This article delves into an important topic, suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). A recent law that went into effect on July 4 in Ohio now mandates that school sports coaches receive training in supporting the mental health of their students. This provision is a part of House Bill 33, which states that coaches must complete the training before they can apply for or renew their pupil-activity program permit. This permit is necessary for staff members who direct student activity programs involving athletics.
According to attorney Ron Zambrano from West Coast Employment Lawyers, Ohio is the first and only state with this requirement. Zambrano states that Maryland currently has a bill under consideration, but it has not been passed, and no other states have a law like this. Experts highlight the increasing pressures that today’s student-athletes face, which can jeopardize their mental health. If coaches do not pass the required tests, they will not be allowed to coach. Zambrano emphasizes that prospective coaches must complete one of the approved training programs and will need to undergo training again for each new school activity they participate in.
Coaches, such as Richard Bryant from Loveland City Schools near Cincinnati, believe that this requirement is long overdue. Bryant’s district has been implementing mental health measures for coaches for the past five years. He stresses that the safety and well-being of student-athletes should be the top priority for all decisions. Bryant believes that if implemented correctly, this platform has the potential to save lives. While some coaches already actively support their players’ mental health, this law aims to equip them with the tools needed to identify struggling young individuals more effectively.
During Bryant’s five years of coach training, he has witnessed two “saves.” A “save” refers to helping an individual who had plans to end their life and would have followed through had someone not intervened. Coaches may already be supporting the mental health of their players, but this law seeks to provide them with the resources to identify struggling young people more effectively. Andrea Bryant, Richard’s wife and a school counselor at Lakota East High School, also near Cincinnati, explains that teenagers struggling with mental health often reach out to a trusted adult or friend. Providing coaches with training is an additional layer of support for both adults and kids.
Boehmer, a supportive Ohio mother whose daughter plays volleyball, acknowledges that sports can contribute positively to children’s well-being but recognizes the challenges faced by student-athletes and the crucial role coaches can play in helping them. She believes that some coaches may not know how to handle issues or problems if athletes approach them. Boehmer emphasizes the need for coaches to look after their students as individuals and not just as athletes.
Zambrano predicts that other states will follow Ohio’s lead and implement their own mental health training mandates, potentially expanding these laws into the workplace for managers and individuals in positions of authority. The pressures faced by today’s student-athletes include internal individual pressure, performance-based expectations, pressure to excel academically and earn scholarships, time management challenges, adolescent struggles, and the impact of social media.
Andrea Bryant highlights that social media intensifies stress levels for student-athletes who feel pressure to perform while being recorded by others and posted about on social platforms. Boehmer, the Ohio mother, believes that athletes who strongly identify themselves through their sports are at a higher risk of developing mental health issues. When players experience an injury or lack confidence, the strain increases. They may feel a loss of identity and disappointment their parents.
Dr. Zachary Ginder, a psychological consultant, emphasizes the importance of parents fostering open discussions about mental health and well-being with their children.
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