Bradford, Pa. – Last Saturday, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford softball team paired with the non-profit organization, The Hidden Opponent to hold a Student-Athlete Mental Health Awareness Day for their doubleheader against Penn State-Altoona.
Themed as a Green Out Game for Mental Health, the Panthers wore green warm-up shirts pregame and added green accessories to their uniforms. Led by upper-class students Hannah Fisher and Daytona Wentzel the team also decorated the field and surrounding area with decorations, as well as posters that were informational and inspirational.
"As student-athletes, we want to shine a light on mental health being just as important as physical health to us, while also honoring the lives lost as a result of lacking mental health services within athletics," said Fisher.
Just before the start of the 2022-23 academic year Fisher and Wentzel began working with The Hidden Opponent as campus captains for the coming year. The organization raises awareness for student-athlete mental health by sharing stories of student-athletes from all around the world and offering various programs for athletes to prioritize their mental health. It was founded in 2019 by former NCAA Division I student-athlete Victoria Garrick Browne, and stems from her 2017 TedxTalk that detailed her own personal battles with depression and anxiety as a student-athlete and the crisis facing student-athletes around the world.
Fisher and Wentzel are two of over 900 ambassadors at 750 college campuses who work as an extension of the organization, attempting to improve culture and promote conversations about mental health. Along with organizing the gameday event, the campus captains have had success raising awareness for student-athlete mental health through programs such as an affirmation mirror set up in the Commons, as well as having a presence on social media through Instagram where they share stories, messages, and resources.
More information on The Hidden Opponent and its message can be found on its website, here.
