Western Mustangs student athletes have a strong voice, and never more so than when they are speaking about topics they are passionate about. In addition to sport and academics, a key focus for our student athletes is mental health, as well as mental health advocacy, organizations, and programs.Â
James Bull is a third-year Kinesiology student at Western and a Mustangs varsity athlete, is in his second year on the Mustang's Baseball Team; he previously played for the Mustangs Rugby Team in 2019-20.
Alongside athletics, James is passionate about mental well-being. In high school, he spearheaded a Jack.org chapter—an experience that showed him that poor mental health habits were widely accepted. Now, he aims to break the stigma by empowering individuals through open and honest conversations. James current co-leads the Student Athlete Mental Health Initiative (SAMHI), an important group that is part of MASC (Mustangs Athletes Students Council) but that specifically spreads mental health awareness, education, and facilitates access to campus resources.
As part of the initiative, James has organized events, including a speaker series "that aimed to provide student athletes with the tools they need to care for their own mental health. We've done this by inviting professionals to speak on key topics that often provide challenges that contribute to the poor mental health of student athletes. For example, we spoke with Donovan Bennett who is a former Mustangs football player and current writer/TV personality for Sportsnet, on how the skills that he learned as a Western athlete allowed him to successfully transition out of competitive sports and find success in the highly competitive field of professional sports media."
When asked how other students or athletes can work towards breaking the stigma around mental health, James offered this advice:Â
"Take care of yourself. Caring for your own mental health doesn't mean shutting down and avoiding practices, games, and academics. It is an active process that requires you to monitor yourself and how you're doing, while also recognizing how people around you are doing. Be there for your teammates and friends to lean on. Do not be afraid to have open conversations. There can't be a stigma if we talk about it."
James was able to share with us a personal experience which highlights the overlap of athletics and mental health. "This past summer while playing for my hometown junior baseball team, I partially tore my right hamstring in a collision at second base. I was forced to miss a couple weeks and I returned to play just one week before Western's training camp began. Unfortunately, I then partially tore my left hamstring while preparing for the season. Despite the injury, I participated in our training camp and further aggravated the injury. Thanks to our training staff and sports medicine team at Western, I was able to continue playing through the season with treatment before and after each practice and game. It was a grueling process that came close to derailing my season on multiple occasions. I learned that the continuous aggravation of my injury was largely my own fault. I kept trying to return before I was ready. It was difficult to accept that at a certain point there was nothing I could do to get better any faster. The injuries showed me how important athletics is to my life. When I wasn't able to play, my moods were worse, I was less motivated and all around in a worse spot mentally. I was able to see that sports play such a crucial role in shaping the person I am every day. At the same time, I need to learn who I am out without athletics, because there will come a time where my playing days are over, and sports no longer take up such a large portion of my life."
From training on the field, James learned that nothing comes easy: you can practice and do everything in your power in a game, but still need to accept that failing at the plate is very normal. From athletics, he's learned that you need to pick yourself up, keep going, and have a strong mindset. Studying Kinesiology also showed James that mental health and physical fitness are interconnected at every bodily function, and he looks forward to applying science to sports.Â
James also explained that he finds staying productive and checking to-dos off his list is extremely helpful for staying on top of what he needs to get done. For him, it all contributes to positive mental health. Having a routine and doing things for yourself every day helps to maintain a positive head space, as he finds that it is easy to slip into negative habits if not accountable.Â
Aside from his advocacy work and academic pursuits, James is keen on organizing, self-growth, and acquiring new skills like juggling. He's also currently reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and learning to solve a Rubix Cube. During lockdowns, James finds motivation to stay active by working out with his roommates or taking turns with their at-home punching bag. Â
Â
It is widely known that the current COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful for all and can impact mental health. If you or anyone you know is struggling, you are not alone:
Mental Health Resources – Jan 2022
Health and Wellness offers a variety of resources and supports for Western students. You can access them in-person in the newly-opened Thames Hall, online, or over the phone.
