WHAT I WISH MORE ATHLETES KNEW ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Not just for athletes, but for the humans behind the game.

As athletes, we’re trained to be tough. To push through. To keep going no matter what.But somewhere along the way, the mental side gets left behind, or worse, buried under pressure, expectations, and silence.These are 5 things I wish more athletes (and younger me) knew about mental health in sport.

1. Your worth isn’t tied to performance.

You are more than your stats, your minutes, your wins, or your selections. You still matter on your worst game days, on the bench, in recovery, or when things just don’t go your way. Sport is something you do, not who you are. And your value as a person never changes based on a scoreboard.

2. You’re allowed to struggle, even when you’re achieving.

You can be successful and feel stressed. You can be making a team, winning games, and still feel the weight of anxiety or self-doubt. Just because things ‘look good’ from the outside doesn’t mean you’re not battling something real on the inside. You’re not broken, you’re human.

3. You’re allowed to enjoy sport again, even if it got hard for a while.

Maybe you’ve fallen out of love with your sport. Maybe it became stressful, heavy, or started feeling like a job. But your relationship with sport can evolve, and so can your joy in playing it. Let it look different. Let it feel lighter. Growth isn’t a step back. It’s just a new chapter.

4. Rest is part of the process.

Recovery isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Resting, mentally and physically, isn’t weak. It’s what allows you to keep going. You don’t always have to ‘push through.’ Sometimes, slowing down is what lets you show up stronger.

5. You don’t have to do it all alone.

Opening up isn’t weakness. Having support doesn’t mean you’re soft, it means you’re smart. Friends, teammates, coaches, professionals, they’re not just there when things go wrong. They’re there to help you thrive. You weren’t meant to carry it all by yourself.

The game doesn’t define you but how you care for yourself through it does.

These are lessons I’m still learning and maybe always will be.But if sharing them helps just one other athlete feel less alone, then it’s worth it.

The culture around sport is changing and it should.

Because athletes are human too. And our mental health matters.

Here’s to playing the long game, for your mind and your body.

— Olivia Manfre

Flag Football Player

TAC Ambassador