Exercise can do a lot for mental health. It’s a great form of stress relief, helps get your mind off things, and of course, has many benefits for physical health. Fusion West Lacrosse Ltd. provides an opportunity for youth to belong to an organized team, which carries a positive social aspect because it gives youth an opportunity to interact with peers who share the same interest in lacrosse.

There is a lot of evidence supporting just how great playing sports can be for adolescent mental health. Depression rates have shown to be lower for those who play sports. Studies have also shown that those who play sports find their coaches and/or their parents to be key supportive individuals in their lives and that they have a strong desire to help those who may be struggling with their mental health. Bonds are strong with those who play sports together and in general, team participation in sports have been found to have antidepressant effects.

Even with all this information, the rates of anxiety and depression among scholastic athletes have increased in the past decade. The reason for the spike supports the theories that younger generations have been experiencing more intensive and increased pressures to meet nearly impossible standards. That is, adolescents and young adults today are told that in order to succeed, they have to be “perfect”, and the best way to do that is to start early and engage in activities related to it as much as possible. In the case of sports, adolescents may be training many hours per week, having a monitored and strict diet, and losing sleep to train as much as possible.

The treatment of student athletes as “professionals” can very easily lead to exhaustion, both physically and mentally. Student athletes’ lives aren’t all about the sports – they’re students as well. Spending hours training and travelling for games means that they have less time to do homework and studying.

This is especially difficult for the adolescent brain. Adolescent brains have a lot of plasticity, and because it is still developing, it can be affected by extreme situations and stress. Adolescents can be severely affected by the pressures placed on them; even by their own brain, which can then in turn affect their mental health to a more extreme level.

Playing sports has an outstanding effect on physical health and well-being, but going too far can actually cause a lot of damage. The same thing can happen to mental health too, so it’s important to be careful and check-in as much as possible to see how you’re feeling both mentally and physically.

Fusion West Lacrosse Ltd. is aware of these issues and recognizes that young athletes can experience many challenges with mental health. We understand that youth and families can feel confused or overwhelmed, and may not know where to turn. Please take comfort in knowing that there is support available.

70% of serious mental health challenges start before the age of 24. Sometimes, youth may feel reluctant to share what they are going through. This can be due to things like stigma or that they don’t know how or where to get help.

We recognize that it can be easier to identify and treat symptoms of physical illness, than identify and support a child’s struggle with mental health issues. Learning about mental health issues and accessing appropriate resources can help a child experiencing significant distress and impairment with their function at home, school, with peers, on sports teams, or in the community.

Provided below are links to resources as well as available support programs for youth, parents, and guardians. As mental health awareness becomes more of a talked about issue, resources are constantly changing, growing, and evolving. The resources listed are meant to aid with getting you started.

Our Fusion Family is of great importance to us, and we will provide needed player support in any way that we can!