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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Suicide among college athletes has increased. What’s being done to protect them?
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by AHTRA ELNASHAR, MIKE GRIFFITH and ANDREA NEJMAN
Morgan Rodgers was “full of life,” her mother recalled
WASHINGTON — As students return to campus and fans flock to watch college sports, there’s an emerging conversation about keeping young athletes safe. A recent first-of-its-kind study revealed an increase in suicides among college athletes over the last 20 years. Now, there are new efforts to shut down the stigma surrounding mental health off the field.
A recent first-of-its-kind study revealed an increase in suicides among college athletes over the last 20 years.
Young athletes dream about their future, often setting their sights on a college campus where they can play their hearts out and join a storied team with thousands of fans.
Morgan Rodgers was no different. A standout lacrosse player, she signed on to be a Blue Devil at Division I Duke University.
Her mom, Dona Rodgers, recalled her daughter being known as a “great” lacrosse player. But she was more than that. Dona knew her as a fierce competitor on the field, a skilled artist, loyal friend, and loving sister.
Morgan Rodgers was well known as a great lacrosse player
But Morgan’s lacrosse career was shattered in 2018, as a torn ACL and meniscus forced intense surgery and rehab. At the time, Morgan wasn’t deterred.
“She actually told me, ‘I can’t wait for people to see my comeback in a year,'” Dona Rodgers said. “She was looking forward to doing that, and she had every reason to believe that she would do it.”
But something changed.
A year after her surgery, Dona told us, Morgan started feeling like she wasn’t progressing. She realized she wouldn’t be able to return to lacrosse and quit the team.
There was a hopelessness that took hold in the shadows that Morgan never shared.
She died by suicide in 2019 at just 22 years old.
“She was vibrant and funny and she loved life,” Dona Rodgers tearfully recalled. “I just wish we could have known.”
Morgan Rodgers died by suicide at age 22
No one knew until it was too late. The Rodgerses joined a growing group of families whose loved ones, athletes, had ended their lives.
In just a two-month period in 2022, five NCAA athletes died by suicide. Among them: a track runner, a soccer star, and a softball player.
The losses are part of a tragic pattern ,uncovered by a new study led by Bridget Whelan, a research coordinator for Sports Medicine at the University of Washington.
“Each of these statistics is an individual and all of these deaths were preventable,” Whelan said. “We can’t lose sight of that.”
#James Donaldson notes: Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes. Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use. Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.#http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book, #CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
“Athletes are a population that we think of as protected,” Whelan said. “They have teams around them. They have lots of positive attention. So if they’re struggling with something just as much as the general population in addition to having all of the resources as they do, then this is a major problem.”
Bridget Whelan launched a study to understand the true numbers when it comes to athlete suicides
What’s being done to ensure signs are spotted early, and that students have access to mental health resources?
The NCAA has published a 19-page document of best practices for mental health among athletes, calling for written plans, training for coaches, annual athlete screenings, and ensuring access to a licensed mental health provider. You can read the full document below.
Whelan believes the guidelines are a great first step, but there’s more work to be done to reduce the barriers between student athletes and critical resources.
“Depending on where you are in the country, what your institution’s resource availability is, that is all variable depending on your situation,” Whelan said.
We wanted to know more, so we reached out to 20 Division I colleges and universities to ask about their resources, including how many sports psychologists are on staff, how often student athletes undergo mental health screenings, and whether the schools had recently audited the wait times for students to access help.
None of the schools answered our questions.
Spotlight on America wanted to know more about the resources available at schools across the country
We asked the NCAA if it surveys schools to learn about their policies and resources, and asked whether it planned to turn best practices into requirements. They did not answer our inquiry.
Last fall, a bipartisan group of senators introduced federal legislation that would enhance suicide prevention efforts for college athletes. It hasn’t moved out of committee.
For Whelan, there’s a big obstacle preventing important conversations.
“A lot of it is stigma,” she said. “There’s so much of this study that we are really hoping is going to help contribute to de-stigmatizing, working towards normalizing conversations around mental health and suicide in particular.”
It’s a goal shared by Dr. Erica Force, a sports psychologist at Georgetown University who has been working with student athletes for nearly 20 years.
“Historically the culture in athletics is be tough, no pain, no gain,” Dr. Force said. “We’re trying to change that narrative.”
Dr. Erica Force has been helping student athletes with their mental health for nearly 20 years
She pointed out that new challenges, including social media scrutiny and pressure with ‘name, image and likeness’ business deals, can exacerbate stress.
Fortunately, she said the influence of athletes like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps, who have been open about their mental health struggles, could help promote others to seek help.
“They’re surprised to hear that they’re not alone in how they feel,” said Dr. Force. “Part of our job as, as a mental health professional, is instilling hope. And so talking with them about [how] it’s normal to feel like this and, and this can be temporary. This isn’t always a permanent experience for you.”
To honor her daughter, Dona Rodgers founded a non-profit called Morgan’s Message, now working to foster the very conversations that could have kept Morgan alive through an international group of student ambassadors who are sharing experiences and normalizing conversations about mental health. Rodgers believes it’s moving the needle.
Morgan’s mother, Dona, carries on her legacy by helping others
She said she’s spoken with people who say they wouldn’t be here without the help of Morgan’s Message.
“It’s scary to think that you could be responsible for helping someone that was in a deep dark place,” Rodgers said. “But it also feels really good, and it feels like we’re doing something that matters.”
If you know someone who is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call the crisis hotline at 988 or click here for more information.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
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