By now, we all know the phrase: mental health matters. And it truly does. But how we strengthen our mental health looks different for everyone.
This Competitive League season, we went deeper in serving our teams through our Health Huddle initiative.
In partnership with Thru The Game, we launched the Thriving Athlete Workshop, focusing on where performance meets mental wellness. Two 8th grade teams were selected through an application process and sponsored by Gold Crown Foundation to participate in four team sessions and two coach sessions.
During these sessions, players were encouraged to open up and talk through the realities of daily life, including school pressures, friendships, expectations, and sports. The themes included:
- Invisible Strings – Identifying what pulls us off track and distracts us.
- Emotion Identification – Learning to recognize how we feel and connect with others, reducing feelings of isolation.
- Layers of Influence – Turning down negative noise and building positive internal dialogue.
- Mind/Body Balance – Understanding how the mind and body work together.
- Barriers to Being Our Best – Recognizing what prevents us from consistently showing up at our highest level.
The impact was noticeable.
“I’ve seen such a difference in my girls… In between games today, they sat outside together without me coordinating anything. They usually are quiet and go their own way, but today they sat together and chatted away.”
– 8th Grade Coach
“I shared more in two sessions than I ever have with anyone before. I feel connected and so much better.”
– 8th Grade Player
While the primary goal was to equip athletes with lifelong skills, the impact showed up on the court as well. From improved emotional control to greater awareness of their teammates, and in some cases, even wins, the workshops made a difference in more ways than one.
At Gold Crown Foundation, we’re not just developing better athletes. We’re “preparing kids for the game of life.”
If you’d like more information or are interested in working directly with Thru The Game, reach out at:
View more Health Huddle resources.
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