This week’s discussion topics further identify the negative effects associated with the “win at all cost” mentality in sports. Athletes are often placed on a pedestal and as a result lack the maturity to handle stressors placed upon them in their daily lives. And we as athletic trainers, as well as the entire coaching and strengthen and conditioning staff, are responsible for not preparing them for success outside of sports. We enable such behaviors by telling athletes where to be and what to do throughout most of their collegiate careers. Essentially, we are taking away control from these athletes which in turn results in the use of substances, eating disorders/disordered eating patterns, and/or mental health disorder as a means of regaining control in their lives. When an individual …show more content…
As athletic trainers I believe that it is our responsibility to remind this population that they are so much more than just the sport they play. It is also critical that we express to them not only the importance of partaking in a hobby outside of athletic buts also taking their education seriously. Retired athletes are notorious for developing mental health disorders, primarily due to repetitive TBIs that go undiagnosed, as shown in recent media, but also due to the fact that they are unable to separate themselves from the game. If we want to change the culture of athletics, our first step at tackling this challenge involves redefining the identity of these individuals. Furthermore, genetics plays an important role in the development of mental health disorders. While we discussed potentially screening for such disorders in PPE’s, I feel that many parents are unaware or unwilling to accept the fact due to the stigma that society places on mental health illness. Additionally, athletes may be unwilling to answer these questions in fear of being judged, which can negatively affect the athlete-athletic trainer