.

MM: As a coach and father, how do you take time to focus & prioritize your mental health?

LW: I should probably prioritize it more often than I do. What has worked for me is to make time for positive triggers. We think of the word “trigger” as something negative but there can be positive triggers that help regulate you in a way. Being outside, spending time with family, getting lost in a T.V. series, spending time with God…all ways that I know can re-fill my cup or re-set me when I can feel a downward spiral happening. I’ve also done therapy and taken personality tests (like the Enneagram) to understand myself better and bring clarity to why I feel the way I do sometimes.

MM: How does your mental health impact the hats you wear (being a coach, husband, dad, etc)?

LW: My mental health needs to be important as I want to be at my best (with what I have that day) with my many “hats.” My purpose is driven by others…serving others, family, athletes, staff, etc. It’s normal for me to take on more responsibilities as a way of being helpful but also be intentional about maintaining boundaries. After my daughter passed, I started going to therapy and realized what a good counselor/therapist can do for your mental health. Being authentic and vulnerable with my struggles and triumphs with my family and the team have been a great exercise for me.

MM: How do you feel about current resources for athlete mental health? Do you think there are adequate resources for what today’s athletes need?

LW: From the time I was an athlete, the resources for mental and emotional support have increased tenfold. However, I believe we’re still lacking in ways to support mental and emotional health. We lack time, creativity, and probably budgets to pour into the right resources. As we transition away from the dictator style of coaching that used to be more prevalent, you’re going to see more coaches/leaders value supporting athletes from a more holistic perspective. The hope would be that we as coaches can/will etch out more time with off-the-court space for athletes to get the help they need.

MM: As your kids grow up, what are you hoping they understand about mental health?

LW: I hope they understand that battling with mental and emotional health is normal. That it’s ok to struggle and seeking help is brave. Training them to believe the opposite of what societal norms are. I pray that as they seek help, they understand it’s a journey and a process and not just about an outcome of “getting better.” When they’re old enough to understand, I will share with them my story and my battle.

MM: What is your hope for the athletic community’s future regarding mental health?

LW: That we change the narrative on the stigmas surrounding mental health. I hope we can invest more time and money into resources. We need to make sure we equip those in leadership positions and on the front lines with the right words and proper professional ways to support those athletes. In reality, all athletes need the message (not just the ones “struggling.”)

From our family at The Timeout App to yours, Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads and father figures out there! Your role is essential and has a huge impact. We appreciate you!

Origin Stories: Q&A With Luke Ward — Father, Coach, and Athletic Director was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Written by: Mikaela Brewer | Head of Research & Content

#Timeout4MentalHealth

Research | Community | Technology | Content

Welcome back to The Huddle!

“People ask me all the time, “Don’t you think we need more athletes to come out?” Yes, of course I do; that would be great. However, if we really want to make the world a better place, we also need more people like the teammate who saw me drowning and threw me a lifeline. You can be that person who speaks up.” — Jason Collins

Updates from the Timeout Team & Community

Development

We will be publishing and launching the Timeout Apps next week! Very soon, we will be able to share a demo with you all (and provide sign-up options to see the app in action). Stay tuned!

Focus groups for the Program Evaluations have wrapped up! We’re so grateful to everyone who participated with such vulnerability, courage, and strength. These insights and stories will directly impact V1 of our Program Evaluations, which will be available for sale in early July.

Content & Partnerships

We are looking for student-athletes to test and workshop the first iterations of our content projects in July! Please email Mikaela at mikaela@thetimeout.app if you are interested.

If you’d like to write with us on Medium, please fill out this form or sign up for a potential interview consult here.

We are actively looking for animators & illustrators. If you are interested or know someone who is, please email Mikaela at mikaela@thetimeout.app for more information!

Ever wonder who is behind Timeout’s beautiful designs and graphics? From the Louisville area, Working With Saint is a design agency creating brands, digital products and experiences. On June 8th, from 9–5 EST, WWS will be virtually (free to the public & streamed on YouTube) rebranding and redesigning 6 lucky winners in 6 hours, selecting applicants.

A few links to check out:

• Our website for BLANKDESIGN
• Tickets are live on Eventbrite
• Application for brands to apply is live on AirTable
• Social media assets here

We hope to see you there to support this rad group!

Athlete Ambassador Program

Our Ambassador Program is underway! If you’ve been searching for a community to connect with or a way to share your story, please join us — send an email to deja@thetimeout.app.

The Timeout Community is a space for any athlete that wants to discuss mental health and their personal experiences. The main discussion platform will be Discord. In addition to the Discord, Community members will be invited to workshops and events that we host, can interact with blog posts, and can be a part of Timeout’s ongoing mental health research. If you’re interested in joining our community, please email nadia@thetimeout.app.

The Timeout Team in the News

Maya & Mikaela will be speaking at the Green Sports Alliance & Pac-12 Sustainability Conference in June! Stay tuned for more on our presentations and the findings from our Program Evaluation focus groups. The above links will give you more information about attending & signing up as well — we’d love to meet you.

Maya was recently on the SportsEpreneur, talking about all things Timeout and mental health. Check it out here: AthMindset | The Timeout App And Athlete Mental Health With Maya McClendon

Timeout was also featured in the Global Sport Matters newsletter! Check it out below:

Keep up with our awards & grants here.

Community Mental Health Timeout

Within each newsletter, we’d like to build in an opportunity to pause, be vulnerable, and take a community mental health timeout. Here are a few resources to breathe and connect with this month.

There is A LOT to celebrate and highlight this June (and every month) — Pride, Father’s Day, Men’s Mental Health Month, PTSD awareness, Juneteenth, and National Indigenous History Month (Canada) to name a few! Stay tuned for some incredible conversations, reflections, interviews, and research spotlights coming soon. Reflecting back on May, here are a few highlights:

• Literature Review: Athlete Ecosystem Mental Health — We All Need Support
• Taking Time Out by Holly Hutchinson
• 9 Ways As An Athlete You Can Prioritize Your Mental Health

This week, we also wanted to highlight Katie’s Save, a movement for systemic policy change and implementation in universities designed to support students as they navigate academics, sports, and other life dynamics. Read more about the mission, sign the petition, and donate here.

In a brave moment of healing, The Today Show featured a vulnerable and honest conversation with Katie’s family, alongside the parents of college athletes Arlana Miller, Morgan Rodgers and Tyler Hilinski. You can support Morgan’s Message and Hilinski’s Hope Foundation as they seek to educate, advocate, eliminate stigma, provide tools, empower, bridge gaps with conversation, and expand the dialogue.

As we continue building and crafting Timeout, our goal is to be action-oriented. As part of the solution, our digital health platform will support the courageous advocacy work that these organizations and families have given so much life and energy to. We are committed to redefining athlete mental wellness by making AI-powered mental health care delivery accessible anytime, anyplace.

Thank you so much for being here. We appreciate your time and dedication to saving athletes’ lives. If you’d like to follow up with us about any input, thoughts, insight, questions or concerns, please reach out to admin@thetimeout.app.

We’ll be in touch soon!

The Timeout Team

Timeout Company Newsletter was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As athletes, we give ourselves to a sport day in and day out, and sometimes it’s hard to remember why mental health is important.

Mental health is important because it’s the key to living a healthy and happy life. Every person, including athletes, deserves to live a fulfilling life free of mental distress — and yes that includes if you had a bad game. Mental health affects all aspects of our lives: our thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationships with other people. It impacts how we think about ourselves and the world around us. This is why it’s essential that we are always taking a break to do things for ourselves because we are constantly giving to our sports, coaches, and teammates.

The team behind the Timeout App often has discussions about how to prioritize mental health as former and current athletes. Here is a list of ideas we came up with that we hope you find to be helpful when you are struggling to figure out what to do for yourself:

Yoga

Yoga is a natural way to fight anxiety and heal your body both physically and mentally. It is not only a great way for you to improve flexibility and strength, but it also helps prevent injuries, improve concentration and body awareness, reduce stress levels, and more. It takes time to get into a yoga practice, so it really allows you to disconnect from reality and set into those poses while practicing your mental focus.

Many former athletes who are done with their careers or had to stop their careers short have found joy in the practice of yoga as well. For example, after suffering an injury in 2003 that led to the end of his career, former New Orleans Saints linebacker Keith Mitchell used yoga as an outlet to combat his suicidal thoughts and depression.

Reading

Let’s face it, as a student-athlete, you have plenty to read. We get that. However, diving into a great read allows you to unplug from reality for a bit and immerse yourself in a different world. In fact, data out there shows that reading for just six minutes a day can help with reducing stress, improving sleep, and actually sharpening mental focus.

Even if you don’t identify as a “reader” we encourage you to give it a try for even just those 6 minutes a day. See how you feel after you’ve disconnected for a short amount of time. You might be surprised to see that each day your sessions become just a little bit longer.

Cooking/Baking

Cooking is both a skill and a hobby that many people find relaxing and it provides a sense of accomplishment as well. When it comes to mental health, counselors and mental health professionals are starting to recommend this as a decompression activity because it helps to soothe stress, build self-esteem and curb negative thinking by focusing the mind on following a recipe. In addition, cooking with someone you feel comfortable expressing yourself to might be a good idea as well, since sometimes it’s hard to just sit down and have a conversation.

As a student-athlete, especially if you are in college, you might not have access to a full-on kitchen. Maybe try meal prepping some healthy snacks for yourself throughout the week in your dorm or see if you can find kitchen space to use on campus.

Listening to Music

Listening to music can have a number of benefits for mental health. It can be therapeutic in many ways for any situation, whether you’ve experienced significant trauma, symptoms of depression and anxiety, or just simply are needing a break.

As athletes, we are no stranger to listening to music through our headphones on a bus on the way to competition or training. In fact, it’s probably part of your pre-competition or training routine. However, it’s helpful to listen to music as an escape when you aren’t actively participating in your sport. Even just laying in bed or going to visit a peaceful spot is a great way for you to process what’s happening and put yourself in a more relaxed state.

Going for a Run or Walk

Exercise in general helps relieve stress, build self-esteem, and keep you focused on the things you can control. Similar to cooking, running or taking a walk can help your mind process what it needs to while simultaneously doing another activity. Studies also show that it can improve your ability to absorb information, memory, and enhance your overall mood.

Walking or running can be helpful to destress from any situation, whether it’s a form of taking a study break, or needing to process your thoughts.

Taking a Bath or Shower

One way you as an athlete can prioritize your mental health is by taking a bath or shower. However, different temperatures of the water can have different benefits. A warm bath can create a sense of relaxation and reduce stress levels. In fact, when you enter warm environments such as a hot bath or a sauna, it causes a slowing of your heart rate. In response, your muscles relax and you may also find yourself having a clearer mind. If you are looking to get a little more energy or pep in your step, just turn the temperature to cooler water. You’ll find that your mind is a little sharper once you’re done and you are able to focus easier.

The good news is, you have to take care of your hygiene anyways right? So next time, why don’t you spend a few extra minutes relaxing instead of rushing to the next to-do on your list?

Spending Time in Nature

Let’s get real — we spend quite a lot of time staring at screens whether it’s for school, pleasure, watching film, etc. It’s hard to escape from. However, too much of that exposure and not getting enough breaks can actually contribute to enhancing some mental health issues. That’s why spending time in and looking at the beauty of nature can offset how much screen time we consume as a society.

Spending time outdoors has been shown to lower stress levels, boost moods, and help us think more clearly. This can look different for everyone such as going on a walk, hiking, going for a bike ride, and much more.

Loving on Animals

If you’re feeling lonely, spending time with animals is the best way to cure your feelings. In fact, professionals recommend loving on animals, as some of the benefits include lower blood pressure, reduced stress, increased feelings of support, and improved overall moods as they provide us with unconditional love and can help us heal when we need it most.

If you don’t have access to a pet yourself, volunteering at your local animal shelter is a great way to not only help yourself but serve your community as well.

Riding a Bike

The benefits of riding a bike are not limited to just physical health, although that is a perk too. Many people with depression and anxiety use cycling as a form of therapy. One study done by Cycleplan examined the health benefits people experienced after taking up cycling. They found that 75% of cyclists noticed an improvement in their mental health since getting on the saddle, with 8% even saying it helped with their depression or anxiety.

Taking it outdoors combines two ideas we discussed above as well — exercising and getting outside in nature! We encourage you to try indoor and outdoor biking for your next workout to see what mental benefits might come along with it.

Remember, these are just ways to prioritize yourself for maybe just a few minutes a day apart from your busy schedule. Mix it up often so that you can continue to treat yourself in new ways. Always remember that if it becomes too much and if you find that none of these are helping you, it’s always best to reach out to someone and get help. You are never alone in your battles.

9 Ways As An Athlete You Can Prioritize Your Mental Health was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By: Holly Hutchinson

Holly Hutchinson is a 2021 Old Dominion University Master’s Graduate in Lifespan and Digital Communication. She is a professional tennis player, Social Media Co-ordinator, and has represented Great Britain in the World University Games. Holly is a TeamBath athlete.

The past couple of years have been, on a global scale, catastrophic. When sitting down to write an article about my personal journey from transitioning between college to professional sport, dealing with injury, prioritizing and validating mental health, and just general reflection on being a tennis player, it must be noted that I write this article with a perspective that I am extremely lucky and privileged to do what I love for a job.

I graduated with a masters degree in Lifespan and Digital Communication from Old Dominion University (ODU) in August 2021, ready to focus on a professional tennis career. College tennis at ODU gave me a team environment in tennis — something that is rare for such an individual sport, and I am forever grateful for the teammates and lessons I learnt during my five years there. The transition from practices every day with eight other girls, travel sorted by your coaches, clothes and equipment managed by others, to pro tennis where everything is managed by yourself, made me realize the benefits of being within a team unit.

Tennis is a very individual sport. Transitioning to professional tennis, where you have to travel to countries by yourself week in and week out can be brutal — especially at the lower levels of the professional tour. At the lower levels, you are making a loss financially, staying in some questionable places, managing equipment, and advertising for sponsorship on social media — all whilst planning travel/flights and tournament schedules for the upcoming weeks (and much more). Unfortunately for myself, I only got three weeks on the tour in Bulgaria and Italy before I sustained a lower back injury and was ruled out for a couple of months.

Being injured and not a student-athlete anymore — something I had been my whole life — was a shock for me mentally because I suddenly felt so useless, and empty. What was my purpose every day if I couldn’t play? It was hard for me to get motivated for rehab, as the pain in my back would come and go. Some days I couldn’t even walk for long periods of time, but I didn’t have the usual outlet of school or university to keep me distracted from not playing tennis, which had previously been the backup plan. Essentially — I felt like I still hadn’t started my professional tennis playing career and was in limbo.

This is where having a good group of people around you is essential. The support system I had around me — my family, boyfriend and friends — absolutely got me through those months of injury. I regained my love and passion for the sport in different ways, like watching matches and getting a job as a social media manager for two tennis academies (something I will continue to do now in the future, whilst playing). The simplest things, like
checking in with how I was feeling made such a difference. Prioritizing activities that made me happy like getting coffee or going on walks, helped me open up to my family and friends about feeling down, and ultimately made the difference in starting to feel more positive about being injured. The people you can open up to in a time when you feel down, along with allowing yourself to be vulnerable and being honest with how you’re feeling, are vital in making steps forward for yourself, not just for your sport but outside of your sport too.

At the start of this year, after the rehab phase, and getting back to full fitness, I played my first tournament. I rolled my ankle halfway through the match. Again, I rehabbed, got back to fitness, and played a tournament in February where my back flared up and the pain was so bad I had to withdraw from the match. I found out I was playing with the same injury I had sustained the previous year. I was beyond devastated. It seemed like a cycle of injury, play, injury, play.

I had to take a month off without hitting a tennis ball, something very alien to me — but this time was different — I didn’t want to rush back and knew that rest was the best thing for my back to heal. Mentally I had been through too many ups and downs since graduating, and I realized that there was no need to rush the start of my pro career — when I was ready to play, it would happen. Looking at my injuries as more of a postponement rather than a drawback helped change my mindset, and I am now finally ready to compete again.

I know that the possibility of injury is always there, and I know my professional journey — whatever that ends up being, will be full of obstacles. I can say I am at peace with whatever happens next. I love playing this sport, and it has given me so much in my life. I hope that if taking away anything from this piece, you see that it is never straightforward (mentally or physically) for any athlete. Don’t be afraid to talk with people who care about your best interests. Continue to be excited about what’s next.

Taking Time Out was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Let’s redefine mental toughness together.

By: Mikaela Brewer| Head of Content & Research

The athlete ecosystem is one of the most vibrant, inspiring, and soulful communities. It is also submerged in an expectation that these things can only be maintained by a standard of mental toughness that deeply embeds mental health stigma. At Timeout, we’re deconstructing this barrier by painting the full picture — bringing you the humans beneath athletes, coaches, care providers, and anyone else immersed in this world. We’re exploring mental health research in a fresh and approachable way — by welcoming our entire community into the conversation and asking questions that will prompt change. Let’s redefine mental toughness together.

In this literature review series called “Reimagining Science,” we are exploring research in a fresh way, by unpacking some of the literature around specific topics. Our goal is for these literature reviews to be accessible to the entire athletic community — coaches, athletes, care providers, etc. We’re beginning with grief, loss, and heaviness, as we navigate the uncertainty of our world.

Our entire athletic ecosystem is connected.

We often place student-athletes at the center of research, policy, programs, and conferences — a needed first step. However, sometimes this prevents us from seeing that when one limb of the ecosystem suffers (such as the student-athletes), then other limbs are likely suffering too.

When it comes to mental health data and statistics, there is a good amount of research about the student-athlete experience. There is less about the mental health of coaches, staff, administrators, strength & conditioning coaches, athletic directors, athletic trainers, and mental health care providers (to name a few). These people are high-performance humans too, and they are carrying similar pressures, weight, and expectations of toughness. There is perhaps an added responsibility of, “Who is there for the athlete when I can’t be?” Think about the last time you saw your coach take a day off? A real day off?

Mental health challenges and harmful demands in the athletic ecosystem are systemic and need both a structural and cultural shift — for everyone.

Here, we’re surveying a broader range of research beyond athletes, emphasizing the dire need to help the helpers. One crucial group is future clinical psychologists — those who will help athletes next. Mental health does not discriminate.

How to engage with research

First, you’ll see the title of the research paper, followed by its citation (if you’d like to read the full article, head to scholar.google.com and copy-paste this citation)! Beneath the citation are the critical points from the research, framed in an easy-to-understand way. There may be further citations beneath each “main citation” which can be used as further reading if you’re interested. Enjoy!

Athlete Burnout Symptoms Are Increasing: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis of Average Levels From 1997 to 2019

Madigan, D. J., Olsson, L. F., Hill, A. P., & Curran, T. (2022). Athlete Burnout Symptoms Are Increasing: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis of Average Levels From 1997 to 2019. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1 (aop), 1–16.

• This paper looked at athlete burnout through the past 2 decades (1997–2019).
• Researchers looked at 91 studies, and through detailed analysis found that burnout symptoms have increased.
• More specifically, they saw decreases in the average level of a few things: a sense of athletic accomplishment and sport devaluation.
• Athletes who experience burnout symptoms are likely more vulnerable to burnout’s harmful side effects.
• Burnout is difficult to reverse, so there is a need for prevention and intervention.

NCAA Student-Athlete Mental Health and Wellness: A Biopsychosocial Examination

Brown, B. J., Aller, T. B., Lyons, L. K., Jensen, J. F., & Hodgson, J. L. (2021). NCAA Student-Athlete Mental Health and Wellness: A Biopsychosocial Examination. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 1–16.

• This study looked at the mental health and wellness experiences of student-athletes compared to their non-athlete student peers, specifically related to biopsychosocial factors (factors related to our biology, psychology, and social connections).
• Key results: females, BIPOC, and D1 student-athletes reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. They also reported a worse quality of life.
• Compared with their non-athlete student peers, these results may indicate greater mental health struggles among student-athletes.

Trends in college student-athlete mental health in the National College Health Assessment (NCHA), 2011–2019

Edwards, B., Froehle, A. W., & Fagan, S. E. (2021). Trends in College Student-Athlete Mental Health in the National College Health Assessment (NCHA), 2011–2019. Journal of athletic training.

• This study’s goal was to look at changes in student-athlete mental health compared to non-athlete students, over the past decade.
• Consistently, student-athletes reported significantly lower symptom and diagnosis rates compared with their non-athlete peers. The key exceptions here are attempted suicide, eating disorders, and substance abuse.
• Over time, for both groups, diagnosis and openness to treatment increased. Both remained lower in student-athletes, even though they reported receiving more education and information about substance abuse, stress reduction, handling distress & violence, and eating disorders.
• Over time, the impacts of mental health struggles on academics grew over time in both groups. Injury impacted student-athletes’ academics more.

Mental Health in Elite-Level Coaches: Prevalence Rates and Associated Impact of Coach Stressors and Psychological Resilience

Kegelaers, J., Wylleman, P., van Bree, I. B. N., Wessels, F., & Oudejans, R. R. (2021). Mental health in elite-level coaches: Prevalence rates and associated impact of coach stressors and psychological resilience. International Sport Coaching Journal, 8 (3), 338–347.

• This study looked at elite-level coaches, and the impact of coach-specific stress (self-perceived) on mental health (psychological and social well-being).
• Researchers also looked at symptoms of mental health disorders and resilience as a protective shield against mental health troubles.
• Research results indicated that coach-specific stress was common, but it impacted self-perceived mental health moderately.
• Mental disorder symptoms were very prevalent — 39% for depression & anxiety to 19% for distress and adverse alcohol use.
• Coach-specific stress predicted depression & anxiety symptoms.
• Resilience was found to be a protective factor.

Factors perceived to affect the wellbeing and mental health of coaches and practitioners working within elite sport

Hill, D. M., Brown, G., Lambert, T. L., Mackintosh, K., Knight, C., & Gorczynski, P. (2021). Factors perceived to affect the wellbeing and mental health of coaches and practitioners working within elite sport. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology.

• This study explored the mental health of coaches and sport science practitioners within a national sport organization. Researchers specifically looked at factors that may impact the well-being of these individuals through interviews and discussions.
• The main risk factors were: excessive workload, post-competitive loss, and a feeling of isolation.
• Protective factors were: effective organizational culture, transformational leadership, and access to quality social support.

Mental health concerns and barriers to care among future clinical psychologists

Hobaica, S., Szkody, E., Owens, S. A., Boland, J. K., Washburn, J. J., & Bell, D. J. (2021). Mental health concerns and barriers to care among future clinical psychologists. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 77 (11), 2473–2490.

• This study looked at mental health, mental healthcare utilization, and barriers to care during graduate school for clinical psychology doctoral students.
• During graduate school…
• ~25% of clinical psychology doctoral students reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms
• ~20% of clinical psychology doctoral students reported moderate to severe depression symptoms or suicidal intent
• ~10% of clinical psychology doctoral students reported a high risk of alcohol abuse or moderate to severe drug use
• LGBTQ+ & BIPOC clinical psychology doctoral students reported higher levels of depression symptoms and suicidal intent.
• LGBTQ+ students reported more drug use and self-injury (non-suicidal).
• Financial difficulty, inadequate time, and low availability were all commonly experienced as significant barriers to receiving mental health care.

Mental health problems among clinical psychologists: Stigma and its impact on disclosure and help-seeking

Tay, S., Alcock, K., & Scior, K. (2018). Mental health problems among clinical psychologists: Stigma and its impact on disclosure and help‐seeking. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74 (9), 1545–1555.

• This study assessed the mental health experiences of clinical psychologists, and how different types of stigma impact opening up and seeking help.
• Mental health concerns among clinical psychologists is fairly common, and are compounded by stigma, shame, and fear about negative consequences (for self & career) of sharing struggles. These prevented some clinical psychologists in this study from seeking help.
• 67% of clinical psychologists in this study experienced mental health challenges.
• There were greater levels of perceived stigma (the fear of being discriminated against) compared to other types of stigma.
• Clinical psychologists in this study were more likely to share their mental health concerns with their friends and family, rather than with their coworkers.

Thank you for reading. More to come!

Other resources to check out (because we’re human first):

• Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Athletes
• College Student-Athlete Health and Well-being
• Why Coaches Should Prioritize Their Own Mental Wellness Too
• Let’s Talk About Mental Health and Mental Disorders in Elite Sports: A Narrative Review of Theoretical Perspectives
• LGBTQ student-athletes risk mental health when joining a sport

Literature Review: Athlete Ecosystem Mental Health — We All Need Support was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Written by: Mikaela Brewer | Head of Research & Content

#Timeout4MentalHealth

Research | Community | Technology | Content

Welcome back to The Huddle!

“Depression is something that’s in you. It’s not wanting to get out of bed, continuously feeling sad and down on yourself. It’s not wanting to exist, sometimes. There’s no on-and-off light switch. When I hear coaches, athletes telling people to ‘snap’ out of it, it makes me mad. Because you could be pushing them down that dark hole further.” — Allison Schmitt

Updates from the Timeout Team & Community

Development

We officially have a working beta of the Timeout applications! We will be able to share a demo with you all (and provide sign-up options to see the app in action) very soon. In the meantime, we are hosting focus groups for another service we offer: Program Evaluations. Developed by Timeout’s R&D team and overseen by our Advisory Board, Timeout Program Evaluations use detailed qualitative and quantitative insights to explore the health of college campus mental healthcare ecosystems. Via a comprehensive series of interviews, surveys, and visually compelling reports, we’re introducing a new standard of care that allows for proactive decision-making surrounding mental health on college campuses.

Because we hope that this service accurately and safely reflects your strengths, pain points, and needs, we want to hear from you! If you’re interested in joining a focus group to help us further refine our Program Evaluation service, please don’t hesitate to join one of our focus groups below:

• Athletes focus group
• Coaches & Staff focus group
• Care Providers focus group
• Athletic Directors focus group

Research

In partnership with an incredible team of Louisville area researchers (who are also working on non-police mental health crisis intervention programs), our team submitted a proposal to The Health Equity Innovation Hub. This proposal included five key pillars focused on understanding the health equity needs for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC athletes:

• Food justice
• Housing justice
• Environmental justice
• Maternal & child health
• Employment

More to come on this needed and exciting project!

Advisory Board & Team

A warm welcome to Kait Simpson, Dr. Madeline Barlow, Marshai Iverson, and Annie Graham — the newest members of our Advisory Board and team. Kait, Madeline, Marshai, and Annie, we are so excited to work with you!

Content & Partnerships

Our Head of Content, Mikaela, contributed to the newest Global Sport Matters issue — Mental Health: A New Priority In Sport. Read the full issue here and Mikaela’s article here!

If you’d like to write with us on Medium, please fill out this form, sign up for a potential interview consult here, or email Mikaela at mikaela@thetimeout.app.

In the partnership projects world, we have exciting news to come! We’re energized by the work that AAADF and Narrative 4 are doing, and can’t wait to share more about these collaborations.

Athlete Ambassador Program

Our Ambassador Program is underway! If you’ve been searching for a community to connect with or a way to share your story, please join us — send an email to deja@thetimeout.app.

The Timeout Team in the News

We couldn’t be more excited about (and grateful for) the recognition we’ve received. In late April, we’re honored to have won the 2nd Annual ASU Sun Devil Athletics Venture Challenge! Read more about the challenge here, and watch Maya’s feature on ABC15 News Channel: ASU researcher and former Sun Devil volleyball player shines light on mental health for athletes.

On April 28th, a few members of our team also attended NFLPA Pitch Day! Neemo Tawasha, our Head of Operations, reflected on the day:

“Pitch day was a great place to watch other innovators present their business to an amazing group of investors! For Timeout it was an indescribable feeling to speak about our cause to such an influential group of athlete and business minds.”

We’re inspired by Healium, the winner of NFLPA pitch day and an incredible company founded by Sarah Hill. Using virtual reality and the body’s electricity (brain patterns, heart rate, and other biometrics), Healium allows people to practice mental wellness (self-management of stress, sleep, and human performance) through neuroscience, storytelling, and gamification with real-time feedback on healing. Check out Healium here!

Keep up with our awards & grants here.

Community Mental Health Timeout

Within each newsletter, we’d like to build in an opportunity to pause, be vulnerable, and take a community mental health timeout. Here are a few resources to breathe and connect with this month.

In lieu of the tragic losses in our community, Mikaela will be leading and hosting a grief workshop inspired by The Dinner Party on May 22nd from 7–9 pm EST. Here is a form to sign-up.

This time of year is saturated with transitions — athletic, life, weather, and career — so we’re also highlighting some of our transition-themed interviews, guest pieces, and team writing from last month. In case you’re needing some extra support, we’ve also included Global Sport Matters’ new Mental Health Resource Database.

• Essential Reading for Your Transition Journey
• Origin Stories: China McCarney on Mental Health & Athlete Transitions
• Wins & Losses: A Reflection on What I’ve Lost + Gained in Life After Sport
• Literature Review: What is post-athlete depression?
• You’re Not Alone: 10 Athletes Who Have Prioritized Mental Health

Thank you for being here. We so appreciate your time and dedication to saving athletes’ lives. If you’d like to follow up with us about any input, thoughts, insight, questions or concerns, please reach out to admin@thetimeout.app.

We’ll be in touch soon!

The Timeout Team

Timeout Company Newsletter was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

What is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week?

In adulthood, we struggle to understand experiences unique to youth — especially when children face mental health disability, diagnosis, and illness.

Up to six U.S. children aged 6–17 currently experience depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) — all treatable mental health disorders (WHO). Most instances are undetected and untreated, even though half of all mental health conditions begin before the age of 14 (WHO). In 15-19 year-olds, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death. Both physical and mental health in adulthood can be severely impacted by unaddressed mental health challenges in childhood and adolescence.

More than a decade ago, SAMHSA created National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day to emphasize the impact of mental health on youth development. Now, National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week is an opportunity to reshape conversations about youth mental health and resilience. It aims to increase public awareness about severe mental illness and emotional disturbance, and provide evidence- and community-based support, practices, treatment, and recovery avenues to children, families, young adults, child-serving agencies, faith-based organizations, and community leaders.

Read more about SAMHSA’s National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day national programming here.

The Pandemic’s Impact on Youth Sports

We’ve seen the shift of life during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 take a heavy toll on youth and how they live their lives. We’ve heard the saying, ‘play like it’s your last game,’ but for the elementary and high school youth during that time, that really was the case. They had to play with the fear of knowing that their season could end at any point. They had to play with empty stands — without a student section or crowd cheering them on.

When 850 high school athletes participated in a study conducted by the University of Madison during the thick of the 2020 pandemic, results showed that 36% of those student-athletes felt moderate or severe anxiety and 65% reported symptoms of depression (McGuine, 2020).

Let’s fast forward two years — these kids are older. Some of their most formative years in their athletic careers were spent in fear without crowds. Now we are starting to see society adding crowds back into the picture, and kids don’t know how to handle the pressure of being watched. They have mental health issues that developed during the height of the pandemic, most of which haven’t been professionally addressed.

It’s an entirely new set of issues that we need to consider when assessing the well-being of today’s youth athletes and their mental health.

Youth Athletics & Mental Health

Research has shown several benefits of sport for children, such as a sense of belonging; physical skill, fitness, and leisure development and consistency; growth and maturation; self-concept and self-worth strengthening; moral development; and social competence (Hedstrom & Gould, 2004).

However, there are instances where mental health can be impacted when needs aren’t met. Youth sports are just as affected by racism, transphobia, homophobia, and other forms of discrimination and hate, further compounded by the same mental health stigma and mental toughness regimen we see in adult sports.

Thankfully, there are many different types of support we can provide for young athletes, such as for ourselves, as parents, as coaches, or as siblings. Read Marissa’s and Mikaela’s reflections on a few of these pillars below.

Motherhood & Coaching — Marissa

Reflecting back on my career as a collegiate volleyball player, there are issues regarding my mental health that I wish I would have addressed before my journey came to a close. Almost all of my struggles were born during my earliest days of playing sports (I’m talking junior high and high school). Most of my struggles have surfaced in a new way now that I’m a coach and a mother.

I have a few examples of this:

• I thought I had conquered an eating disorder almost a decade ago, but I found myself pregnant and triggered by watching my body change.
• I thought the pressure I felt on game day had gone away, but then found myself in charge of an entire team's success (and that brings on new levels of self-doubt).
• I thought my days of training to be the best of the best were over, but lo and behold, the comparison game continued as I navigated motherhood.
• I thought my negative self-thoughts of failure were behind me, but I still experience this today as a mother and a coach.

You see, if issues aren’t taken care of early on in a youth athlete’s journey, they will keep showing up in different ways. For me, this happened well into my collegiate career (just more intensely) and kept going into my adult life.

That is why, in my role as a coach and mother, I am now hyperaware of how important it is to take mental health seriously in youth sports. It’s my job, as well as the job of all coaches and parents, to be a safe space for our kids — to know how to spot the first signs of a struggle and to allow our kids to express how they’re feeling without the fear of shame. Advocating for resources is our obligation, not just a way to go the extra mile.

I want to raise and coach kids who can enjoy life to the fullest and have the tools and resources to know how to deal with mental health issues when they arise. Addressing the mental health crisis in the athletic community starts with youth, and it’s critical that authority figures do their part.

Siblings — Mikaela

When I was a young athlete, I was also a big sister 5 times over (yep, never a dull moment). I never really thought about the complicated reciprocity in these relationships until I was in college, far away from my siblings. Distance taught me that we don’t give kids enough credit for their strength, especially in situations where they’re hurting. I more clearly and readily recognized these moments of courage each time I came home because I was forced to see how fast my siblings grew up. I also caught myself in an assumption: due to their lack of responsibility, children don’t struggle with mental health.

When I look back at my own childhood and adolescence, I see the eye of my mental health storm. Things didn’t necessarily get easier in adulthood, I just learned what pain felt like and how to name it. When you’re a kid, you don’t have the language or lived experience to verbalize what you’re feeling. This is where empathy comes in, and with my siblings, it’s gone both ways. My sisters and brother are 22, 19, 15, 13, and 10 (I’m 24). They’re all at different stages of life, and it has been a blessing to watch them grow and learn. It’s also been really hard.

I’ve tried to recognize my own childhood struggles and experiences in them because I can better help them when I do. Not necessarily to compare stories, but to share language or perspectives that I’ve learned to use to describe similar thoughts, feelings, and experiences in my past. They do the same for me when I’m stuck in my head, seeing with the clarity of fresher eyes. My siblings have made me a more patient and compassionate sister, friend, teammate, and person. I so hope I’ve done the same for them.

As coaches, parents, siblings, or anyone who influences young athletes, we have to be better about connecting on this level. We also have to acknowledge youth as young people first, and young athletes second. Though it can feel like re-opening a wound, we must be willing to venture into uncertain and vulnerable experiences with our kids — especially when these spaces are hallmarks of our own past.

Let’s celebrate our resilience when we were young, and how resilient young people are now.

Let’s celebrate how connected the youth of the past and present truly are.

Let’s celebrate the power this connection has to catalyze change.

Sources

1. Improving the mental and brain health of children and adolescents
2. How to Start a Conversation With Kids
3. McGuine Ph.D., T. A. (2020). The Impact of School Closures and Sport Cancellations on the Health of Wisconsin Adolescent Athletes. Madison; University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
4. Hedstrom, R., & Gould, D. (2004). Research in youth sports: Critical issues status. Michigan: Michigan State University, 1–42.

National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week was originally published in The Huddle on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.