Stampede Season: How Sport Impacts Mental Health
(c) VictoryLab Inc. 2018
With Stampede season in full swing, it’s easy to get caught up in the festivities. And while this time of year is exciting and fun, it’s also important to pay mind to the athletes who are participating in these rodeo events, especially in regards to their mental health.
On January 9th, 2017, bull rider Ty Pozzobon took his own life after suffering from a brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which develops from repeated brain trauma. His tragic passing has shaken the world of bull riding, a sport that is considered one of the most dangerous to compete in. After his death, the Ty Pozzobon Foundation was created to raise awareness about the mental health of rodeo competitors and to support their well-being in every way possible.
Ty Pozzobon’s passing teaches us that sport-related injury can cause serious damage to mental health, with athletes who receive numerous concussions often developing depression as a result. It’s so important to give athletes the resources they need when they’re struggling, and to provide them with serious help when they need it.
With our app, we aim to give athletes a way to assess their well-being in both a team environment, and an individual environment. The VictoryLab admin panel is an exclusive tool for organizations to have useable information in real-time, related to their organizations. Athletes are able to assess components such as team cohesion, conflict, leadership roles, and their own personal confidence. The admin panel provides evidence that relates to motivation, encouragement, concern, responsibilities, and much more. By including this feature, organizations will be informed of their athletes’ wellbeing, and will receive any possible warning signs through our admin panel.
Sport provides athletes with an outlet, and teaches dedication, commitment and integrity; but, it can also play a role in the decrease of mental health, seen often in full-contact sports such as bull riding, football, and hockey. We at VictoryLab know how important it is to protect our athletes, and to let others know that injuries like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) exist and pose a significant threat. During this Stampede season, we encourage you to pay extra attention to athletes, friends, family, or anybody that may seem to be struggling. We believe that if we change culture around emotional health, we change lives for the better.
To find out how VictoryLab can help you and your company or team, go to victorylab.com/form or subscribe to VictoryLab’s blog by clicking here.
To donate to the Ty Pozzobon Foundation, click here.
(c) VictoryLab Inc. 2018
