GET TO KNOW JENNA
Jenna Bowerfind
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Institution: Roger Williams University - Bristol, RI
Sport: Field Hockey
Jenna's Testimonial:
"From a very young age I have struggled with mental health and body image issues. I have been playing sports almost my entire life and for me when I was in season practicing and playing it would be my only distraction. However as I got older and things got harder, being an athlete at times in high school felt like a chore. I wasn't motivated, lost my drive, and the only thing that was a distraction was causing my mental health to get worse and worse. With the right support system, teammates that push me but also understand me, and coaches that will listen it has made want to find my love for sports again. My coach now openly talks about how important mental health is, and reaches out when she knows we are struggling. If all my coaches in the past were like that I feel as though today I would be a much better athlete. With that said, even with the level of great support I have, this past year with field hockey has been a major struggle for my mental health. In the fall, I felt like I lost my passion and lost my drive, but by the end I was getting it back. In the spring I had a huge set back when I tested positive for COVID-19, and after my isolation I still had shortness of breath and chest pains and I was out for a major portion of our spring season. I felt behind and was not close to the level I was ever playing at, and it felt exhausting. Getting up and going to practice was a huge struggle for me for the majority of the spring season. Mental health is so confusing because you can't see how someone is feeling internally, and if you are anything like me you know how easy it can be to put on a mask and show everyone you are okay. It needs to be talked about more!
I think the biggest thing that would have helped in the past is coaches, and teammates discussing mental health openly and honestly. It would have most certainly helped in the past if coaches set aside time with players and discussed the importance of taking care of your mental health and how it is okay to take a mental health day every one and awhile.
For years now I have been refusing to go on medication, but now I am open and looking at my options! Therapy has been a big help for many years (but it is not for everyone). Meditation and breathing exercises have most certainly been a big part of coping with everything on a daily basis. During school, I use Notion to plan out a to do list for every day of that week and I list all the classes I have, practice and game times, and homework I have to do and I also color coordinate it. I highly recommend looking into Notion as it has been a huge help this past year."
Sport: Field Hockey
Jenna's Testimonial:
"From a very young age I have struggled with mental health and body image issues. I have been playing sports almost my entire life and for me when I was in season practicing and playing it would be my only distraction. However as I got older and things got harder, being an athlete at times in high school felt like a chore. I wasn't motivated, lost my drive, and the only thing that was a distraction was causing my mental health to get worse and worse. With the right support system, teammates that push me but also understand me, and coaches that will listen it has made want to find my love for sports again. My coach now openly talks about how important mental health is, and reaches out when she knows we are struggling. If all my coaches in the past were like that I feel as though today I would be a much better athlete. With that said, even with the level of great support I have, this past year with field hockey has been a major struggle for my mental health. In the fall, I felt like I lost my passion and lost my drive, but by the end I was getting it back. In the spring I had a huge set back when I tested positive for COVID-19, and after my isolation I still had shortness of breath and chest pains and I was out for a major portion of our spring season. I felt behind and was not close to the level I was ever playing at, and it felt exhausting. Getting up and going to practice was a huge struggle for me for the majority of the spring season. Mental health is so confusing because you can't see how someone is feeling internally, and if you are anything like me you know how easy it can be to put on a mask and show everyone you are okay. It needs to be talked about more!
I think the biggest thing that would have helped in the past is coaches, and teammates discussing mental health openly and honestly. It would have most certainly helped in the past if coaches set aside time with players and discussed the importance of taking care of your mental health and how it is okay to take a mental health day every one and awhile.
For years now I have been refusing to go on medication, but now I am open and looking at my options! Therapy has been a big help for many years (but it is not for everyone). Meditation and breathing exercises have most certainly been a big part of coping with everything on a daily basis. During school, I use Notion to plan out a to do list for every day of that week and I list all the classes I have, practice and game times, and homework I have to do and I also color coordinate it. I highly recommend looking into Notion as it has been a huge help this past year."