U of R implements mental wellness consultant for its athletes
The University of Regina (U of R) has implemented a mental wellness consultant this year specifically for its athletes to address their mental health needs.
Lisa Robertson, director of sport community engagement and athlete development at the U of R, said physical strength is not the only thing that should be focused on when looking at a student athlete.
“We need to address the health of our student athlete’s minds, both from a sports-psych perspective in terms of proactive approach but also to support those that may be struggling,” she said.
Robertson was a part of the team that hired Lisa Hoffart, a registered psychologist and mental performance consultant, to take on the role as the University’s mental health and wellness coordinator for the 2022-23 school year.
“The University had been looking to incorporate something within their athletic department to assist athletes with their mental health and wellness. It was something I was very interested in and wanted to put my name forward when the opportunity came up,” Hoffart explained.
Hoffart is a former student athlete and felt her post-secondary experiences could help play a pivotal role in relating and understanding what they are going through.
She said when she was an athlete, mental performance wasn’t really available.
“I think to have it talked about normalizes it and helps to recognize that if we can deal with the person first, the athletic performance will follow,” she said.
Hoffart noted there are multiple ways she and the University have been working to help the athletes this season, including managing stress, coping, developing resilience, and working through depression and anxiety.
Peyton Enns, a forward for the women’s soccer team, said it’s great to have someone who can specifically deal with student athletes.
“I’m just glad we can have someone that we can directly go to instead of having to look elsewhere, it’s just right here at the university,” she said.
The University will evaluate and assess the need of Hoffart’s position on an annual basis. However, Robertson has already found it to be a huge success for the athletes.
“The response has been very positive. I have a student athlete leadership team and they have all given me feedback that’s both needed and appreciated,” she said.
“If you look at NSO [National Sport Organizations] and elite level Olympic sports, they absolutely have a holistic approach to their athletes. I was well aware that coming from my other roles that this was a piece I wanted to fill. It took a little longer than I had gone but now that it’s here, I don’t see it going anywhere,” she added.
Nigel Warden, a member of the Cougar men’s basketball team said he think it’s important for athletes to have someone to reach out to.
“I think that’s something that a lot of people do need. It’s definitely something that needs to be focused on a little but more within the student athlete group,” he said.
Max Dobie, who competes for the University’s swim team, said it’s nice to have someone that will listen.
“Five years ago, it was really hard especially as an athlete to say that you’re struggling because athletes were supposed to be the strong ones. Now it’s easier to just go and say, ‘I’m struggling right now, training really hard, school is stressing me out,’” he said.
Both Robertson and Hoffart noted they are not aware of this position at other institutions across the country but could see it becoming a key role that will be created for all student athletes in the future.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.