Vulnerability

Coping Mechanisms Series

Do you share? In the culture of sports, sharing, usually, with your teammates is quite normal. We share equipment, water bottles, technique advice, opportunities, and advice but feelings rarely land in that category. Sharing how you feel and being vulnerable is a sparse reality for athletes because being strong, fit, and tough are identifiable traits that you must possess but this oftentimes becomes an identity crutch that eliminates our humanity.

In this coping series, we have discussed healthy ways to cope like yoga and volunteering which are admittedly great mechanisms that can transform your mental health and can contribute to an overall better well-being. While these mechanisms are beneficial, they may cost you time and effort that you don’t always have to give because as student-athletes we are usually engulfed with practice, class, and more practice. Having time to be aware of your well-being and addressing it with measures can be exhausting, and rightfully so but it must remain a priority. Sharing your feelings, thoughts, and fears may not feel or come natural to you and that is perfectly okay! Being vulnerable is a choice that can have positive impacts on your mental health and overall well-being. Why? Because when we choose to open up and choose to not be consumed by our feelings and thoughts, there is a sense of release and relief that is accompanied with vulnerability.

Driving your car with your check engine light usually means that there is an issue with your vehicle and in order to address the issue you must acknowledge that the light is on.

Ignoring it could lead to more damage, and sometimes irreversible damage. This analogy can be applied to your mental health!

Acknowledgement is a part of vulnerability because you are affirming yourself by acknowledging what you feel and that your check engine light might be on! Vulnerability looks different for everyone as it comes natural to some and for others it may be worse than pulling teeth but finding someone you can confide in is a coping mechanism that can be done at any moment you decide. You may have to wait to schedule a yoga session or to find a volunteer opportunity, but a confidant can be one call, text, or DM away.

At Onrise, we pride ourselves on establishing genuine connections with people who have similar experiences as you and finding a player care specialist may just be the opportunity you need to be vulnerable and open up. Whether it is a player care specialist, friend, family member, teammate, coach, spiritual leader, or mentor, it is important to find someone who can confide in. Individually, we all play a part in our healing and vulnerability may be the avenue that kickstarts your healing journey! We are always a conversation away from repairing the brokenness that may exist within us. Check your light!

Emanuel Du Bois McGirt Jr. is a former five-year scholarship football student-athlete from North Carolina State University. Driven by a childhood passion, he pursued a major in English with a concentration in Language, Writing, and Rhetoric, distinguishing himself as the only student-athlete contributing to the school paper, The Technician. As a former All-ACC Scholar Athlete, McGirt has been recognized for his scholastic and athletic achievements throughout his life. He is a former professional athlete, who spent a brief time in the CFL before transitioning to the professional realm where he currently serves as the post-graduate Division I Governance intern for the NCAA. In his free time, he enjoys blog-writing, cooking, hanging with family and friends, working out, and watching sports.