Introduction Post
Hello Static family! My name is Gabby Birmingham and I am the coach for the 13-1 team and the Sports Performance and Wellness Coordinator. I am extremely passionate about athlete wellness and mental health, and am so excited to be able to provide support and resources to our Static families and athletes.
When I was in college, my Dad showed me a TedTalk given by Victoria Garrick that really resonated with me. In this TedTalk, Victoria discusses all of the stressors that college athletes face and that, while there is an opponent across the net, there is also a hidden opponent… an athlete’s wellbeing. After watching Victoria’s TedTalk, I was inspired to do more to confront the stigma surrounding discussions of mental health in general, but specifically mental health in athletes. I found out that Victoria had started a nonprofit focused on breaking that stigma, called The Hidden Opponent, and that they offered a program that allowed college athletes to get involved on their campus. I joined the Campus Captain program and served as a mental health advocate at Drury, speaking with the athletic department, sports teams, and other Campus Captains from across the country about athlete wellness. This experience, along with my degree in Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience and soon-to-be degree in Social Work have only further ignited my passion to support athletes and provide resources for topics that aren’t always easy to talk about.
While competing at the collegiate level looks different than club or school programs, the potential stressors and struggles remain the same. Moments of feeling down, overwhelmed or unsure are natural emotions to be expected when balancing all of life’s priorities. My goal in this position is to be a sounding board, support system, and resource library for our athletes.
Post #1
ATHLETIC MINDSET - MAKE THE CHOICE!
Choose action over anxiety
Feelings of worry, unease, and anxiety often come from lack of action. As athletes, it is completely natural to experience pre-game nerves. But, in those moments, choose action over anxiety. Actions are things we can control; our effort, our attitude, our training. Choosing action over anxiety puts the control back into your hands as the athlete. When we choose to focus on action, we begin to see the anxiety fall away and be replaced by confidence!
Choose inspiration over comparison
I’m sure everyone has heard the saying “comparison is the thief of joy”, and this applies to athletics as well as life. There will be teammates and opponents who succeed in areas you would like to improve; in these moments, choose inspiration over comparison. Be inspired to reach the success you see in others through hard work in yourself. Be inspired to improve your skills and reach your full potential. Be inspired to become the best teammate and athlete that you can be, success doesn't happen overnight!
Choose purpose over pleasure
As an athlete, there are always going to be drills we dread doing, practices we didn’t love, or games we wish went differently. Shifting focus from “Man, I don’t like this!” to “Man, what can I learn from this?” is the way to choose purpose over pleasure. Every drill, practice, and match has a purpose - to improve you as an athlete. Choose to focus on the purpose, and eventually you will find pleasure not only from your favorite drill or a big win, but also from the opportunity to improve.
Resource Links
The Hidden Opponent Website
https://www.thehiddenopponent.org/
The Hidden Opponent Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/thehiddenopponent
Victoria Garrick Ted Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdk7pLpbIls
Athlete Mindset
https://www.ceelycounseling.com/athlete-mindset-4-choices-to-improve-your-sport-performance
Hello Static family! My name is Gabby Birmingham and I am the coach for the 13-1 team and the Sports Performance and Wellness Coordinator. I am extremely passionate about athlete wellness and mental health, and am so excited to be able to provide support and resources to our Static families and athletes.
When I was in college, my Dad showed me a TedTalk given by Victoria Garrick that really resonated with me. In this TedTalk, Victoria discusses all of the stressors that college athletes face and that, while there is an opponent across the net, there is also a hidden opponent… an athlete’s wellbeing. After watching Victoria’s TedTalk, I was inspired to do more to confront the stigma surrounding discussions of mental health in general, but specifically mental health in athletes. I found out that Victoria had started a nonprofit focused on breaking that stigma, called The Hidden Opponent, and that they offered a program that allowed college athletes to get involved on their campus. I joined the Campus Captain program and served as a mental health advocate at Drury, speaking with the athletic department, sports teams, and other Campus Captains from across the country about athlete wellness. This experience, along with my degree in Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience and soon-to-be degree in Social Work have only further ignited my passion to support athletes and provide resources for topics that aren’t always easy to talk about.
While competing at the collegiate level looks different than club or school programs, the potential stressors and struggles remain the same. Moments of feeling down, overwhelmed or unsure are natural emotions to be expected when balancing all of life’s priorities. My goal in this position is to be a sounding board, support system, and resource library for our athletes.
Post #1
ATHLETIC MINDSET - MAKE THE CHOICE!
Choose action over anxiety
Feelings of worry, unease, and anxiety often come from lack of action. As athletes, it is completely natural to experience pre-game nerves. But, in those moments, choose action over anxiety. Actions are things we can control; our effort, our attitude, our training. Choosing action over anxiety puts the control back into your hands as the athlete. When we choose to focus on action, we begin to see the anxiety fall away and be replaced by confidence!
Choose inspiration over comparison
I’m sure everyone has heard the saying “comparison is the thief of joy”, and this applies to athletics as well as life. There will be teammates and opponents who succeed in areas you would like to improve; in these moments, choose inspiration over comparison. Be inspired to reach the success you see in others through hard work in yourself. Be inspired to improve your skills and reach your full potential. Be inspired to become the best teammate and athlete that you can be, success doesn't happen overnight!
Choose purpose over pleasure
As an athlete, there are always going to be drills we dread doing, practices we didn’t love, or games we wish went differently. Shifting focus from “Man, I don’t like this!” to “Man, what can I learn from this?” is the way to choose purpose over pleasure. Every drill, practice, and match has a purpose - to improve you as an athlete. Choose to focus on the purpose, and eventually you will find pleasure not only from your favorite drill or a big win, but also from the opportunity to improve.
Resource Links
The Hidden Opponent Website
https://www.thehiddenopponent.org/
The Hidden Opponent Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/thehiddenopponent
Victoria Garrick Ted Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdk7pLpbIls
Athlete Mindset
https://www.ceelycounseling.com/athlete-mindset-4-choices-to-improve-your-sport-performance
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