PAC student-athletes discuss mental health empowerment with Ivy Watts
GREENVILLE, Pa. (pacathletics.org)--The Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) partnered with mental health empowerment speaker Ivy Watts to help support its student-athletes by providing resources, knowledge and tools related to mental health, well-being and self-care.
Over 120 student-athletes participated in the pair of virtual events, which were held on Monday, November 16 and Thursday, Nov. 19.
“These are incredibly difficult times for student-athletes right now. So much loss has occurred in a short time and COVID, racial injustice, and other personal issues have caused a lot of anxiety and fear in our lives. Athletes may be struggling with their mental health for the first time ever in their life, or struggling even more than before” said Watts. “I am so grateful that PAC is creating a space to create meaningful discussions for their student-athletes to practice mental wellness and self-care for themselves and for others during these tough times."
Watts, a former NCAA Division II student-athlete, graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of New Haven and earned recognition as a top 30 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award in 2017. But on the inside, the sprinter struggled daily with anxiety, self-worth and depression.
After seeking help, Watts completed a master’s degree in public health from Boston University in 2017 and embarked on a journey to promote mental wellness and work towards reducing stigma around mental illness by sharing her story through public speaking and her blog, Beautifully Simply You. Watts, who is now mental health first aid certified, empowers others to speak their truths, know that they are not alone, learn the beauty of self-love and find strength to keep fighting for their tomorrows.
Watts’ powerful message promoting self-love and practicing mental wellness has reached over 10,000 students and over 5,000 administrators and parents.
“I loved listening to Ivy last Thursday! I really appreciated how she was willing to share with us. Sometimes I struggle with opening up to share, and she showed that it’s OK,” said Austin Ion (Cranberry, Pa. | Keystone), a senior football player at Grove City College. “The biggest thing I took away from our session with Ivy was to be thankful that I can move my fingers and wiggle my toes. Sometimes in life, things don’t go the way we want and stress can run wild, but remembering the little things like being able to move your fingers and wiggle your toes proves that no matter what, life will go on and everything will be OK. That thought process helped reinforce my belief that joy is always in me through all things before me, and that is something I will be able to take with me and apply to life, athletics, and SAAC. Thank you Ivy!”
“I found Ivy’s message about self-empowerment to be very powerful because so many of her experiences regarding self-doubt and equating one’s value to their athletic performance really resonated with me. It was inspirational and comforting to hear that Ivy, a very successful female student-athlete, has also struggled with many of the same issues that I have,” said Clara Sherwood (Indiana, Pa. | Indiana Area), a junior women’s lacrosse player at Washington & Jefferson College. “In particular, I was impressed by how she made her information session interactive, regardless of the fact that we were all virtually attending. This spring, I plan to encourage my team to focus on their best qualities, on and off the field, and to create an environment of positivity and empathy, like the one that Ivy established with us.”
“The PAC has always been adamant on breaking the stigma around mental health. This past week, Ivy Watts, a successful student and track and field athlete from New Haven University, shared her own journey through life, including obstacles she faced and ways she began to overcome them. I enjoyed listening to her joyful, engaging voice throughout the virtual session, “said Blaine Sorrick (Mantua, Ohio | Crestwood), a senior on the Westminster College men’s swimming and diving team. “I also was able to take away a few messages that can improve my own metal health, and perhaps use some new tactics to help my swimming and diving team in the future. Ivy mentioned that it’s perfectly OK to not feel OK. This resonated with me, especially since society often expects men to suppress their emotions. She also mentioned multiple ways in which we can be active listeners, such as validation and providing empowerment, to help people who are struggling at any given moment. As SAAC representatives and leaders on our respective teams, practicing these principles can allow us to create a community of safety among our teams. Personally, I’ve struggled with becoming mentally beaten throughout academics and athletics, convincing myself that I am not able to either do well on an exam or get through a difficult workout. In an attempt to overcome this, I have been working on positive reinforcements and affirmations to push me through. The short term results have been great! I was able to have a successful semester academically, and pushed myself harder than ever before in the pool. Ivy supplied us with an affirmation in which you understand your biggest fear, then use your strengths to create your own personal mantra, instilling a sense of empowerment. With my team, I believe a conversation between our SAAC reps. and coaches dealing with ways we can work to break the stigma of mental health will be essential for improving the true sense of being a team. Ivy mentioned that teams can utilize journaling, breathing exercises, or simply “battery percentage” check-ins to begin practices with positivity and encourage unity. I’m thankful that my conference pushes these difficult conversations and encourages growth among student-athletes. I’m also excited to see how I can take messages away from the session with Ivy to benefit my fellow SAAC reps., my own team, and myself!”