Student-athletes navigating their way through packed schedules and hours of responsibilities in both athletics and academics are prone to experiencing mental health struggles. Student-athletic programs on all levels provide mental health support systems in academic and athletic environments. Ms. Lilly O’Sullivan ’17, Assistant Athletic Director, and seniors Ila David and Olivia Ritossa strive to make Sacred Heart Greenwich a place where student-athletes can prioritize their mental health and succeed while pursuing their passions.
A study from fall 2021 revealed that 38 percent of women in college sports felt mentally exhausted, and 29 percent felt overwhelming anxiety, according to ncaa.org. Ms. O’Sullivan was an athlete in high school and college and attended George Washington University as a member of the women’s rowing team. She explained how she found a balance between her athletic, academic, and social lives as a collegiate athlete.
“It’s definitely a lot of trial and error,” Ms. O’Sullivan said. “I made sure to prioritize spending time with friends […] at least once a week, and try my best to not think about sports when I wasn’t there.”
Allotting time for all mandatory tasks, as well as recreational activities, is key to finding balance in the midst of a busy lifestyle. Now, as the head coach of Sacred Heart junior varsity (JV) A volleyball and assistant Sacred Heart rowing coach, Ms. O’Sullivan has a new perspective on sports teams. She shared why she wanted to become a coach and her thoughts on mental health from this viewpoint.
“I thought it was always important to make sure that you view the person, not just the athlete, and that there’s a whole life there rather than just someone that does a sport and is pretty good at it,” Ms. O’Sullivan said.
For student-athletes, the key to success in academics and athletics is the cultivation of a balanced lifestyle. Prioritizing one over the other can lead to a spiral in which student-athletes attempt to reach unattainable standards. Ila and Olivia, club heads of the Behind Every Smile Club and co-captains of the Sacred Heart JV A volleyball team, emphasized the importance of keeping mental health a priority as a student-athlete.
“We really want to set students up to be the greatest students they can be, and the greatest athletes they can be,” Ila said. “We want everyone to feel safe, healthy, and supported throughout both processes. Being an athlete has its own set of challenges, and so does being a student, so it’s really about finding the balance while doing things we enjoy.”
Mental health issues may present themselves in various ways, but this does not mean that they are always unequal in severity. Olivia mentioned that, if not handled appropriately, the detrimental effects they can have on a student-athlete will only increase.
“If you just keep on telling yourself that you are okay, you’re going to end up not being okay,” Olivia said. “You can’t suppress these feelings. You have to acknowledge them. Before being a student and before being an athlete, we are people, we are humans, and we all have feelings.”
Approximately 60 percent of all high school athletes endure moderate to extreme levels of stress as a result of their sport, according to ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Of those respondents, 78 percent report not receiving assistance for it. As leaders in the Sacred Heart community, Ila and Olivia are committed to creating a supportive environment and starting conversations regarding student-athlete mental health. Ila mentioned that it is necessary for student-athletes to be in an environment with others where conversations surrounding mental health are happening.
“It’s inevitable that student-athletes are going to confront issues in relation to mental health while trying to balance school and athletics,” Ila said. “As a school with a competitive environment, making mental health a priority, and just the overall wellbeing of the student-athletes a priority is the best way to set student-athletes up for success both mentally and physically.”
Featured Image by Caroline Gammon ’26
