Frustrated sports families don’t have to throw in the towel. They can now band together to form their own winning team of support. That is the concept promoted by Open Practice, a community where parents and their student athletes can connect and face the challenges of a sport-life balance.
Open Practice, a monthly subscription service that offers one on one coaching, a Facebook members-only site, quarterly classes, help from collegiate coaches and speakers and discounted event access, launched in November as a subscription service provided by Agility Counseling Group. Led by Jonelle Massey, founder and CEO, this hub for parents helps address the increasing pressure that student athletes face in season and off season. Massey is a psychotherapist and consultant who specializes in the challenges of mental health as it relates to athletes.
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“Our children are experiencing way more pressure than we ever did,” Massey said. As a former college basketball athlete at Xavier University, she understands the demands of today’s players. Her husband, Jeff Massey, is the associate head men’s basketball coach at University of Toledo. Additionally, she has a personal stake in the game.
“I am a mom of two female athletes, and I want to change the culture of sports for them, their peers, our community and future generations,” she explains.
Massey has seen a shift in the world of sports that is having a negative impact on mental health. “The culture of sports is changing. The positive social emotional lessons of winning, losing, being a good teammate, recovering from self-disappointment and self-agency are not being highlighted in youth and high school sports anymore,” Massey said. She points to increases in anxiety, depression and suicide among athletes, adding, “Unhealthy coping skills indicate a need for psychotherapy, education and a healthy community.”
An online community option
This is where Open Practice steps in. “We provide a friendly, non-judgmental space where you can have open conversations with mental health professionals, trainers, nutrition experts and college coaches, as well as athletes and parents of former high school, college and professional athletes. Here, we value validation, empathy, education and accountability.”
Today’s athletes face some unique challenges, including criticism of performance on social media, constant comparison, increased pressure to earn college scholarships, increased pressure to train harder, lack of healthy mentorships and less focus on relationship- building.
“It is causing increased suicidal ideation, isolation and drug and alcohol use. Mental health is not mental weakness,” Massey said.
