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Sparking The Conversation: Ball State head coaches send a resounding message to their athletes

<p>Freshman guard Mason Jones talks to coach Micheal Lewis during a free throw against Miami Feb. 17 at Millet Hall. Jones had two total points in the game. Andrew Berger, DN </p>

Freshman guard Mason Jones talks to coach Micheal Lewis during a free throw against Miami Feb. 17 at Millet Hall. Jones had two total points in the game. Andrew Berger, DN

It’s 6:30 a.m., and as Ball State football players begin to make their way into Scheumann Stadium, one man stands there greeting each athlete. 

Before any football begins, head coach Mike Neu finds it important to welcome in his players and have conversations with his team — ones unrelated to the sport. 

Not every conversation between him and the athletes centers around practice or approaching games. Out of all the discussions he has with his players about their struggles off the field, his main point of emphasis centers around one thing.

You are not alone.

According to The American College of Sports Medicine, approximately 30 percent of women and 25 percent of men who are student-athletes report having anxiety. Only 10 percent of all college athletes with known mental health conditions seek care from a mental health professional.  

Neu has made a point to get to know everything about his athletes, to show them they are more than just football players. 

Every night for the two-and-a-half weeks of training camp, he had each player and staff member share their story, asking them questions like: Where are you from? What have you been through in your life? [Who is] a hero in your life? [What is] a hardship you’ve faced in your life?

“Every time I go through that exercise, it just fascinates me what some young people have already experienced at this point in their life, some of the deaths, some of the tragedy, some of the violence, some of the things that they've been exposed to already at such an unbelievable young age,” Neu said. 

He said having every player share the things they have gone through in life lets others who are struggling know that there is another person on their team who has dealt with the same thing. 

“That just brings people together, and all of a sudden, they form an instant bond because they had something similar take place in their life. To me, that's when you know I am not alone,” Neu said.  “… To me, that's powerful, and that's one of the best things that we do.”

Head men’s volleyball coach Donan Cruz shares the same belief that when athletes find a common connection, it creates a healthier atmosphere. 

“Probably the most significant barrier that we face is you're always trying to figure out a one-size-fits-all type of mentality, and it's unrealistic,” he said. “What is a struggle to me might not be the same for someone else …  I think then [connecting about mental health] creates a more positive group. You have a more positive environment and then our goal is [that] we're trying to thrive and be successful.” 

He also knows how important it is for his athletes to know that their coaches are on their side. Similarly to Neu, Cruz and his staff are readily available for their players, having conversations with them that are not strictly volleyball-centric. 

“I think just that small gesture, ‘Hey, you need someone to talk to, hit me up,’ goes a long way, and sometimes as a coach, you forget to just simply say that. So we try to make an emphasis on how accessible we are,” Cruz said. “[We] encourage guys to come up to our office and just come say hi. I think those things end up leading into a more open space for good dialogue.”

With more and more professional and collegiate athletes speaking up about their struggles, others find that they’re able to share their own experiences. 

Cruz explains that when he was growing up — and even well into his 20s — telling someone you’re unhappy was seen as weak. 

“The idea that athletes can find some safe space in saying, ‘Hey, I could talk about the fact that I'm dealing with some pressure,’ [is] not a sign of weakness. Being able to share that now, I almost feel it’s, in some respect, a sign of strength,” Cruz said.

Head men’s basketball coach Michael Lewis echoes this. 

“I think it's something that, for a long time, was kind of put on the back burner, especially on the male side, because you don't want to feel like you're admitting weakness or different things like that. And that's not the case,” Lewis said. 

Student-athletes have a lot of things to deal with — from showing up to practices and workouts at the crack of dawn to preparing for exams to worrying about their in-game performances and the possibility of injury. On top of that, they have their own everyday issues to deal with whether it be socially, financially or something personal. 

Because of this, mental health often falls to the back of their list of priorities. 

Lewis finds it especially important because he knows these individuals are more than just student-athletes. Behind the sport, they are human, and sports are not forever. 

“We try to develop the whole person. We're not just renting them as basketball players. We want [them] to become good students. We want to get them involved in the community where they're productive people when they leave here,” Neu said. “ I want them to be great husbands and fathers down the line. I want them to provide a great life for their family.”

While student-athletes of course have a lot on their plates, so do their coaches. They also deal with long nights, extended road trips, pressure to succeed, and having to spend time away from their family and friends. Lewis even said he spends more time around his players than he does his own children sometimes. How do they deal with it? 

Balance. 

“I try to keep a balance. When I can be with my family, I try to be present. I try to leave work at work. But obviously there [are] some times [where] if I'm going to be around my family, I’ve got to take work home,” Lewis said. “I don't get the quantity that maybe others get, but [I] make sure the time that I do have is quality time with them, and just letting my family, especially my two daughters, understand that they always come first.”

Neu relies on his wife and his faith. 

“Every week as coaches, we have Bible study on Thursdays and that helps — just talking about something besides football and to know that you always have that as part of your life, front and center,” Neu said. “I think [it] is really important for me because I've always left every Bible study that we've had together on Thursday feeling great.”

With more athletes and coaches speaking up and finding support for their struggles, perhaps the stigma can fade.

Contact Derran Cobb via email at derran.cobb@bsu.edu or on X @Derran_cobb.

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