Sports, an aspect of life where athletes escape reality for an hour or two, allow them to focus solely on the present moment. Whether it’s a baseball being hit or a football being thrown, athletes think about nothing but what’s happening in the present. Getting injured or playing badly can affect an athlete’s mental health in a negative way.
People say sports are just games. Well, to athletes, sports are not just games. Three years ago, when playing baseball, I was moving from a small field to a big high school field and to be totally honest, I was playing terribly. I couldn’t make the simple throw from first to third. It was depressing. I thought I was never going to make it and felt like I was nothing without baseball. Then I quit baseball and went to soccer and I was able to release emotions by just playing hard and then succeeding. After one game, I gained a huge amount of confidence and got happier, slowly going to the gym, getting stronger and regaining more and more confidence. Then I started playing baseball again and since then have been doing really well. Things like this happen all the time. Bridger Peaks Counseling said, “Many athletes, from youth competitors to seasoned professionals, struggle with confidence. A missed shot, a losing streak, an injury, or even a single harsh comment from a coach can shake their belief in themselves.”
Someone who doesn’t play sports can just say: Why do you care so much? Sports come to an end anyway and they will ask how such a little thing can impact your health so much. However, to athletes, sports are much more than just a game; they can be a way out of a bad situation.
There are movies and true stories about athletes using sports to make it out of a tough situation. One example of a real story is N’Golo Kanté, a world-class midfielder with humble beginnings. Kante was born with four younger siblings, so responsibility fell on him early when his dad died. A death in the family, especially your dad, could destroy anyone’s mental health and for Kante, soccer was his escape. The highlights app said, “He made money as a garbage picker, selling valuable waste for recycling [and] to help provide for his family while his mother worked as a cleaner.”
Kante used soccer to elevate his wealth when a small club called JS Suresnes picked him up. As soon as he got his chance, he proved to be great, bigger clubs began to recognize his talent and just like that, he was being paid millions at the top club of Chelsea in the Premier League, using soccer to get out of the situation of poverty he was in, lifting the stress of his family’s struggles off his chest.
Injuries, getting hurt affects you, you never know if you will return to your old self, and sitting on the sideline while your team is playing is devastating. Earlier this year, I got hurt in my first high school game ever. I had to sit on the sidelines for the whole summer season, watching my teammates have fun. It was so hard not to risk getting hurt more just to play again. Not only that, but the fear of being injured again is scary. With all that and not being able to hang out with friends, I got sad. I didn’t go outside for days at a time. I would even sit on my phone all day, racking up hours of screen time. When I returned, it still wasn’t the same with the constant fear of re-injuring my wrist. However, I got happier just playing the game I love again. Boston’s Children’s Hospital said, “It’s important to look out for an injured athlete’s mental health as well as their physical health. An injury that takes an athlete out of play for a long period can be traumatizing for someone who has structured their life around sports.”
Finally, sports have a huge impact on an athlete’s mental health. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or who you are; struggling in your sport or not being able to play your sport as an athlete is one of the worst things you can go through mentally and physically. Basketball legend Kevin Love said, “Mental health is an invincible thing, but it touches all of us at a point, one way or another.”
