Teen Talk Recap
Teen Talk
Teen Talks are interactive, educational talks that aim to aid teens in understanding and bettering their mental health. Teen talks also act as a safe space for teens to ask questions and have an honest dialogue about life as a young athlete. The talks are led by Dr. Shreya Hessler and Casey Giovanazzi Kutner from Person Before Player. As experts in both psychology and athleticism, the two provide exceptional insight on the mind of an athlete and are a great sounding board for teen questions and concerns. This Teen Talk focused on managing mental health as a student athlete and took place February 11th at the BUBA facility.
This talk covered...
- Fear of failure/letting the team down
- Perfectionism
- Identity
- Balancing school, training, family, and social life
- Performance Anxiety
- Dealing with adversity
- Leadership
BUBA's Influence
BUBA students were encouraged to attend and could earn LAB (Life After Baseball) credits for doing so. This led to an open and honest audience of new and old BUBA students. The BUBA students were highly engaged and the influence of the BUBA mission statement was clear in their questions, beliefs, and crowd etiquette. When discussing the intersection of baseball and mental health, several BUBA students emphasized the idea that baseball is a game of failure, "You succeed four out of ten times and you're a hall of famer." The acknowledgement of the prevalence of failure in baseball uniquely equipped the students to have thoughtful discussions surrounding mental health.
The Experience
The Atmosphere
In partnership with BUBA and Person Before Player, Baseball 4 Causes helped to promote the Mental Health Teen Talk to students, coaches, and parents across the Baltimore area. At the event, there was a combination of old and new faces arranged at tables of two in front of a projector screen. There was a wide range of gender, age, school, and racial diversity across the audience, inviting a variety of unique perspectives and experience. The casual nature of the event also fostered an environment of trust and honesty felt by students and speakers alike.
Prior to the talk, BUBA supplied the students with pizza along with a poster outlining the various topics the talk would cover. Many of the attendees had been at the BUBA facility since 3 PM, the pizza improved the groups morale and the poster gave them an opportunity to see what they could expect from the talk. Several students admitted they didn't have any expectations coming into the talk and were coming in relatively blind. The lack of expectations acted as a benefit to the speakers, as the audience was very open to learning and hearing what Dr. Hessler and Mrs. Giovanzzi Kutner had to say.
Highlights of the Talk
Dr. Hessler began by emphasizing that student athletes are a unique demographic because they are met with some of the highest demands with the least perception of power. Students were immediately hooked by that statement, resonating with the feeling of being powerless in the face of high expectations. Dr. Hessler and Mrs. Giovanazzi Kutner then shifted to a discussion on emotions. They covered the importance of naming emotions and making a plan to work with said emotions instead of against them. As said by Mrs. Giovanazzi Kutner, "Emotions are automatic" meaning they can't be turned on or off. On the field when emotions are high the speakers recommended refocusing through visualization or grounding techniques like counting sensory objects. They covered several other elements of mental health in sports such as how to watch film, dealing with coaches, and the value of emotional intelligence in sports. The speakers concluded the talk by saying this was the expectation now. The ability to work with your feelings and cope with failure is the standard for collegiate sports and is a necessity for life after high school.
An Unforgettable Evening
Student Take-Aways
The students heavily resonated with the talk for a variety of reasons. Some resonated with the speakers in-depth discussion of performance anxiety while others felt represented hearing two woman discuss the struggles of being a student athlete. Overall, they took a lot of insightful advice away from the talk and are already working towards applying it to their individual sports and lives. Several students said they'll try to start giving theirselves more grace on the field instead of chasing an impossible perfection. Other students also expressed their plans to start confronting their feelings at the advice of the speakers. The mental health teen talk was an incredibly enlightening experience and has undeniably influenced the way the attendees view themselves in relation to their sport.
About
Baltimore Urban Baseball Association
The Baltimore Urban Baseball Association (BUBA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose vision is to transform Baltimore's urban communities into thriving, baseball-rich neighborhoods where youth actively engage in positive programming and the sport serves as a unifying force for social cohesion and collective empowerment.
Baseball 4 Causes
Baseball 4 Causes, or B4C, is the baseball philanthropic branch of Technology 4 Causes, a non-profit organization focused on using technology and support services to make a positive impact. B4C aims to create a positive influence within the baseball community and the local community at large through various initiatives by staging events, providing a community platform, and helping other organizations run charitable events.
Person Before Player
Person Before Player is an organization run by founder and psychotherapist of The MINDset Center, Dr. Shreya Hessler and Casey Giovanazzi Kutner. Person Before Player strives to bridge the gap between the needs of our student athletes and the access to services they deserve. The organization works to support them athletically, academically, and mentally by fostering resilience on and off the field.