The Unlevel Playing Field

A: You know, it's wild how an athlete's identity goes so much deeper than just their sport. Who they are off the field truly shapes their entire experience. We explored this with two student-athletes, Mia and Ava.

B: Their stories really highlight the complexity. Mia, a Black, first-generation, lower-income Division II soccer player, faces immense pressure. That scholarship is her family's hope; she can't 'mess up.'

A: Absolutely. And the subtle racial expectations, like coaches expecting her to be 'naturally tough' because she's Black... that's a heavy load on top of just playing.

B: Then we have Ava, a white, middle-class, Catholic Division III track athlete. Her pressures are different, but significant. Being a woman in sports brings unique challenges.

A: Definitely. Especially those pervasive body image issues common for female athletes. Her Catholic faith actually acts as a coping mechanism, which is interesting.

B: Precisely. So, whether it's Mia's first-gen fears or Ava's body image struggles, their identities are constantly intersecting with their athletic journey. It's never just one thing. Given how much their identities shaped those pressures, then, how did their mental health experiences actually play out? Like, when push came to shove, who got help and who didn't?

A: That's where it gets really interesting, and frankly, a bit stark. Mia, for instance, she hit a wall with anxiety, especially after getting benched. Her biggest fear was losing her scholarship and letting her family down, given she's first-gen.

B: Right, that's heavy. And when she actually needed help... did she find it? Her feeling like she couldn't show weakness must have made asking difficult.

A: Exactly. She felt totally unsupported. She wasn't even aware of the free counseling resources on campus, and when she did look, there were no therapists who shared her cultural background. It made opening up feel impossible for her.

B: Wow. So a system existed, but it wasn't accessible or relevant to her. What about Ava? She had her own struggles, right? Perfectionism, burnout?

A: Yeah, Ava battled stress and burnout from perfectionism, feeling she had to constantly prove her worth through performance. But here's the contrast: she felt really supported.

B: Supported how? Just a better campus system, or something more personal?

A: Both. She utilized campus counseling, found it helpful, and her parents even paid for a private therapist at home. So, a completely different level of access and tailored support.

B: That's a massive difference. One felt isolated and invisible, the other had multiple avenues for help, financially backed. It really highlights how identity shapes not just the pressure, but the entire support journey.

A: So, after hearing their very different stories, and seeing that stark contrast in support, it's really interesting to shift gears and look at what Mia and Ava actually *propose* to make things better. They're not just identifying problems, they're offering solutions.

B: Right. And their solutions definitely stem from their unique challenges. What did Mia suggest first?

A: Mia really focused on systemic changes. She wants to see more diverse mental health staff, which makes total sense given her experience not finding someone who understood her background.

B: Absolutely. And it wasn't just about diversity, was it? She also talked about more regular mental health check-ins, not just for injuries, which is so smart.

A: Exactly! It takes away that reactive, crisis-management approach. And a big one from Mia: requiring coaches to have training on intersectionality. That gets to the root of those subtle biases she faced.

B: That's a powerful shift. What about Ava? Her situation was different, so I'm curious how her solutions compared.

A: Ava's ideas are also incredibly proactive. She wants coaches to initiate open conversations about mental health, rather than waiting for an athlete to break down.

B: Yeah, that proactive element is key. And the idea of female athlete-specific workshops for things like body image and confidence, that speaks directly to the pressures she felt as a woman in sports. Both are looking for prevention, not just intervention, which is huge.