Victoria Garrick, Former USC Volleyball Player, and Current Mental Health & Body Image Advocate Gives Advice to Athletes
Victoria Garrick was a walk-on volleyball player at the University of Southern California. She became a 4-year starter and currently holds the record for the top five most digs in program history. She is a former Division I and a semi-professional athlete and a mental health and body image advocate. During Garrick’s sophomore year of
An Athlete and Bulimia
Bulimia is an emotional disorder involving distortion of body image and an obsessive desire to lose weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating are followed by depression and self-induced vomiting, purging, or fasting. The disorder can be life-threatening. People with this condition binge eat and then take steps to avoid weight gain. Although purging after
How the Coronavirus is Affecting College Athletes
Introduction Unimaginable is the first word that comes to mind when I think about how this coronavirus is affecting college athletes. As a former Division I athlete, I do not believe there are enough words to explain the heartbreak, sadness, and confusion that student-athletes around the country must be feeling. For many athletes, the coronavirus
A Student-Athlete’s Battle With Mental Health
“I experienced body-shaming from my coach; it made me feel like I was not good enough.” These are the words of Kristi, a Division I student-athlete who has been struggling with her mental health while competing at her ‘dream school’. She is not alone; about 22% of young adults aged 18-25 experience any form of
UNC Athletes | The Mental Stress & Effects of Injuries
With the physical demands of high school and college sports today, it is rare that an athlete makes it through their playing career without some sort of injury. For example, the NCAA reports that the overall injury rate in NCAA football is 8.1 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures. This is with games and practices combined. There
Student-Athletes and the Risk of Suicide
Each year 1,000 college students commit suicide, making suicide the second leading cause of death for college students. Add on the additional stressors and responsibilities, and you have a mental health nightmare. If we expect our student-athletes to be able to thrive in both their academic and athletic sectors, we have to provide them with
Why Athletes Drop Their Sport
To play a sport and be successful for a collegiate program requires years of hard work and relentless commitment from athletes. It is a result of thousands of hours of practice, tournaments, and showcases, and all while retaining their academic record. After competing with other student-athletes from around the country, finally a school offers a coveted position on the team for the upcoming year and the process is complete.