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August 12, 2022
The 2021 WNBA Champion Chicago Sky have launched ‘The Net’, a Network of Mental Health in Sport, to make mental health and wellbeing a priority for athletes. Created in partnership with Chicago agency OKRP, it encompasses resources designed to help athletes prioritize their mental wellbeing and sheds a light on the importance of “staying on top of your mental health game”.
According to a 2021 study, nearly 42% of elite athletes met the criteria for at least one mental disorder. Researchers also noted that an athlete’s training load and stress levels were often predictors of depresssion and anxiety. The Net represents an ongoing commitment from the team to “serve as a model of an organization that uplifts the world of women athletes through an environment that normalizes mental health conversations, support, and solutions within the arena and beyond.”
Alongside promoting powerful messages to break the stigma of mental health, the team will create a broad network of support and mental health resources for athletes of all ages and levels. A website, www.takeittothe.net will provide additional links and support services and organizations including the NBA’s website of Mental Health resources. The WNBA now requires all 12 teams in the league to have a mental health clinician on staff.
Chicago Sky’s venture into helping athletes not reach that ‘burn out’ point debuted at their August 7 home game. The announcement was made with a series of motivational and inspiring videos from players Azurá Stevens, Rebekah Gardner and Ruthy Hebard who shared their mental health journeys. The trio also featured on a set of player trading cards that listed tools to manage mental health such as journaling, meditation, therapy and more. The initiative’s mantra ‘Keep Your Head in the Game’ was printed on t-shirts and worn by players and staff during warmups, as well as given to fans on the day.
“The Chicago Sky is honored to partner with organizations like Mesirow, OKRP and City Year to raise awareness of mental health and make a sustainable impact in our community, said Adam Fox, Team President and CEO. “Players shouldn’t have to ‘play through the pain,’ and we are especially proud of our players: Azurá, Rebekah, and Ruthy for sharing their journeys to help the next generation of athletes be better prepared to cope with mental health challenges. This is a big step forward in destigmatizing this issue.”
During the opening game, mental health and wellness coach Dr. Janet Taylor gave players and fans a chance to reflect on positive moments in their lives, and Sky Sports psychologist Patrice Whitfield reinforced that taking care of your head is just as important as taking care of your body.
“For too long players have been seen as one-dimensional superstars whose athletic prowess is celebrated and debated,” explained Stevens. “But underneath the trash talk and 3-pointers, many of us struggle with the pressure to be perfect, to perform flawlessly and to do it all with a smile. We get injured and we face the mental challenges of getting better. Sharing these stories makes us human and helps people see how we cope with trauma – and hopefully, it helps others dealing with the same issues.”
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