Welcome to MHAYA! MHAYA stands for Mental Health Awareness in Young Athletes, and is a project focused on exactly that. Our purpose is to raise awareness for the ongoing mental health crisis in young athletes, elementary to high school level, to prevent future psychological issues. We will inform and provide solutions for these mental health concerns, in order to improve the young athletic community. Athletes are expected to be tough and strong all the time, which we know is impossible, yet it's not normalized to open up about the mental struggles that sports brings. Professional psychological assistance is only really offered to college or pro level athletes, yet most burnout occurs before that so most athletes don't even reach the level where they can finally receive help
Who- We want to directly make an impact on athletes ages 12-18, they could be students in middle and high school. Teams as a whole will also benefit. Coaches as well, because they need to become aware of some of the struggles their players might be facing, and parents, because they would need support even at home.
Why- This project is needed within this age range because it is the most common age where athletes face burnout, or a falling out with a sport. Burnout is caused by disinterest, and forces youths to stop playing a sport which they might have eventually enjoyed later in life. If these feelings continue on for too long, it can lead to many psychological disorders such as anxiety, personality disorders, and depression. In general, children should not be facing mental health issues this severe just because of a game, a game that is meant to be fun and energizing.
How- A program like MHAYA is essential for younger audiences as it can prevent a variety of mental health issues and the issues that stem out of them, such as substance abuse and suicide. They will benefit because they could see their sport in a different light, that might make them less opposed to quitting or feeling the way they do about it. It could also make them realize they are not alone in how they feel, and that it's not their fault. Another great reason why MHAYA would benefit athletes greatly is that having a healthier mental state could lead them to greater success in the future. Other than preventing issues, focusing on someone’s mental health and building up a positive mindset has been proven to lead to success. In fact it is reported that around 50% of a sport is played mentally, proving just how important it is to work on the mental side as well.
As we advance through this blog, we plan on going more in depth on all the struggles athletes face, signs of mental health concerns, ways to help, and much more. We plan on getting insight from professionals and prominent individuals in both the mental health and athletic fields.
Please consider subscribing, and thank you for reading!
