Colonia, N.J. – The East Coast Conference and the conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) are set to host its annual Mental Health Awareness Week from April 7-13. With this initiative, ECC SAAC intends to bring awareness with a week full of ECC games and events dedicated to a cause that promotes the messaging that when it comes to mental health, it's okay to ask for help.
“Mental health awareness is important for improving mental well-being, reducing the impact of mental illness, and creating a supportive and inclusive society," said ECC Commissioner Jessica Grasso. "By promoting acceptance, reducing stigma, and encouraging help-seeking behavior, mental health awareness can empower our student-athletes to prioritize and improve their mental health. I am proud of the ECC student-athletes for acting and promoting programming to better serve themselves and their team and to support others.”
"Recognizing mental health is crucial for promoting athletes' well-being and helping them learn to build a balanced and fulfilling life," said Kathleen Healy, SAAC President and junior cross country and track and field runner at Molloy. "Athletes face unique pressures that significantly affect their well-being. The mental health of athletes is just as important as their physical health. A strong mental game is just as important as a strong physical one."
"Mental health has such an impact on every facet of life, and it influences the lives of so many you interact with," said Bradyn Winters, SAAC President and sophomore men's volleyball student-athlete at Daemen University. "Holding a conference-wide Mental Health Awareness Week shows the interconnected relation between all of our fellow schools in the conference."
"Having the ECC recognize Mental Health Week by holding a conference-wide awareness week offers numerous benefits to athletes in member schools," added Healy. "Acknowledging the week helps to reduce the stigma around mental health and encourages open conversations about athletes' and coaches' experiences. The ECC uniting for Mental Health Week helps to foster a culture of support, teamwork, and understanding across the conference."
Follow #ECCMentalHealthAwarenessWeek on Instagram, X, and Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest East Coast Conference mental health social media posts and see below for what each of the ECC's nine institutional SAACs have planned for the upcoming week.
DAEMEN
President Bradyn Winters and Daemen SAAC will bring in therapy dogs, prepare a Mental Fitness Accountability Wall, and host a Morgan’s Message women’s lacrosse game on Saturday, April 12, with Morgan’s Message tabling also available on Tuesday, April 8 and Thursday, April 10. Daemen will also post mental health tips via social media and bring in The Blend, a Buffalo Food Truck that specializes in smoothies for student-athletes to help fuel Mental Fitness.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
President Emmanuela Katou Kouami and District of Columbia SAAC will host a Mental Health Candy Day on Monday, April 7 to distribute personalized cards and candy to student-athletes at the UDC Athletics Sports Complex. On Wednesday, April 9, they will set up a Morgan’s Message Information Tent at the tennis match to distribute flyers and merchandise (ribbons and bracelets) and raise awareness about mental health. On Friday, April 11 with the UDC Counseling Department, they will host a mental health session in the new student-athlete lounge.
D’YOUVILLE
President Ian De Wilde and D’Youville SAAC will promote posting motivational quotes and encouraging words around locker rooms and team spaces on Tuesday, April 8 before DYU Recreation and Wellness hosts a yoga session in the D'Youville Academic Center to promote wellness and meditation on Wednesday, April 9. On Tuesday, April 10, they will host an open house at the wellness lodge to ensure student-athletes and general population students are aware of services and resources offered while social media posts promoting the importance of mental health awareness will be highlighted on Friday, April 11.
MERCY
President Rita-Marie Masi and Mercy SAAC will host Morgan’s Message games for women’s lacrosse on Wednesday, April 9 and men’s lacrosse on Saturday, April 12). They will provide custom t-shirts for the student-athletes and hold a Chalk Walk for Morgan’s Message. Additionally, Mercy SAAC will provide butterfly cutouts with motivational quotes on them.
MOLLOY
President Kathleen Healy and Molloy SAAC will hold Morgan's Message games for all spring sports and will spread post-it notes across campus and locker rooms with inspirational quotes and motivational messages. Throughout the week, student-athletes can stop by the trainer's room and work on group coloring pages as well as fill out a poster with their favorite inspirational quotes. At the end of the week, they will host an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 5k and Walk where all Molloy student-athletes will come together to break the stigma.
QUEENS
President Julia Ragone and Queens SAAC will host a Morgan’s Message Day on Tuesday, April 8, with a full slate of women’s tennis, softball, and baseball home events; they will host a bake sale with 100 percent of the proceeds going back to Morgan’s Message. They will also partner with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to host a walk on campus on Wednesday, April 9.
ROBERTS WESLEYAN
Presidents Kaeleigh Romero and Holly Thompson and Roberts Wesleyan SAAC will set up a Mental Health Awareness Table throughout the week, which will provide information from RWU’s Wellness Center, affirmation stickers, kindness notes and green ribbons to all students. They will also be hosting Goat Yoga later in the month.
STATEN ISLAND
President Emily Albano and Staten Island SAAC will bring light to resources available at CSI by utilizing a social worker within their athletic department to bridge the gap and make resources become more easily accessible for student-athletes.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
President Kyle Jones and St. Thomas Aquinas will hold a joint meeting with STAC’s Mental Health Club to brainstorm ideas and review resources available to student-athletes on campus.