Student-athletes take part in training with Hilinski's Hope Foundation as part of new Nevada Athletics Mental Health Initiative. | University Nevada, Reno
Student-athletes take part in training with Hilinski's Hope Foundation as part of new Nevada Athletics Mental Health Initiative. | University Nevada, Reno
Sound mental health is paramount in any aspect of life and being a student-athlete is no different.
According to a news release shared by the University of Nevada, Reno, the emotional and social well-being of student athletes is the biggest health and safety concern right now with the NCAA stating only 10% of the demographic ask for help when needed.
“The work being done by Nevada Athletics to bring mental health issues front and center for student-athletes, coaches, administrators and support staff complements the mission of our foundation,” Julie Pippenger, chief operating officer of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, said in the release. “We are eager to see how additional support will take this effort that much further — providing access to nationally recognized training sessions, materials, assessments and online resources, as well as the creation of a dedicated, private office space for counseling.”
The Andre Agassi Foundation for Education has provided the school with a substantial donation in order to develop the Nevada Athletics Mental Health Initiative.
In fact, the Wolf Pack’s football head coach Ken Wilson’s wife, Heather Wilson, has been instrumental in implementing the new program.
According to Heather Wilson: “We want to make sure we are diligent in our efforts to provide student-athletes with the tools to understand their own mental health, be able to communicate about it and have the necessary resources to do so. Equally important, we are working hard to provide our coaches and staff with the proper education about student-athlete specific mental health, and how to best serve our athletes at Nevada when it comes to their mental health needs.”
The school also joined other institutions in highlighting mental health by participating in College Football Mental Week during Oct. 1 to 8.
According to Wilson: “This is really just the beginning of our effort and commitment to serve our student-athletes and their mental health needs. The support we received from the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education will propel our mental health program forward — making it one of the top programs in the country.”
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