While she may lead the Washington Mystics in points, 6foot7 rookie Lauren Betts has other priorities for her first WNBA season. She is addressing mental health and developing a project to support others. In an article, she explains that even though it is Mental Health Awareness Month, she wants people to hear her beyond her sport. She teamed up with her teammates and mental health professionals to speak on athlete stressors and the importance of humanizing mental health talk before a game at home.
Another aspect of Betts’ experience that she mentions is the high level of attention that follows a highly hyped player. From playing high school basketball to college success to joining the professional ranks, Betts has been in the spotlight. She notes that while hoop fans see only the highlights and flashes, they do not see the undercurrent of doubt, nerves and critique that fester in a player‘s mind. By opening up about her experiences, she wants to demonstrate to young athletes that asking for help is not weakness.
Betts also alludes to “working on something big” for mental health, though the specifics have yet to be revealed. The story indicate that it might be some sort of outreach to the community or a partnership with mental health organizations who advocate for youth and student-athletes. Either way, it looks like the project will continue to ride on her openness in sharing her story as well as on professional resources.
Additionally, the article places her work in the context of an increasingly vocal WNBA. WNBA players have long been outspoken about issues important to them whether be it mental health, social justice, or community. Every season, many teams run Mental Health Awareness Month nights, handing out info about local programs, hotlines, and counseling services. Through her participation, Betts is helping keep the dialogue about emotional health and wellness in the sports arena just as commonplace as talk about training and travel schedules.
For fans and young players, Betts’ words are simple: It‘s fine to love the game, but still find it hard. Going to see a mental health professional, turning to a coach or teammate, taking some time off none of it makes someone any less competitive or dedicated. As her WNBA career continues, her off-court work on mental health may be just as influential as her work on the court.
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