In the high-stakes, competitive world of sports, mental health is often overlooked, especially among student athletes. The physical demands of sports, while balancing academics and other extracurriculars, can depreciate the importance of mental health in student athletes. Especially following events like COVID-19 and other uncertain circumstances, it is crucial that stigma around athlete mental health is removed and treatment is both prioritized and easily accessible.
Morgan’s Message is a nonprofit that focuses on eliminating stigma around mental health among student athletes and equalizing physical and psychological treatment in athletics. They aim to normalize conversations about mental health and support those who feel alone.
Morgan’s Message was created to honor Morgan Rodgers, a dedicated athlete, a kind soul, and a lovable friend, teammate, and family member. Her intelligence in the classroom, artistic skills, infectious positivity, and athleticism made Morgan an incredible human. She committed to Division I lacrosse at Duke University, emphasizing her drive for a world-class education and love for her sport. During her sophomore year of college, she suffered a detrimental knee injury, which exacerbated her mental health issues. Morgan passed away by suicide on July 11th, 2019, at the young age of 22.
“Although her life was cut way too short, Morgan’s legacy of unconditional love remains. Her energy empowers those she has left behind to transform devastation into action.”
As of today, Morgan’s Message has reached over 1,800 high schools and college campuses, with a total of almost 7,000 ambassadors, including Carlisle High School. Kendall Witman, student leader, and Mrs. Kline, teacher advisor, have taken on the leadership of the club.
As a student athlete, Witman strongly advocates for the program. Her passion for the club stemmed from personal experience, and she emphasizes that it is probably the same for thousands of clubs nationwide. Witman notes that Morgan’s Message contests the stereotypes that come along with being an athlete.
“It’s important to understand that athletes are normal in the sense that we care about the things we spend so much time working towards, and whether it is disappointment in performance, injury, anxiety, etc., all of us experience the lows that come along with being disappointed or not feeling enough.”
Witman has been kind enough to open up about her struggles as a student athlete. She notes that she has struggled with feelings of underperforming, which have affected all aspects of her life, including her physical health, and, just as importantly, her mental health. She also says that shortly after starting the chapter, she tore her ACL and meniscus, taking her out for nine months.
“Being a multi-sport athlete my whole life, this turned my world completely upside down, and I genuinely lost myself. I didn’t know who I was when I wasn’t an athlete. Morgan’s Message has been a way for me to help others who have gone through similar things, and also spread awareness for something that people might not realize. It really has been a blessing, and I know that Morgan’s Message came into my life when I just needed it most.”
She closes by articulating one of the most important things to remember:
“You aren’t alone–super cliche and simple–but that is the best way to put it. We are all here for one another, supporting, listening, and caring for one another. Nobody needs to go through anything alone.”
Mrs. Kline took on the role of advisor for Morgan’s Message as she saw in her own life just how important athlete mental health is. She found out about it from her son’s girlfriend, who played lacrosse with Morgan.
“Ironically, they [Morgan’s Message] were asking people to start clubs in schools. They were talking about putting together curricula for that kind of thing and for teachers to do lessons. So, I signed up for that, and Kendall Witman had Morgan’s Message shirt on. We started talking about doing a club.”
Kline also highlights the stigma around athlete mental health. She notes that athletes are often extroverted people and sometimes do not open up about their mental health issues. She says that it is important to let athletes know that their mental health matters and to open the lines of communication about it.
A great way to help an athlete is to support them when they are injured by letting them know they are still a part of the team.
“They feel like they let their team down, and they don’t feel like they’re a part of the team anymore because they’re not at practice, and that’s what happened to Morgan. And even though rehab was going really well and all that, she just felt like she was not a part of it. That was her identity, being a lacrosse player, and she didn’t speak up because she was an extroverted person, she was an athlete, and she was hiding it. I think that when everyone looks at athletes, they’re worried about the physical injury, and not how it’s affecting them mentally.”
It is pivotal that people take the time to advocate for bettering athlete mental health. Morgan’s Message is an incredible step at just that, spreading awareness and celebrating a beautiful life taken too soon. Carlisle High School taking action is an inspiration, showing that anyone can make a difference.
