about
The Athletic Soul is a student-run organization that supports emotional wellbeing in young athletes. Though sports are a positive experience for most and can actually increase happiness and social skills, the competitive culture of elite athletics often lends itself to high levels of pressure and anxiety.
Our goal is to promote positive mental health and wellness in athletes by implementing procedures and resources in local athletic programs. We aim to encourage those in need to seek care while destigmatizing mental illness in athletes. These procedures may include mandatory mental health screening at the beginning of a season, required mental health training for both coaches and athletes, and readily available resources for athletes such as links to professional care and information about athlete wellness. We eventually seek to contact local policymakers and state athletic organizations to invoke more permanent additions to mental health infrastructure within athletics.
There remains a lack of research on mental health, especially in athletes, so part of our work involves regular research in the field of athlete mental health. We will distribute the results of this research in an effort to educate others on the impact of mental illness in athletes and to foster open conversations and dialogues about mental wellbeing.
We also host fundraisers and events to raise money for accredited nonprofit organizations supporting mental health and suicide prevention, such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
The Athletic Soul is run by high school and college athletes advised by professional adult consultants who work in the mental health field, including Southborough Youth & Family Services and Dr. Safdar Medina, Northborough-Southborough school district physician.
our current work
We are currently hosting fundraisers for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, initiating discussions with local schools, and analyzing research on athlete mental health conducted through a local survey.