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Game over concepts, mental-health support for college student-athletes

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Game over concepts, mental-health support for college student-athletes

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Content Running head: GAME OVER CONCEPTS
CAPSTONE PROJECT: GAME OVER CONCEPTS
Amy Mayes, LMSW
Doctor of Social Work
University of Southern California
May 2020
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 2
CAPSTONE PROJECT: GAME OVER CONCEPTS
AREA 1: Executive Summary
College student athletes are at an increased risk for mental health disorders that disrupt
their well-being and performance. The grand challenge related to this problem is to Ensure
Healthy Development for all Youth to which recognizes that behavioral health problems
beginning in childhood or adolescence can take a heavy toll over a lifetime (Hawkins et al.,
2015). The number of NCAA student-athletes that have died from suicide since 2013 is 477; this
is 80 deaths a year (Kalandarov, 2018; Garrick, 2017). American society dehumanizes athlete’s
struggles. Athletes face a reality where they cannot predict when or how their game will be over;
that may be by their choice, through injury, graduation, or sometimes even death.
It is just beginning to be recognized how much the pressure of being an elite athlete can
negatively affect youngsters throughout their lifetime. The traditional athletic culture has
tolerated a stigma around mental health and wellbeing, to the point that any emotional waning is
perceived as weakness. In the past, athletes have been put on a pedestal and their actual
struggles are dehumanized; collaborators are now backtracking dehumanize to prevent mental-
health decline in young athletes (Hawkins, et. al., 205).
American society would be significantly different if there were no sports. Sports are a
large contribution to the fabric of American society and highly influence our youth. Athletics
embodies its own culture; to outsiders, this implies a privileged life that does not warrant
turmoil. College is a known milestone when youth find and test their identity and undergo
immense stressors while transitioning into adulthood (Hibbs &, 2019). What outsiders do not see
is that college student-athletes, while dealing with this same transition, have additional
commitments and a seven day a week schedule that can lead to serious mental decline. Due to
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 3
this segregated culture, those who treat young athletes need a specific understanding of the stress
they experience on a daily basis; standardized care is not appropriate. The majority of college
student-athletes stay silent about their emotional state because their romanticized stereotype
contradicts the reality of the culture. Game Over Concepts (GOC) disrupts the norm that mental-
illness is a sign of weakness and begins to change the stigma that dictates emotional wellness for
athletes.
Program Purpose: Game Over Concepts’ program purpose is to train college athletic
staff how to prepare student-athletes mentally and holistically for when the game is over. Young
student-athletes need a realistic understanding of their struggles, and cannot be met with the
same types of mental-health prevention measures utilized through basic campus counseling.
Additionally, there is no current standardized mental health model for college student-athletes,
despite this distinctive culture and regardless of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s
(NCAA) Mental Health Best Practices. GOC transforms the college athletic mental-health
culture and demonstrates to athletic staff how they can realistically approach holistic health
through simulation and role play training approaches.
GOC is a training program for athletic staff using evidence based conversational
techniques that are proven to open discussion around mental-health and wellbeing (Miller &
Rollnick, 2013; Parr 2019; Jeff Garrison-Tate Person Centered Thinking, personal
communication, June 20, 2018). There are multiple benefits of incorporating conversations of
mental health into an athletic realm including improved mental health literacy, student-athletes
increased likelihood to discuss mental-health, improved interdisciplinary team collaboration of
care, improved athletic performance, and execution of the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 4
The advisory board of GOC will include student-athletes, coaches, athletic department
administrators, trainers, and identified GOC preceptors.
Policy and Practice: The problem Game Over Concepts addresses is the lack of direct
and specific mental-health and well-being support mechanisms within college sports. Sports
shape American family’s activities putting enormous pressure on college student-athletes to
entertain, despite their developmental age. The current protocol within NCAA college athletics
advises that if an athlete discloses emotional decline, they be escorted to the head athletic trainer
and referred to campus counseling or other outside services. The issue with this protocol is by
the time the student-athlete has reached a mental-health professional, they may have encountered
up to three individuals before getting necessary assistance. Also, trainers do not have the level of
mental health awareness and training to adequately address the issues presented in a timely
manner.
The stigma of mental health in college athletic culture outweighs the security to unveil
any struggle for athletes; they are supposed to remain “untouchable”. Therefore, the current field
of practice between social workers, mental-health professionals and traditional athletic staff is
newly developing within athletic departments within the last six years as programs are just
starting to make the connections. Should society and athletic programs continue to do nothing
about this exclusive population, college student-athletes will continue to be isolated contributing
to their increased lifetime mental health issues.
In 2013, the NCAA developed a Mental Health Best Practices that was designed to
address some of the mental health concerns that college athletes and athletic staff face in their
athletic careers. However, the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices have not been formally
trained and coaches are not confident on implementation measures. On average, 50% of division-
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 5
one coaches state they are working 12-14 hour days (Adrian Mayes, personal communication,
March 1, 2019). Staff do not have time to read the NCAA Mental Health documents on their
own time with adequate understanding. This publication has basic implications of mental health
intervention procedures; it actually states that college athletes are “best served through a
multidisciplinary process where a mental health professional is easily accessible” (Mental Health
Best Practices, 2013). GOC bridges the gap between the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices
implementation and athletic staff. Coaches and support staff are under immense pressure to
produce revenue for the university and are often blamed when their players have difficulties.
Methodology and Aims: Game Over Concepts’ overarching methodology has concepts
adapted from social learning theory, social identity theory, and systems theory. Social identity
theory is based on the notion that a person’s sense of who they are is grounded in their group
membership; social identity in team sports are strong within student-athlete’s bonds and
throughout the coaching culture (McLeod, 2008). Likewise, systems theory encompasses the
athlete stereotype through unspoken norms influencing the student-athletes environment
(Toseland & Rivas, 2017). These norms influence the perception that student-athletes cannot talk
about “weaknesses”, especially with mental illness. Dr. Karen Cogan, sports psychologist at the
United States Olympic Committee, emphasizes that training helps to teach coaches to work
systematically instead of in their own silo (Dr. Karen Cogan, ASWIS conference). Therefore,
GOC’s programming will work by using systems and social identity theory to attack the culture
from the inside through training the athletic staff to think differently about mental health overall.
The training methods developed for the GOC training curriculum stem from social
learning theory; this idea proposes that new behaviors can be acquired by observing and
imitating others (Toseland & Rivas, 2017). Participants immerse themselves in role play and
anomalous conversational techniques where they are forced to think through a social work lens.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 6
By the end of the four-day training, participants will increase the likelihood to start conversations
with a student-athletes about mental-health, increase their overall knowledge of mental-health
literacy, and be more likely to hire a social worker or mental health professional for athletics.
The methods embedded in these theories will work because they are meeting the athletic culture
where it is at, and implements a structure that utilizes athletic staff as the trusted mediator to
normalize mental-health conversations.
Implementation Aims and Innovative Steps: GOC is an innovative solution that aims
to implement a training program for NCAA accredited athletic programs while creating a culture
where support for mental health is as customary as seeking care for physical injuries. GOC offers
opportunity for positive dialogue about mental health as a preventative tactic. In the first years
of piloting and implementation, GOC will continue networking and collaboration efforts with the
Alliance of Social Workers in Sports (ASWIS), the NCAA, and the International Sports and
Society Organization. In the future, GOC aims to implement mandatory policy changes that
force athletic staff to have formal mental-health and holistic care training as well as regulate
implementation of the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices.
GOC is innovative because there are currently no training programs disrupt the norms
inside the culture through utilization of athletic staff as the mediator for an athlete-centered
approach. GOC represents an innovative step forward in the realm of athletics, where
traditionally athletic staff are avoiding conversations around holistic wellbeing all together. It is
also innovative in bridging a gap between social work approaches and athletic professionals,
while brining awareness to an underserved population. GOC’s works from the same angle as
principles embedded in the grand challenge by treating mental-health before it becomes
debilitating.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 7
GOC will be executed throughout a four-phase process. During the first phase, GOC will
undergo piloting and research with continued public discourse throughout social work and sports
organizations. During the pilot, training is offered to only one sport. Full operationalization will
begin in phase two; at this time, GOC will implement full-scale trainings to Division One NCAA
athletic programs with all sports. Phase three of the project aims to provide continued research
regarding student-athletes mental health, and propose a Social Workers in Sports elective course
with the local university. The last phase, phase four, will demand mandates through the NCAA
regarding appropriate mental health trainings and utilization of the Mental Health Best Practices
for athletic staff. All four phases are expected to be established within the first five years of
operation. While GOC is initially implemented in only NCAA accredited athletic programs, it is
equipped to serve any youth athletic program in the future including smaller private college
teams and high-school sports.

AREA 2: Conceptual Framework
Statement of the Problem
College student-athletes are at an increased risk for mental health disorders that disrupt
their overall well-being and performance. The mental trauma among this population is generally
overlooked by society; an athlete’s accomplishments are celebrated and their “failures” are not
discussed. Athletes are America’s role-models and they cannot appear “weak” in any aspect,
especially by showing emotions. By continuing to ignore mental health issues with this
population, it has lead to other problems such as substance abuse, violence and criminal acts,
eating disorders, or self-harming. Often the problem that starts in college can last throughout a
lifetime with increasing and dysfunction for the individual student-athletes (Vickers, n.d.).
Additionally, there is tremendous pressure to win games, get title recognition and bring in
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 8
revenue, causing athletic staff to a have a high turnover rate. There is very little time or
awareness about student-athletes mental health needs as a contribution to their physical health.
The problem is within the social work grand challenge, Ensure Healthy Development for
All Youth. The grand challenge shows strong evidence of how to prevent many behavioral health
issues before they emerge, and approaches mental health in a preventative manner; this concept
is the opposite of how mental-health has been approached within college sports (Hawkins et al.,
2015; Schellong, 2017). Coaches know what physical health looks like and how it contributes to
athletic success, but there is a varied consensus about mental health and its correlation to athletic
and lifetime success (Schellong, 2017). By negating college student-athlete mental health and
discussing it regularly after GOC’s implementation, staff begins standardizing emotional
struggles for student-athletes.
Literature Review
When one season starts, another one ends, never giving a physical, mental or
emotional break to an athlete. Society, and sometimes even coaches, minimize the mental
stressors of athletes; the glamorous stereotype has forced the stigma of mental health to remain.
The University of Michigan has several practitioners that work for the athletic department;
however, the focus is an individual therapy approach for their athletes (Greg Harden, personal
communication, April 4, 2018) GOC is not a therapy-based program. The University of Texas
offers “life-skills” courses to their freshman and has one individual social worker available for
all student-athletes. Dr. Emmett Gill, social worker at the University of Texas has many online
teachings that include mental health literacy available for student-athletes and athletic staff;
online models can be effective when providing basic knowledge (Gill, Jr., 2008). However, GOC
provides a simulation-based approach using evidence-based training techniques. The University
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 9
of Southern California’s focus is exit planning with student-athletes for graduation (Dr. Stacy
Kratz, personal communication, November 19, 2018). Neither application equips athletic staff
with the skills to work with their players on their mental health; these existing models existing
are siloed (Parr, 2019).
When a young athlete is being recruited in high-school to play at the collegiate level, they
are being told that they have a chance to make it in the big leagues. However, only two-percent
of college student athletes make it into professional status (Garrick, 2017). Anybody can
experience mental health issues, and mental illness is one of the most profound silent epidemics
in America; student-athletes are not discounted just because they are considered “elite”. More
than 75% of all mental health conditions begin before age 24 and this is the peak age of the
majority of student-athletes in the NCAA (James, 2017, para. 4). Currently, one in every four
student-athletes is experiencing depression symptoms, and have described their emotional state
as “overwhelming” (Velasco, 2017).
During, a focus group discussion conducted on October 3, 2019 at The University of
North Texas, zero out of seven student-athlete participants stated that they would tell their
coaches if they were experiencing suicidal thoughts. According to data from the National
College Health Assessment surveys 31% of males and 48% of females of the NCAA reported
symptoms of anxiety and depression at any point during their playing careers (Yang, Cox, &
Moreland, 2016). This can be caused by predisposition to mental illness, constant stress, and
refuting circumstances. During a research panel of 24 athletes, with zero coach representation,
majority reported that there were not enough resources on campus for mental health issues, with
100% of them stating that they had teammates struggling with mental health (Kalandarov, 2018).
However, there are no current statistics on how many athletic programs have starting
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 10
implementation mental-health care models into their athletic staff and culture. Despite that one in
every four college student athletes is experiencing debilitating depression symptoms (Garrick,
2017).
Coaches feel immense pressure to win in order to keep their jobs which slants their
ability to look at their player in a holistic manner. This supports the stereotype that the athlete is
strong, competent, and capable and leaves no room to consider the holistic and mental wellbeing
of the person under the uniform. Coaches and student athletes are aware of “the mental part of
the game” but lack knowledge about mental wellbeing. Additionally, coaches work from
historical background where the notion is that “if your mind is strong, your body will be strong
for the game” (Rice et al., 2016). Their knowledge of the mental part of performance is related
to the last 50 years of sports psychology that focuses on enhancing ability and performance.
Sports psychology is based on athletic performance principles not mental health or mental self -
care (Hagger, 2013; Greenwood, July 1, 2018). Coaches are taught to focus on what is important
for their athlete’s physical health such as food, hydration, medications, and safety; they are not
taught how to incorporate any concepts of holistic well-being into their overall health (Garrison-
Tate, 2018; Rice et al., 2016).
The investment of universities into each athlete is not only time, but also a financial
obligation. Schools also want high successful graduation rates and successful alumni, and many
times mental health related incidents have gone unnoticed by outsiders. Athletic culture implies
that athletes cannot admit “weakness” because they have to be seen as strong physically and
emotionally while plowing through their responsibilities (Edison, 2018, para. 5; Garrick, 2017).
While the adrenaline rush of winning remains high, the team culture does not allow for
“miserable” conversations about mental health (Coach Adrian Mayes, personal communication,
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 11
March 26, 2019). Questions about self-worth, anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse and
other mental disorders go unspoken (Edison, 2018).
Expectations to excel in college are already high and in general, mental health problems
are increasing among campus populations (James, 2017). Support for individual student-athletes
is left at the discretion and constraints of athletic staff; athletes are often left with crippling
diagnoses’ arising in their athletic careers that may affect them for the rest of their lives
(Davoren & Hwand, 2014). “Depression, stress, anxiety and other mental health conditions often
emerge when disciplined, driven, college athletes encounter the realities of college life and
competition” (“Schools that are ahead,” 2018, para. 2). There are protocols regarding the
treatment of injuries, concussions, and sickness; but mental health management for college
athletes is still in the making (Hansen, n.d.). The way to start changing the stigma is by talking
about mental-health and the relation to stress and injury and to make it a “normal” conversation
(McCarthy, 2016, Kalandarov, 2018).
Mental-health is beginning to be talked about in athletics; the National Football League
has started hiring in-house mental-health professionals for their athlete’s individual benefit
(Rodrigue, 2018). College sports seem to still be deciphering proper utilization of mental-health
help. The NCAA Mental Health Best Practices is currently a recommendation, and it is not
mandated for use by athletic staff. The NCAA Mental Health Best Practices states, “best practice
is ensuring that athletes have access to trained mental health professionals,” and “screening
athletes for potential mental health issues before they begin participation in sports” (“Schools
that are ahead,” 2018, para. 8; Hainline, 2013). Yet, only a handful of college athletic sports are
taking this statement seriously.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 12
The needs of college student-athletes are not equal to the needs of their non-athlete peers
as student-athletes represent a very unique population of young adults (Yang, Coxe, & Moreland,
2016). On-campus counseling services also has significant stigma, enough that student-athletes
typically avoid it. Additionally, these services do not often offer an inclusive environment to the
student-athlete population; even walking over to an additional appointment can be taxing for a
student-athlete to accomplish with their schedule (Kalandarov, 2018).
According to National College Health Assessment surveys, 31% of males and 48% of
females in the NCAA reported symptoms of anxiety and depression at multiple points during
their playing careers (Yang, Cox, & Moreland, 2016). During a research panel of 24 athletes,
with zero coach representation, the majority reported that there were not enough resources on
campus for mental health issues, with 100% of tem stating that they had teammates struggling
with mental health (Kalandarov, 2018). It is easily assumed that mental-health access is practiced
in the coaching office alongside workouts; however, this is not the case.
College student-athletes define themselves by the sport that they play and it becomes
their identity; when that identity is taken away through injury, choice, or other issues, student-
athletes can also face additional turmoil (Tinley, 2015). Athletes compare the emotions that they
experience after they end their playing career to the same stages of death and grief (Tinley,
2015). Often, the trauma they have faced in their years of playing a sport cause life-long
hindering mental-health issues (Christopher French, personal communication, June 13, 2018;
Brown, Hainline, Kroshus, & Wilfert, 2014). Once a player’s career is over, they can continue to
experience significant physical and mental issues due to significant lifestyle and emotional
change (Garrick, 2017).
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 13
Playing sports will always come with physical and emotional risks. There is very little
balance in athletics because what measures success is wins and losses. This aspect of the athletic
culture is not going away while universities and boosters continue to invest in college sports.
Professionals have to learn to embrace the mental wellbeing alongside physical wellness so that
sports can continue to bring families and communities together.
Social Significance
Everyone has a sports related story and sports touch almost every aspect of a typical
American life. Avoiding competitive sports is not the answer to preventative care, as many
student-athletes come from households with social tribulations, poverty, or lack of parental
involvement; their only way to succeed becomes their love of the game (Samaha, 2018). Sports
are a bridge between entertainment, academics, family traditions, money and jobs, leadership,
and its collaborative and inclusive nature will continue to be significant to society (Samaha,
2018). Collegiate and professional sports are a large influence on why American society treats
young college athletes like celebrities. These are the role models that American youth is growing
up, watching and aspiring to be. They see the money, glamour, and the paid scholarship, but do
not see the behind the scenes of “what it takes” to compete and study at the collegiate level.
Many students are arriving on campus with a variety of mental health needs, not just
student-athletes; campus resources often are overwhelmed to the point that they can only provide
minimal interventions that are not specified to the needs of student-athletes. Coaches often don’t
ask student athlete’s how they are feeling, or how they are coping, not because they do not care,
but because they are uncertain about what they should say or do after a student speaks of their
worries, fears and mental health pain (Coach Adrian Mayes, personal communication, May 6,
2018) However, sports cannot continue to function with the traditional mentality and the only
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 14
focus being physical strength. Sports must begin to see and nurture not only the physical but also
the mental health of the student athlete. If universities and athletic departments continue to
prioritize game wins before overall mental health and wellbeing, then they will continue to lose
their investment in student-athletes to a preventable issue. If American society does not begin to
recognize this underserved population, the likelihood of college sport participation will decline
alongside student-athletes overall mental-health.
Conceptual Framework with Logic Model Showing Theory of Change
Appendix B summarizes the project model with the theory of change. The theoretical
framework of the project model concludes that athletic staff undergo appropriate training through
GOC, and athletic staff implement positive conversations about mental health, student-athletes
are more likely to treat their mental health on par with physical health. Additionally, the stigma
that currently overwhelms mental health within college athletics will be reduced. As
demonstrated in Appendix A and C, the Game Over Concepts training program is guided by a
logic model and conceptual framework Social learning theory guides the conceptual framework
through motivation to act on positive conversations of mental health, and picking up new
behaviors through observations of other athletic staff. The logic model embedded into the
conceptual framework challenges societal stereotypes that are limiting student-athlete’s ultimate
abilities by using person centered thinking skills. This immediately disrupts the cultural customs
that ignore emotions within facility walls.
The logic model demonstrates resources needed for this innovation including direct input
from college student-athletes, college coaches, other athletic staff, and customized training
mechanisms. Indirect input comes from athletic department, university presidents, academic
staff, boosters and financial supports. The culture is influenced and governed by the National
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 15
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The training itself will have influence the NCAA
Mental-Health Best Practices, with training directives from evidenced based conversational and
effective trainings such as motivational interviewing, person centered thinking, mental health
literacy, mental health first aid, emotional intelligence, and cultural competency.
The activities support the culture and time limitations with college athletic staff and
athletes. GOC’s training manual is divided into four-modules. The project implementation will
be spread over four phases. The training program will be piloted for 12 months and allow for
continued interviewing and table-top discussion with athletic staff and student-athletes. The
training mechanisms will utilize videos, TedTalk’s, role playing and discussion techniques.
During the training, each athletic program group will identify student-athletes that are willing to
undergo the PHQ-9 Depression screening. Further research, publications and networking will
continue throughout all phases.
The output of GOC’s training is still in development with a start date of 2020. During the
12-month pilot program, training is expected to include up to 200 participants throughout 10
NCAA accredited athletic programs. The athletic staff will identify a minimum of 10 student-
athletes that will undergo the PHQ-9 depression screenings during training participation days.
The training manual will continue to advance by offering table top discussions with athletic staff
at each training session. The sessions will be led by one GOC training lead, and will identify five
preceptors throughout the pilot for ongoing growth of the program. The pilot program will cost
$25,000 with revenue of $25,000. Full operation costs will equal $228,500 with GOC revenue at
$299,900; revenue will include financial means such as training fees, booster donations, athletic
department in-service fees, grants, and in-kind donations.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 16
GOC will have immediate short-term outcomes measuring how the training actually
affected someone, and demonstrate impact short-term likelihood of utilization. These will be
measured by an increased score on the post-test and a positive survey. The long-term outcomes
on the college athletic culture will show significant impact on decreasing the stigma through
increased utilization of learned training techniques by participants. Additionally, college student-
athletes will have a measurable improvement in their overall well-being with a decrease in
depression scores from the PHQ-9. The community and culture outcomes after full
implementation and utilization are also highly probable. Foremost, there will be an overall
increase in mental health literacy of athletic staff. Additionally, when athletic staff become the
student-athletes’ trusted confidant to disclose mental-health barriers, there will be an overall
increase in positive conversations around mental health.
AREA 3: Problems of Practice and Solution & Innovation
Proposed Innovation and Effect on the Grand Challenge
Game Over Concepts has developed a sports social work-based training program and
manual. GOC can support student athletes and athletic communities in the following ways:
guiding them to an understanding of the importance of mental health, teaching practical person-
centered communication skills, decreasing the stigma of mental health problem, identifying
resources for mental health care and fostering an environment where athletes are comfortable
talking about mental well-being. The training includes methods customized for college sports
culture that incorporate Person Centered Thinking, Motivational Interviewing, crisis prevention
and intervention, cultural competency, self-care, and implementation of the NCAA Mental
Health Best Practices (Garrison-Tate, 2105; Miller & Rollnick, 2013). The curriculum will assist
athletic staff when initiating and regulating conversations about mental health while emphasizing
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 17
better coping skills for student-athletes. The training needs primary approval from athletic
programs and teams. Long-term the NCAA policies need to change to mandate adequate training
and mental-health support for student-athletes.
GOC utilizes practical step-by -tep methodology not unlike coaching itself. GOC is a four-
day hands-on training program with applications of conversational techniques to incorporate into
the everyday athletic culture. GOC is innovative because it embodies many social work
approaches to mental health discussion in a positive manner, which has not traditionally been
trainings that athletic staff undergo (Dr. Stacy Kratz, personal communication, November 19,
2018). Game Over Concepts teaches coaches and staff how conversation about mental health can
be implemented into the team values, and encourages athletes to become more vocal about their
mental health battles. A unique approach to training disrupts the norm that student-athletes
cannot talk about mental health by teaching how to normalize regular dialogue with open-ended
techniques.
College athletic programs who complete Game Over Concepts training modules will be
able to certify actual implementation supporting the NCAA Mental Health Best Practice
recommendations. The milieu of awareness and knowledge of mental health will be reinforced
through peer colleague support. Student athletes will learn about mental health, be exposed to the
language of emotions, thoughts and most importantly will learn about behaviors and resources
that can support them mentally. GOC’s unique training curriculum focuses on the athletic staff as
the motivators for college athletes.
Contribution to the Grand Challenge: Helping student athletes understand their own
mental wellbeing at every stage of their college experience will support the grand challenge,
Ensure Healthy Development for all Youth, and contribute to preventative care of mental-health
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 18
(Hawkins et al., 2015) Game Over Concepts is innovative because it not only brings together two
separate professionals (social workers and athletic staff), but it provides athletic staff with
distinct concepts that normally they would not receive as part of their career training. An ounce
of prevention is worth pounds of cures and treatments for student athletes; it is well known that
mental health concerns are best treated early (Hawkins et al., 2015). Helping student athletes
understand their own mental wellbeing at every stage of their college experience will ensure
healthy development throughout their life. GOC contributes to improved mental health
preventative techniques with an underserved population (Thompson, Sherman, & Wilfert, n.d.;
"Social work and athletics," 2018).
Views of Key Stakeholders
According to Coach Adrian Mayes, football coach at The University of North Texas, “the
most undervalued factor in athletics is the importance of mental health and the connection to
how an athlete performs” (2019). While a coach becomes the sports family for the student-
athlete, they are not equipped with ways to open emotional discussions when their focus is on
winning (Phillips, August, 2017). Athletic directors and academic staff cannot focus on the
holistic wellbeing of the student-athletes, and they leave that responsibility up to the coaches and
trainers (Afremow, 2013; Hendrickson, 2018). The university presidents’ focus is on budget and
bringing more attention to high-paying sports; when teams are losing and not fulfilling this
quota, athletic directors are forced to fire coaching staff. Similarly, both the president and
athletic director concentrate on prevention of negative implications regarding student-athletes
from media attention as to not affect the overall impression of the university as a whole.
Although there has been some improvements, the college athletic environment is still not
conducive to mental health (Cogen, 2019). In the last five years of mental-health recognition,
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 19
development of the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices has been developed as a guideline for
supporting athletes health and wellness. This publication recommends that a student-athletes are
best served through a collaborative interdisciplinary approach where mental and physical health
are intricately linked (Sudano, 2016; Mental health best practices: NCAA sport science institute,
2016). It is also distributed to institutions, yet, its use is not mandated; therefore, most athletic
staff and student-athletes do not even know it exists (Greg Harden, personal communication,
April 4, 2018; Dr. Stacy Kratz, personal communication, November 19, 2018; Gill, Jr., 2008).
Social workers and mental-health professionals are equipped with the adequate skills and
prepared to adapt ethical considerations into athletics; however, there is still resistance from
athletic departments along with a lack of appropriate allocation of funds to implement a
standardized model at this time.
Evidence and Current Context for Proposed Innovation
The current context is up and coming and not quite ready for social workers and mental
health professionals to be mandated into athletic departments as the local environment still has
an overbearing dishonor associated with emotional struggles. Also, it is not currently recognized
how much athletic staff play a pivotal role in changing the stigma associated with mental health
and well-being in athletics. Additionally, the NCAA Mental Health Best Practices has still not
been mandated in any way.
Historically, coaches treated physical ailments poorly and had no concept of how to treat or
help a player with mental health problems. For years, players were put back into the game after
“getting their bell rung head injuries” but now all sports have concussion protocols (Velasco,
2017; "NCAA Health and Safety," 2018; Kliegman, 2017). Similarly, soft and hard tissue
injuries were often medicated instantly with pain injections so the player could get back in game
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 20
play. In other words, seriously physical problems were often treated first in a “band-aid” manner
and then later given a thorough treatment. Mental-health was also put on the back burner, to the
point of detrimental effects; just recently has physical and mental health been interlinked (Parr,
2019). GOC carries coaches and athletic staff from general mental-health awareness, to specific
skills they can use to talk to their athletes about mental health care, resources and treatment.
Also, human services professionals need to do a better job of teaching coaches how to work with
an interdisciplinary team; social work fills a large gap between the many interdisciplinary titles
within the athletic hierarchy (Parr, 2019; Nigg, 2019).
Comparative Assessment of Other Opportunities for Innovation
There is still a magnitude of opportunities to innovate in the college athletic world. While
larger sized and financially abundant college athletic programs are able to hire in-house mental-
health professionals, there is still a detrimental gap between who actually receives the mental
health help. GOC’s programming considers existing opportunities for innovation in the sports
culture by supporting mental health through specific, practical, and educational methods. It
utilizes athletic staff as the mediators, while introducing a social work-based solution to the
problem. GOC is one-of-a-kind, however, by providing any training regarding mental-health,
athletic staff will be better off serving their players in a holistic approach.
Logic model alignment: As discussed in area three section four, the logic model and
conceptual framework are guided by social learning theory, social identity theory and systems
theory. GOC aligns with the logic model and theories of change by implementing a training
program that serves as mediation between the importance of mental and physical health. The
logic model summarizes Game Over Concepts’ activities and how it provides a solution to
mental health stigma in college athletics. The resources influence the positive outcomes; coaches
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 21
are clear what the needs are within their team and become the focus of the program inputs. The
activity details demonstrate the proposed plan for implementation and sustainment of GOC’s
organization. As seen in the outputs and outcomes sections, the solution is the most appropriate
at this time because it starts at the head of the issue where the stigma lies in the culture and
allows ongoing follow-up with the participants post GOC training.
Game Over Concepts is likely to succeed due to the current state of the athletic culture,
and the inclusive approach of GOC training mechanisms. While a student-athletes emotional
wellness is currently a secondary priority when compared to physical health, mental health is just
as if not more important for life-long performance. Game Over Concepts strives to approach
mental-health universally across all NCAA athletic programs; this innovation is distinct because
the customized curriculum creates a balance between the mind, body and the sport.
Game Over Concepts has been in collaboration with several Texas university athletic
programs while discussing training program and development and interviewing student-athletes.
In June 2019, the training model was presented at the International Sports and Society
Conference in Toronto, ON. GOC will begin piloting in 2020 with staff at the University of
North Texas. However, Game Over Concepts is suitable for any athletic program and potentially
becomes part of a team culture through preceptors and a community of practice. Game Over
Concepts will continue building certified facilitators from athletic programs. The innovation
expansion is ongoing, and needs to be updated in athletic departments annually via facilitator to
encourage continued stigma change. Meeting annually will also encourage the learning
community to update the curriculum and stay up-to-date on college athletic mental health
developments. GOC’s foresees immense growth and plans to reach the majority of NCAA
athletic programs in the first five years.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 22
AREA 4: Project Structure, Methodology
Description of Capstone Deliverable Prototype
Game Over Concepts training prototype teaches “coaching for life after the game”. The
completed facilitators manual proceeds through real-time simulation and role play conversational
techniques within four modules. First, the training workbook has participants complete a pre-test,
and discussion of previous mental health knowledge. This gives the trainer an idea of the
audience and the level of previous knowledge about the subject matter. The first few hours of the
training and workbook are spent watching impactful videos while incorporating large group
discussions in order to create an empathetic understanding of a student-athletes reality. During
the first module of training, mental health statistical evidence is presented along with discussion
of the college athletic culture. Module two addresses the stigma of mental health through
conversations. The third module connects the newly learned techniques together incorporates “be
a better coach” using the learned techniques. Module four is a two-day training focusing solely
on Person-Centered Thinking.
Comparative Market Analysis
The market in college athletics is ready to receive GOC training immediately, especially
the programs in the NCAA as they have patronage through their Mental Health Best Practices.
While the culture of athletics is not currently unanimously hiring in-house mental-health
professionals, the majority of NCAA programs have indeed recognized that the mental-health
needs of college student-athletes. Many head coaches have recognized that there is indeed a
significant disproportion between their staff’s comprehension of mental-health needs, and what
is actually being done to address the problem. Game Over Concepts is already feasible; there is
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 23
no current training model of its kind with focus on the problem from the inside out. Additionally,
the prototype is operationally completed for printing and go-live.

Project Implementation Methods
Currently, GOC is currently leading in development with mental-health training
incorporated into athletic departments. GOC implementation methods will take place in four
phases. The first phase of implementation will begin with a pilot program over a 12-month
period. Piloting is projected to begin in January, 2020; during this time, the training program will
only be offered to Division One, NCAA accredited football programs within Texas, Colorado,
Ohio, and Tennessee. The reasoning for this is to research and test the training methods with
programs that GOC director already has affiliation with. There will be up to 300 participants
trained during this time at ten locations; staff includes coaches, trainers, team support staff, and
football academic staff. The athletic director will identify 10 student-athletes at each training site
that will undergo the PHQ-9 depression screenings. Additionally, table top discussions will be
offered to athletic staff at each training session. The sessions will be led by one GOC training
lead, and will identify a preceptor for annual program follow-up and collaboration to advance the
GOC program development.
Phase two of GOC will begin full-operation, and begins when the pilot has concluded.
During this phase, the training will be offered to all sports. GOC plans to schedule one training
per month over 12-month fiscal year with Division One, NCAA affiliated athletic programs
throughout the entire United States. During this phase, Phase two This will be the start of
discussion with NCAA and the National Association of Social Workers for accreditation. The
GOC Director will also lead public discourse at the ASWIS Annual Symposium and
International Sports & Society Conferences throughout the year.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 24
Phase Three of GOC’s implementation process allocates further research with student-
athletes and the athletic department staff. At this phase of project growth, GOC’s Director will
discuss a social work in sport elective course at the university of employment while undergoing
research with the local college student-athletes. The GOC director will continue to propose
publications with sports journals and nationally known periodicals.
Phase Four of GOC implementation incorporates long-term goals. This phase aims to
have policies in place with the NCAA and athletic organizations that mandate better mental-
health practices into all of affiliated athletic programs. GOC aims to be one of the primary
training programs available to athletic staff in the United States. Additionally, GOC will
continue to endorse social workers as a main position within athletic staff hierarchy; these social
workers will serve as the facilitators of Game Over Concepts.
Financial Plans and Staging
Game Over Concepts will be operated under the auspices of the training director, Dr.
Amy Mayes, LMSW, DSW. GOC works concurrently with other athletic and mental health
organizations. GOC is a for-profit organization and primarily brings in revenue through
contracts. Forthcoming funding will be provided through booster donation, in-service fees,
training fees and in-kind donations. The most of the ongoing sustainable revenue will be
supplemented through contract fees.
As reflected in Appendix D, the foundation of GOC’s financial plan is a line item budget
during a fiscal year of June 1
st
through July 31
st
. There is a separate line-item budget for the pilot
program versus the “to-scale” program. This supports seasons of sports for all student-athletes
and allows most coaches and staff to take the training during off-season months (example:
football staff can take the training in July before the August preparation season). Additionally,
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 25
during the pilot, the NCAA grant funding requires a start date in August, and an initiation date of
June will allow for preparation time before initial piloting.
Game Over Concepts Phase one pilot will be funded through the NCAA grant of
$25,000. Throughout the pilot program, the bottom-line revenue will bring in $25,000 with costs
at $25,000 during the fiscal year. This will include $10,000 for print and marketing materials,
$12,000 travel expenses, and $3,000 training director compensation. The pilot program will be
free for athletic departments to host, as the costs are compensated through the grant funds.
Program sustainability will cost $228, 500 per year. The majority of the yearly budget is
staffing at $159,000 per fiscal year. Expected revenue during the fiscal year of GOC’s
programming will be $299,000 the majority of revenue coming from contract training fees, and
booster donations as well as university funding. One of the main yearly expenses is travel and
conferences at $49,000 per year. To initially sustain the program, universities will be charged a
contract-training fee after piloting and any capitals will go towards ongoing program
development. GOC is already in beginning negotiations with The University of North Texas in
regards to the pilot. Eventually, all 1,281 NCAA programs need to be trained once the best
practices are mandated and policies are changed.

Project Impact Assessment Methods
The research methods used to analyze the impact of GOC’s training include quantitative
and qualitative research. A pre-test is collected at the beginning of the training to measure overall
knowledge and previous experience of mental-health trainings. Using a quasi-experimental
design, and non-random sampling of training participants and student-athletes, post-tests and
survey’s will be collected concluding the training. The surveys will incorporate a Likert scale to
assist the qualitative data. There are direct personal impacts on the student-athletes are an
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 26
increased likelihood to disclose mental health issues and also an increase in investment to the
team culture on a deeper emotional level. After implementation of GOC’s model and utilization
from athletic staff, student-athletes have a decrease in depression.
The project methods will be assessed while measuring if an increase in mental health
knowledge increases the likelihood of conversations initiated by athletic staff. Currently, the
protocol in most programs is for an athlete to go “to the trainer’ for help; using the pre test, will
measure how many athletic staff follow this protocol. Additionally, the NCAA developed a
mental health best practice and the pre-test will also measure how many staff know this exists
and how to better implement it. The process includes the number of coaches trained, number of
student-athletes participates in PHQ-9, the number of times mental-health was discussed and all
of these measures are all reliable and valid.
Stakeholder Engagement Plan
GOC will involve relevant stakeholders including college student-athletes, coaches,
trainers, athletic department staff, team support staff, academic support and Master’s in Social
Work programs at available universities. Throughout the pilot, student-athletes will be asked to
complete table-top discussions and focus groups for continued development of the training
curriculum. Coaches will be the key stakeholders that participate in short discussion and focus
groups as well as pre & post-tests and training conclusion survey’s to determine efficacy of
training mechanisms. Trainers, athletic department, academic, and support staff will complete
the pre & post tests as well as the surveys during the pilot. Ongoing program development will
provide opportunities for preceptors and facilitators in order to continue to scale the training. All
relevant stakeholders will also be invited to the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports annual
symposium in an effort to continue to bridge the gap between social workers and athletic culture.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 27
In the near future, GOC will also begin collaboration with the NCAA Mental Health Best
Practices and the University of North Texas’ School of Social work for ongoing positive
improvements for support for college student-athletes.
Communication Strategies and Products
There are two main audiences that are targeted in the communication strategies, the
student-athletes and the direct athletic staff, such as coaches and trainers. These specific
strategies are embedded in the separate cultures within each team sport. In detail, the
communication conveyed for a training of football staff may be slightly different than a training
for track coaches and staff due to the different nature and needs of each athletic subculture.
Communication products including social media, TedTalks, videos and focus groups will have a
strong impact during the training execution with athletic staff. However, the most important
target population is the student-athletes and their message needs to be transmitted accurately
throughout the training.
Buy-in from some universities will always be a barrier due to old-school beliefs or due to
financial restraints. It is important for Game Over Concepts to have strong relationships with the
Alliance for Social Workers in Sports, as well as with the NCAA. Collaboration and
development with these partners is important, as they both have strong impact with mediation
between GOC and university athletic programs. The capstone components as a whole address the
problem by introducing non-traditional methods of impact into the athletic culture. The training
mechanics of Game Over Concepts challenges the stigma directly inside the athletic culture by
using the athletic staff as the preceptors.
Ethical Considerations
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 28
There are ethical concerns when working with this population and GOC has carefully
considered possible negative consequences of project implementation. Foremost, disclosing
issues puts any college athlete in a riskier category for stereotypes and labels that exist with
mental health diagnosis (Leibowitz, Ridley, Last Chance U; Samaha, 2018). Student-athletes
already are accustomed to receiving negative daily feedback from coaches and peers and this
overlaps with the physical distress they endure. Student-athletes may see sit-down conversations
about mental-health as an added stressor to their schedules. Athletes also fear that they will be
scrutinized or pulled from playing time if they disclose emotional distress.
Confidentiality is also an additional ethical concern, especially between higher-up staff
and support staff. There is already pressure from the top of the hierarchy to share information
about student-athletes. Training mechanisms and whomever trains the program must use creative
ways to teach staff to work around these concerns in order to alleviate certain boundary issues.

AREA 5: Conclusions, Actions, and Implications
Summary of Project Plans

Student-Athletes don’t care how much you know, they want to know how much you
care (Coach Adrian Mayes, personal communication, May 6, 2018) In college athletics, a
student-athlete is required to be treated if they are physically injured or sick; the same mentality
needs to be adopted regarding open-door mental health support (Scott, 2018). GOC aims to
inform future NCAA mandates and accreditation for training standards. To mental-health
professionals, it seems evident that conversations about mental health need to be discussed
openly in order to begin to change the stigma for college-athletes. However, this is up-and-
coming for universities and athletic staff as do not quite know how to begin to tackle the problem
head on. The athletic staff must be the pipeline in demonstrating effective ways to eliminate
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 29
mental health stigma inside the facility’s emotional walls. GOC is on the forefront of
developments with original solutions to this problem and aims to inform future collaboration
between athletic departments and social workers via Game Over Concepts innovative training.

Current Practice Context for Project Conclusions
Student-athletes do not have balance between their physical and emotional stressors, nor
do they learn normal coping skills during their playing careers to carry out their emotional
stability long-term. The culture of college athletics is shaped by fierce dedication to toughness,
mental stability and personal grit. If prevention and intervention does not happen now, student-
athletes will continue to suffer the life-long effects of inadequate mental-health care during their
playing careers. Social Workers are barely participating in this complex, ego driven industry and
getting involved, let alone being accepted. Eventually, college athletics can hire in-house mental
health professionals as a regular part of their staffing models; but until this is more widely
accepted, they must take the initiative to talk to their players. GOC concludes that in order to
begin to standardize mental health and wellbeing, athletic staff needs to be the facilitators.
Project Limitations
There are barriers that must be considered with Game Over Concepts such as
development of the program, NCAA rules, and athletic and participants buy-in. The NCAA
Mental Health Best Practices are only recommendations, and this restricts immediate execution
throughout all NCAA athletic programs. Athletic programs may not see the immediate benefit
overall, as the primary stakeholders are the student-athletes and coaches that benefit from the
program directly. The financial plan is concrete; however, GOC faces financial risks when
depending on any money from grants and donations. The most uncertain initial challenge with
Game Over Concepts is buy-in. Traditional athletic programs do not currently value mental-
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 30
health support for student-athletes or they do not have a budget for training resources for their
coaches and players. Resistance to change, or implications of cost could potentially derail
innovation efforts of GOC. Traditionally, student-athletes are confined to generalized campus
mental health resources which are currently overwhelmed with so many students arriving on
campus with mental health needs. This presents a challenge for GOC, as athletic staff have
become accustomed to referring to outside resources instead of taking care of the problem
themselves.
By starting a professional relationship with coaching staff and student-athletes to gain
credibility will confront initial implementation challenges. Personal exchanges are a strong
influence in the coaching culture, and funds will continue to be used to build increased networks.
Additionally, GOC will continue to publish work around college student-athlete mental health.
Any ongoing reservations about Game Over Concepts will be addressed by researching student-
athletes mental health, and education through public speaking at international sports conferences
and collaboration with sports and social work alliances, such as the The International Sports and
Society Conference, Alliance of Social Workers in Sports and the Council on Social Work
Education (CSWE).
As GOC is an innovative training program, and there is a significant lack of similar
programs, and there are limitations. Foremost, social workers are scarce in college sports,
restricting immediate expansion of the GOC model. Due to the limitations of human services
within the staffing model, there are significant amounts of athletic staff that remain oblivious to
any mental-health initiatives. Current mental health policies and efforts are not mandated within
the NCAA; athletic departments will not be forced to incorporate GOC training methodologies
into their program instantaneously. Also, smaller universities do not allocate or lack funding
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 31
towards educational development and may not have the means to train their athletic staff until
there is a mandate put into place.

Project Implications for Practice and Further Action
The majority of college student-athletes have easy accessibility within their sports facility
to coaches, trainers, sports medicine staff, dieticians, all which relish physical health. Only a
minimal number of student-athletes have a certified professional within facility walls to talk
about their mental-health with regularly. Until mental-health physical and mental health are
uniform, and NCAA mandates occur, athletic staff need to be appropriately equipped to openly
discuss emotional and psychological battles that student-athletes endure in their careers.
Changing the athletic culture around mental health will be accomplished through conversations
and positive relationships inside their sports home, and not through referring student-athletes to
outside treatment services.
Next Steps & Immediate Execution: The concrete next steps for Game Over Concepts
include networking, learning, piloting the program, and spreading overall awareness of student-
athletes mental health. The first phase of GOC will begin in January, 2020. Ideally, GOC’s will
reach a minimum of 10 athletic programs in the first year. Full operation will begin with one
after piloting, with additional sports being added during this phase of execution. However,
GOC’s foresees immense growth and plans to scale the program in the first two years of
implementation.
Within 10 years, all 1,281 NCAA programs will need training while the NCAA policies
will be changed to mandate training for athletic staff as well as accreditation of the GOC
program. GOC plans to intensify the program by developing applicable new trainings for athletic
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 32
staff and student-athletes in the next five years. In the future, a yearly gathering will bring in
funding and enable social workers to stay on the forefront of developments of training staff
throughout college athletics. Once social workers become part of college athletic staff, GOC will
use these professionals as mediators for training implementation.
Conclusion: Coaches do not ask student-athletes how they are feeling, what is worrying
them, how many people back home count on your success, or how you are coping with
performance demands that are critical to your scholarship and existence. The indefensible
challenges that student-athletes face, especially when they are stereotyped by the general
population, are outstanding. Effective programming must be easily accessed with the athletic
home (i.e. the sports facility) and incorporate knowledge and comfort around mental health
conversations. Game Over Concepts project model meets these needs. GOC can be immediately
shared with Division One football programs during the pilot phase. GOC will then begin to
schedule full-operational trainings incorporating all sports throughout the NCAA. However,
GOC has the ability to be implemented with sports worldwide; the goal is to change the mental
health stigma that student-athletes have had against them for decades.
The undermined world of collegiate athletics needs solutions that are unique to the
athletic culture. Through increasing and improvement of conversational techniques, athletic staff
will initiate discussion about mental health with student-athletes and normalize emotional
wellbeing. There is a saying common with coaches, they will ask their athletes “what will you do
when the game is over and that ball goes flat?” (Coach Adrian Mayes, personal communication,
May 6, 2018). Once Game Over Concepts is implemented, athletes will no longer have to worry
about what they will do when their game is over and the ball is flat, because this will be
discussed from the first day of practice.
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 33

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GAME OVER CONCEPTS 38
APPENDIX A

GAME OVER CONCEPTS 39
APPENDIX B
Game Over Concepts Project Model

GAME OVER CONCEPTS 40
APPENDIX C
GAME OVER CONCEPTS LOGIC MODEL

Resources/Inputs Activities Outputs Short-term outcomes Long-term outcomes
• Direct: College-
student athletes;
College coaches,
athletic staff, sports
social workers,
curriculum supplies

• Indirect: Athletic
department,
university
presidents, academic
staff, boosters $

• National Collegiate
Athletic Association
[NCAA] governing
body input and
Mental Health Best
Practices;
motivational
interviewing, Person
Centered thinking,
social work-based
methods

• Pilot: NCAA Grant
funding

• Full scale: funding
from revenue,
grants, in-kind

• Remote office space:
Laptop, projector,
workbooks in print x
# of participants; $
for PCT certification
Website (Wix)
• Pilot:
interviewing
staff and student-
athletes
• Website
networking
• PHQ-9
Depression
Screening;
psychosocial
assessment
(student-athletes)
• Pilot = 1 year/ 12
months

• Licensed
(Sports) Social
Worker;
Director/DSW
• 4 day training/ 4
modules
• Bi-annual
cultural
competency
training
• Annual attendan
ce of director at
yearly
conferences
(Alliance of
Social Workers
in Sports,
International
Sports and
Society, Person
Centered
Thinking)
• Ongoing
research survey’s
• Journal
publications
• Role-play
training
• Pilot: 250-
300
participants
taught over
12-month
period
• Pilot: 50
student-
athlete
assessments
completed
over 12-
month period
• Educational
Training
manual
developed for
coaches
• 5-10
Preceptors
identified at 5
university
athletic
programs for
continued
community of
practice
(phase 3 &4)

• 50% PHQ-9
depression
score
improved
after program
intervention
of 3 months
• 65% of
coaches
report better
overall
knowledge of
mental health
decline
symptoms
• 50% of
athletic staff
report
increased
likelihood to
discuss
mental health
with student-
athletes
• 75% of
participants
able to report
back 3 coping
skills and
student-
athlete
improved
mental health
conversation

• College student-athletes
will have measurable
improvement in overall
wellbeing and decrease
in depression.
• Student-athletes and
coaches report
measurable improvement
in mental-health
knowledge and increase
in likelihood to report
symptoms and decline.

• Student-athletes report
mental-health importance
increased

• GOC training
accreditation through the
NCAA
• NCAA mandates sports
social worker on every
coaching staff/team
• NCAA mandates
implementation and use
of Mental Health Best
Practices document.
• Increased likelihood to
seek help when having
depressive or suicidal
thoughts.

GAME OVER CONCEPTS 41
APPENDIX D
Line-Item Budget

GAME OVER CONCEPTS 42

GAME OVER CONCEPTS 43

GAME OVER CONCEPTS 44

Game Over Concepts Budget Justification

A. Salaries and Wages Total Expenses $228,500

Position Title Annual Time Months Amount Requested
Training Development Director $99,000 100% 12 $99,000
Program Coordinator $55,000 100% 12 $55,000
MSW Intern $5,000 75% 10 $5,000 (NCAA grant)
Athletic Dept Interns $0 20% 10 $0
Totals $159,000 275% $35,000

Training & Development Director (1.0- FTE). Must be a Licensed Social Worker within their state of practice, with
a Doctorate or PhD in a human-service related field. The director oversee the overall direction, supervision and
coordination of the project and implementation of training. The Training & Development Director will also execute
the pilot process. The Project Director will dedicate 100% of their effort in Operation/Pilot of all Phases of
development.

Program Coordinator (1.0 FTE). The PC must possess an MSW degree with 5 years relevant experience. The PC
coordinate all technical and logistical issues related to GOC trainings, website maintenance, and collaboration with
contractors. The program coordinator will assist with marketing as needed. The Program Coordinator will dedicate
100% of their effort in Phase 2 of operation.

MSW Intern (s) (6 credits per semester) – the MSW intern (s) will receive a small stipend for compensation of
$5,000 per fiscal year. The MSW intern will work under close supervision of the training director and in
collaboration with the Program Coordinator. The MSW intern will help with research and coordinate training travel,
site visits, and attend conferences. The MSW intern will also assist with social media and networking occurrences.
The MSW Intern will dedicate 75% of their effort (per semester) in Operation of Phase 1 pilot, and ongoing program
operations.

Athletic Department Intern (s) (3 credits per semester 30%). The ADI’s must be completing elective courses or
independent studies relevant to mental health, psychology, kinesiology, or related field. The ADI’s will interact
closely with the program coordinator and MSW interns. Schedule and travel will vary depending on training
availability. ADI’s will also work with student-athletes to conduct research survey’s and focus groups. The ADI’s
will dedicate 30% of their effort (per semester) in Operation of Phase 1 pilot, and ongoing program operations.

Other Spending Plans & Costs

B. Travel Total Travel $49,000
In the first-year pilot program, traveling to each university is a significant expense. Often, universities will
contribute to staffing and traveling costs through in-service funds or other in-kind donations, so this cost may be able
to be offset. Other expenses and spending costs include a certification for Sport Social Work through the ASWIS,
research, technology, and a small amount to be saved for last minute training expenses or location rental. Details on
travel costs are as follows:

1. Staff Travel – per fiscal year (2 staff x 10 trips x 5 days/trip) = $39,000
• Airfare @ $500 x 2 staff x 10 trips = $10,000
• Hotel @ $200/day x 5 nights x 2 staff x 10 trips = $20,000
• Meals @ $65/day x 5 days x 2 staff x 10 trips = $6,500
• Local Transportation @ $50/day x 50 days = $2,500

2. Conferences: An additional $10,000 is expected for travel related costs for two staff members to attend the
annual ASWIS conference, and for travel related cost for one staff member to attend one international
meeting or conference (such as ISIS conference).
GAME OVER CONCEPTS 45

C. Equipment Total $5000
Equipment costs include the purchase of 3 laptop computers with connecting monitors ($1,200 x 3= $3,600)
Smartphones for all staff ($700 per phone)
Projector for trainings ($500)
Connectors ($200)

D. Supplies Total $4,500
The training manual/workbook must be printed for each participant; the workbook is calculated at $15/book x 30
+/- participants x 10 pilot site trainings = $4,500.

E. Contractual [only as needed] Total $45,000
HR/Compliance Consult- including NCAA Compliance will be hired under subcontracts. $20,000
Program Design Specialist = material expansion and graphic design, website development $25,000

F. Other: Total $11,000

Communications $6,000
Communication costs include $300 per month for the 12 months cell phone service. Other costs include internet
for employees (remote access = $50/month x 2 staff = $2400/year).

Continuing Education & Licensure $5,000
An additional $5,000 per year is expected for continuing education, licensure, potential credentialing

G. Revenue Total Revenue: $299,000
GOC is a for-profit training program. During Phase 1 pilot, GOC training will be 100% funded through the NCAA
Research Grant of $25,000. After piloting, capitals will be reserved for continued implementation of GOC
development and program growth. After piloting, Phase 2 will have revenues as follows:
o $12,000 Per Training fee x 12 trainings per year (minimum) = $144,000
o NCAA Grant = $25,000
o National Mental Health Organization Grants = $10,000
o In-kind + booster donations + athletic department in-service funds = $120,000

Abstract (if available)

Abstract College student athletes are at an increased risk for mental health disorders that disrupt their well-being and performance. American society would be significantly different if there were no sports. Sports are a large contribution to the fabric of American society and highly influence our youth. Athletics embodies its own culture

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Asset Metadata

Creator Mayes, Amy Marie (author)

Core Title Game over concepts, mental-health support for college student-athletes

School Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Degree Doctor of Social Work

Degree Program Social Work

Publication Date 12/20/2019

Defense Date 11/21/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag adolescence,Athletics,Baseball,Basketball,behavioral,Challenge,College,Conversation,culture,Death,discussion,disorders,Football,game,Grand,illness,intervention,mental-health,OAI-PMH Harvest,Prevention,Soccer,social,stigma,student,student-athletes,Suicide,Swimming,therapeutic,track,Training,wellbeing,Work

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Lee, Nani (committee chair), Manderscheid, Ronald (committee member), Rank, Michael (committee member)

Creator Email amyt686@yahoo.com,aqmayes@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-259484

Unique identifier UC11675312

Identifier etd-MayesAmyMa-8107.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-259484 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-MayesAmyMa-8107.pdf

Dmrecord 259484

Document Type Capstone project

Rights Mayes, Amy Marie

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA