BIG EAST to Host Fourth Student-Athlete Well-Being Forum
6/8/2022 12:02:00 PM | ATHLETICS
The Student-Athlete Well Being Forum was previously held at Providence in 2019, Butler in 2018 and Georgetown in 2017
NEW YORK – Aiming to promote mental wellness among student-athletes, the BIG EAST Conference, the University of Connecticut and The Zone will team up to host the conference's fourth Student-Athlete Well-Being Forum on June 14-15 on the UConn campus. The Forum will feature a diverse group of attendees, including industry leaders, campus counselors, coaches, doctors, athletic trainers, faculty and athletic administrators, student-athletes participating in Team IMPACT leadership training and the BIG EAST Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
The BIG EAST is sponsoring the event for the first time since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the customary annual in-person gathering the past two years. The Student-Athlete Well Being Forum was previously held at Providence College in 2019, Butler University in 2018 and Georgetown University in 2017.
"We look forward to building on our three prior Forums as we strive to help BIG EAST student-athletes rebound from two years of COVID and juggle the varied demands of athletics, academics, extra-curricular activities and everyday life," said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. "Our program this year will focus on re-building personal connections and helping coaches identify and manage the full spectrum of student-athlete pressures and needs."
The 2022 Forum will focus on the range of issues that affect the overall well-being of student-athletes, including stress, sleep deprivation, injuries, mental health challenges and other health matters. Speakers will detail best practices developed by the NCAA and BIG EAST institutions to help ensure that adequate resources are publicized and made accessible to all student-athletes on campus.
David Benedict, UConn's Director of Athletics, and The Zone will host a reception for all participants on the evening of June 14. The Zone, a mental health and wellness coaching app founded by former Columbia University basketball player and graduate Ivan Tchatchouwo, allows athletes to log their moods and feelings and receive AI-powered feedback about how they might benefit from seeking real-world help.
In the Forum's first panel discussion, entitled "What is Connection and Well-Being?", attendees will hear from Dawn Shadron, UConn director of student-athlete counseling and mental health services; Erica Force, head of athletic counseling services at Georgetown University; and Peter J. Economou, director of behavioral health at Seton Hall University.
Coaches, student-athletes and administrators will then split into breakout sessions led by Dr. Chelsea Morales, UConn Athletics multicultural mental health clinician, to discuss the impact of social life and media on mental wellness.
Student-athletes will also meet with Dr. Yessine Griffin, a staff psychologist at Seton Hall, to discuss the importance of values and boundaries and how to lead a team. Concurrently, administrators will meet with Dr. Samantha Morris, UConn's athlete mental health clinician and psychologist, to better understand work/life balance, how to develop a team culture that fosters connection and well-being, and internal/external motivation strategies.
Also on Tuesday, the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport will conduct a session on "How Sport Can Heal -- Trauma-informed Coaching."
On Wednesday morning, a session will be led by student-athletes and J. Roxanne Prichard, Ph.D., Scientific Director of the Center for College Sleep at the University of St. Thomas, focusing on the relationship between mental health and sleep.
Later, Jonathan Fader, Ph.D., will deliver a keynote on "Fostering Connection and Motivational Interviewing." Fader, a prominent author, coach and public speaker, has counseled the New York Giants and New York Mets and uses motivational interviewing, performance training, and cognitive behavioral therapy to unlock the psychology of success.
This year's Forum will be emceed by John Fanta, an announcer for FOX Sports and the BIG EAST Digital Network.
The BIG EAST is sponsoring the event for the first time since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the customary annual in-person gathering the past two years. The Student-Athlete Well Being Forum was previously held at Providence College in 2019, Butler University in 2018 and Georgetown University in 2017.
"We look forward to building on our three prior Forums as we strive to help BIG EAST student-athletes rebound from two years of COVID and juggle the varied demands of athletics, academics, extra-curricular activities and everyday life," said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. "Our program this year will focus on re-building personal connections and helping coaches identify and manage the full spectrum of student-athlete pressures and needs."
The 2022 Forum will focus on the range of issues that affect the overall well-being of student-athletes, including stress, sleep deprivation, injuries, mental health challenges and other health matters. Speakers will detail best practices developed by the NCAA and BIG EAST institutions to help ensure that adequate resources are publicized and made accessible to all student-athletes on campus.
David Benedict, UConn's Director of Athletics, and The Zone will host a reception for all participants on the evening of June 14. The Zone, a mental health and wellness coaching app founded by former Columbia University basketball player and graduate Ivan Tchatchouwo, allows athletes to log their moods and feelings and receive AI-powered feedback about how they might benefit from seeking real-world help.
In the Forum's first panel discussion, entitled "What is Connection and Well-Being?", attendees will hear from Dawn Shadron, UConn director of student-athlete counseling and mental health services; Erica Force, head of athletic counseling services at Georgetown University; and Peter J. Economou, director of behavioral health at Seton Hall University.
Coaches, student-athletes and administrators will then split into breakout sessions led by Dr. Chelsea Morales, UConn Athletics multicultural mental health clinician, to discuss the impact of social life and media on mental wellness.
Student-athletes will also meet with Dr. Yessine Griffin, a staff psychologist at Seton Hall, to discuss the importance of values and boundaries and how to lead a team. Concurrently, administrators will meet with Dr. Samantha Morris, UConn's athlete mental health clinician and psychologist, to better understand work/life balance, how to develop a team culture that fosters connection and well-being, and internal/external motivation strategies.
Also on Tuesday, the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport will conduct a session on "How Sport Can Heal -- Trauma-informed Coaching."
On Wednesday morning, a session will be led by student-athletes and J. Roxanne Prichard, Ph.D., Scientific Director of the Center for College Sleep at the University of St. Thomas, focusing on the relationship between mental health and sleep.
Later, Jonathan Fader, Ph.D., will deliver a keynote on "Fostering Connection and Motivational Interviewing." Fader, a prominent author, coach and public speaker, has counseled the New York Giants and New York Mets and uses motivational interviewing, performance training, and cognitive behavioral therapy to unlock the psychology of success.
This year's Forum will be emceed by John Fanta, an announcer for FOX Sports and the BIG EAST Digital Network.