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The hidden opponent: how Black athletes fight the taboo of mental illness in sports

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The hidden opponent: how Black athletes fight the taboo of mental illness in sports

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Content The Hidden Opponent
How Black Athletes Fight the Taboo of Mental Illness in Sports
by
Toni M. Hall
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICA TION AND
JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)
December 2021
Copyright 2021 Toni M. Hall
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to take the time to acknowledge those who have provided their support
throughout this process. This project would not have been possible if not for the following
people who dedicated their time, expertise, and support.
I would like to thank my thesis chair, Dr. Lisa Pecot-Hébert, for encouraging me to
tackle such a vast topic with confidence and research. Thank you to my committee members, Dr.
Allissa Richardson and Dr. Ben Carrington, for helping me expand my mind and critically think
through this heavy work. Thank you to my participants for their willingness to share their stories
with me.
To my friends and family, thank you for always showing up. Thank you for constantly
checking in on me and not allowing me to get consumed by my thesis. You have kept me
grounded throughout this journey and have reminded me to take care of myself. I could not ask
for a better supporting cast.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………………………………………………………...……......ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………………………….....iii
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………...iv
INTRODUCTION……………………...……………….…………….………………...…….1
CHAPTER 1 - Opponent One: Fear of Weakness or Failure……………………………....4
The Prevalence of Performance Anxiety in the World of Sports………..………..….....5
Fear of Weakness: An NFL Athlete Case Study ……….…….…………………….......6
The What Ifs - Anxiety about the Post-COVID World of Sports……………….…..….7
CHAPTER 2 - Opponent Two: Trauma…………………………………………...………...10
When Trauma, Basketball, and Bipolar Disorder Collide…….………………………..10
Childhood Trauma: A WNBA Athlete Case Study………………………………….....12
Mental Health Coping Mechanisms and Support for Athletes………………...................15
CHAPTER 3 - Opponent Three: Identity.………………….…………………...….........…..16
Death, Depression, Alcoholism and Athletic Identity: An NBA Athlete Case Study….16
Coping with the Unknown and Athletic Identity………………………….…………..........17
CONCLUSION……………………………………..…...…………………………………......19
BIBLIOGRAPHY...………………….………….……...….…….…………………..……..…20
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ABSTRACT
Anytime an athlete gets physically injured, the game stops. The crowd goes silent, and the
medical staff is quick to respond. That same urgency does not exist when an athlete is injured
psychologically. Mental illnesses are more difficult to see than physical injuries, but they often
go hand in hand. Moreover, the cultural stigmas that surround mental health may prevent some
professional athletes -- especially Black players -- from getting help. Black athletes must walk
on thin ice when battling mental challenges, often fearing ostracization when they're in the
spotlight. A recent study by the American College Health Association shows that 21% of athletes
reported bouts of depression while participating in their sport. They also reported that the amount
of athletes diagnosed with depressive disorder has increased by 10-15% within the last year . This
thesis is centered around the hidden opponents Black athletes deal with while performing at elite
levels. Upon interviewing professional Black athletes and experts in sports psychology, three
common mental health opponents were found to be most prevalent. The opponents are: a fear of
failure or weakness, trauma, and identity. Throughout this piece, I will define each opponent and
the effect on Black athletes.
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INTRODUCTION
Growing up, my dad and I always watched football documentaries about some of the
greatest players of all time. I’ll never forget watching one particular sports film about the 1991
Los Angeles Raiders competing in the AFC Divisional playoffs against the Cincinnati Bengals.
This documentary highlighted the career-ending injury of NFL running back Bo Jackson. At the
time, Bo Jackson was the Michael Jordan of football. Every NFL hopeful wanted to be like Bo.
The game was in the third quarter. It was third-down with eight yards to go until the
Raiders crossed the first-down mark. Quarterback Don Heinrich did a simple hand-off to his
running back Bo Jackson. Jackson was running like a cheetah full speed down the sideline
thinking he was in the clear. He wasn’t. A few yards from the first-down mark, his opponent
caught up and slammed him to the ground. When the medical staff saw that Jackson was slow to
rise, they all rushed to his aid and provided him with whatever assistance he needed to stand up
again. Sadly, that injury fractured and dislocated his hip (Thomas 2020). He was never able to
play professional football again.
Anytime an athlete gets physically injured, the game stops. The crowd goes eerily silent
and the medical staff is quick to respond. The same paradigm doesn’t exist when an athlete is
psychologically injured. Mental illnesses are a lot harder to see than physical injuries, but equally
as destructive.
Dr. Alisia Tran, Associate Professor in the Counseling and Psychology Program at
Arizona State University, reported that 78 percent of racial and ethnic minority athletes need
some form of mental health assists and only 11 percent of those athletes reported using mental
health services in the past year.
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In high school I was a high performing track and field athlete who struggled with mental
health and didn't ask for help. "Five more; let's go, Toni; you are almost there." That's all I heard
when my high school track and field teammate shouted across the weight room as I completed
my last full-court sprint for being late to practice.
Sweat dripped down my chin and onto my shirt as I gasped for air. At that moment, I
mulled over the irony of my current situation. The sole reason I was late to practice, and running
full-court sprints, was because I had virtually no motivation to practice. What was my reward for
mustering up my nearly nonexistent strength to show up anyway? More work.
Everyone said I was a natural talent, but I didn't take track as seriously as I could have
because I battled with my confidence. It wasn't because I didn't like the sport or that I didn't care.
It was because I had a paralyzing fear of failure. Anytime I walked into the shot put ring, my
mood would instantaneously change and I would panic. Thoughts of insecurities and
comparisons terrorized my mind and I couldn’t fully compete.
I struggled with anxiety in high school from freshman year to junior year because I was a
perfectionist. I wanted to be perfect, but when it was time to perform, I would freeze, causing me
to doubt every opportunity that came my way. I eventually quit track and became depressed
because I felt like I sabotaged my own success and disappointed everyone. Back then, I never
told anyone anything. I could have had a conversation with my coaches or parents, but instead, I
stayed prisoner to my thoughts and suffered in silence.
Mental health is often ignored because the stigmas around it prevent some people from
getting help, especially Black Americans. Black athletes must walk a tightrope when battling
mental challenges, often fearing ostracization especially when they’re in the limelight.
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This thesis is centered around the hidden opponents black athletes deal with while
performing at elite levels. After interviewing professional black athletes and experts in sports
psychology, three common mental health opponents were found to be most prevalent. The
opponents are: A fear of failure or weakness, trauma, and identity. Throughout this piece, I will
define each opponent and the effect on Black athletes.
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CHAPTER 1 - OPPONENT ONE: FEAR OF WEAKNESS OR FAILURE
Mental health issues in the black community have been historically stigmatized. Society
says that Black men should be strong and not show any emotion while convincing Black women
to ignore their issues and smile through the pain. This toxic way of thinking bleeds into the world
of sports.
On May 31, 2021, Black professional tennis player Naomi Osaka shocked the sports
world when she withdrew from the French Open. She expressed to the media that she had been
suffering from "long bouts of depression" since the US Open in 2018 (Bowen 2021).
"I have had a really hard time coping with that." Osaka said, "and anyone that has seen
me at the tournaments will notice that I'm often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social
anxiety" (Bowen 2021). Osaka proved that not all problems can be fixed by winning, money,
fame, and notoriety. She is human too, and she has issues.
16 percent (4.8 million) of Black and African American people reported having a mental
illness, and 22.4 percent of those 1.1 million people reported a serious mental illness over the
past year. Most struggled with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression (Mental Health
America).
Fear of weakness or failure, also referred to as atychiphobia, is not classified as an
official phobia, but “it can be seen across many different mental disorders, such as anxiety
disorders, mood disorders, and eating disorders” (McCabe, Randi, and Milosevic 2015).
"For many of us, our fear of our weaknesses seems to overshadow our confidence in our
strengths, '' said Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, authors of Now Discover your
Strengths. "To use an analogy, if life is a game of cards and each of us has been dealt our hand of
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strengths and weaknesses, most of us assume that our weaknesses trump our strengths"
(Buckingham and Clifton 2020).
Male gender stereotyping asserts that expressing emotions can be seen as a weakness. For
many athletes, especially males, ‘weak’ is the last word they want to be associated with. Society
suggests that if they’re not strong mentally, they won't be strong on the field. This is a flawed
expectation and paralyzing fear that haunts many young black athletes.
The Prevalence of Performance Anxiety in Athletes in the World of Sports
Natalie Graves is a sports social worker and athletic consultant who has dedicated her life
to studying the psychological aspect of sports. She works with a wide range of athletes including
olympians. She uses the slogan, "Start with the mind, and your game will follow," when she
meets with her clients to remind them that their mental and physical health is all connected. It's a
two-for-one deal. She asserts that when an athletes’ mind is clouded, it can affect their game by
not allowing them to fully be present in the moment.
"The sports community mirrors a lot of the same belief systems about getting help," said
Natalie Graves in a personal interview. "In the sports community, [they say to] shake it off, and
asking for help is a weakness. [Instead they ask] ‘Are you hurt?’ or ‘Are you injured?’ [If not,
they say] ‘Okay, well, then get back out there."
"I would say a high percentage of it [fear] is about performance anxiety," Graves said.
"But I always say it's never just about performance, it's always something else. Most athletes
have never experienced working with a therapist or a counselor. Many of them are a little
resistant or hesitant. And once we make that connection, that I am your person, I don't want
anything from you, but the best for you. I see you as an individual not as the sport you are part
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of. And when someone sees an athlete like that, it's unique for them, and they thrive on that. I
think that helps me to help them on the performance piece."
In 2019, of the top 10 highest paid athletes in the United States, 7 of them were Black
(Cartelli 2019). All of these athletes have reached a level of celebrity where their lives have
become a topic of public interest. Each of these athletes deserve to be treated like they are human
and not just entertainment.
“Athletes have different needs that have to be addressed in certain ways." Graves said.
"And we have to understand that when dealing with someone who is fearful of being labeled
weak, we first need to identify it, then we need to normalize it, so the athletes don't feel like
they're the only ones going through it."
Fear of Weakness: An NFL Athlete Case Study
NFL player and Seattle Seahawks Cornerback Ryan Neal was one of those athletes who
constantly battled with a fear of weakness.
"I was an undrafted free agent when I got my chance with the Philadelphia Eagles," Neal
said in a personal interview. "Since I've been in the league, I've had to perform at my best at all
times because I was basically at the bottom, and I had to literally earn my spot on each team, and
it gave me massive anxiety at times." He continued, "I love the grind, but to constantly be
looking over your shoulder cause your job can be taken at any second can be a lot at times.”
Neal was an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles, but his career was
short-lived. During training camp, he got cut from the team.
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"Talk about low; I couldn't understand why that happened," Neal said. "In the NFL,
when you get cut, it's like, yea, it hurts cause you want to be there and prove you can be on the
charts, but you can't do anything about it. I felt weak and embarrassed, but I knew the next
opportunity that came my way I was going to outwork my competition."
For Neal, another opportunity would present itself, and this time it was with the Atlanta
Falcons. But yet again, Neal found himself in the same situation. He failed to make the 53-man
roster and was cut by the Falcons after training camp.
"To go through that situation again took me out basically; if it weren't for my support
system, I would have really lost it," Neal said. "I found myself at times drifting into a
depression-like mindset because I thought this was my dream, but my family encouraged me to
try one more time."
With the last little chance of hope Neal had, he attended the Seattle Seahawks training
camp and earned a spot on the roster in 2019. He soon learned all the glitz and glam of the sport
he loved so much was, at times, more than he could bear.
"When you make it to the leagues like the NFL and NBA, your life is placed under a
magnifying glass," Neal said. “You get to see me and judge me like I'm a movie. I'm not a
movie." He continued, "that's what gives a lot of people anxiety. That's what sometimes makes it
hard for some guys to even speak. They even struggle with their own emotions and feelings
because people don't look at you like you are human; they look at you like your robot, and that
sucks."
The What Ifs - Anxiety about the Post-COVID World of Sports
Neal isn't the only athlete dealing with the realm of anxiety. 23-year old Southern
University baseball player Xavior Moore's hidden opponent came at a young age.
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"I had a couple injuries, playing football. That honestly rocked my world the first time
when I was younger," Moore said in a personal interview. "And as I grew up after those first
couple of injuries, they basically took me out of being able to play anything but baseball. When I
recovered from my first one, I wasn't supposed to be able to play sports again [or] walk and run."
As Moore continued to develop a love for baseball over the years, COVID-19 stopped
everything he had planned for 2020. An anxious spirit dwelled within Moore, causing him to
want to detach from the world.
"My hidden opponent is more of the what-ifs," Moore said. "What if I don't have a good
season? What if we don't have a season at all? What if I catch COVID and put my teammates
and coaches at risk? What if I don't get drafted? What if my injuries hold me back from where I
want to be, and I'm seen as weak or not valuable."
Moore explained that he doesn’t face his hidden opponent during games. Instead, his
hidden opponents are his daily struggles off the field and the grind of showing up everyday no
matter how he feels or what's going on at home or in the classroom. Athletes are required to
show up still and do what is expected.
For the black athlete, baseball presents a different set of challenges that football and
basketball do not (Miller 2004). Although black baseball players like Jackie Robinson made
strides earlier, major league baseball teams weren’t fully integrated until 1959 (Library of
Congress). "We're in a predominantly white sport, and we are always expected to be sharp and
poised at all times," Moore said. "We're always supposed to perform at a super high level. Yet,
we're supposed to fail more times than we succeed."
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Moore described that the issue with a lot of people is trying to find the line between
ignoring some things and striving for supposed mental toughness and admitting to yourself or
someone else that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
"I feel like that's one thing that I'm good at," Moore said. "And I feel like being mentally
tough isn't a huge issue for me. But I also think it's my fault. There's a lot of things that I put up
with, or deal with, or just trying to hide and handle doing it in the mental toughness category."
In both of their interviews, Neal and Moore expressed that they want to seek counseling
or therapy to help cope with the mental hurdles experienced when dealing with a fear of
weakness.
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CHAPTER 2 - OPPONENT TWO: TRAUMA
Integrated Listening Systems is an organization that provides programs that “help
improve cognitive, language and social abilities for both adults and children”. This organization
believes that when “our brain and body connection becomes more organized, we can better
process the world around us and become more confident, happy, and engaged” (Integrated
Listening Systems). According to Karen Onderko, Director of Research and Education at
Integrated Listening Systems, trauma can be defined as “the response to a deeply distressing or
disturbing event that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness,
diminishes their sense of self, and their ability to feel a full range of emotions and experiences”
(Gardia).
When individuals find themselves in undesirable circumstances, they find ways to cope,
even if the coping mechanism is unhealthy. WNBA players April Sykes and Reshanda Gray
discuss their struggles with trauma as they grapple with notoriety in their athletic careers.
When Trauma, Basketball, and Bipolar Disorder Collide
"Being one of the top prospects in the country came with a lot of responsibility and
expectations," Sykes said in a personal interview. "Most of the time during my career as a
college player, I lost sight of who I was without someone constantly reminding me. I felt as
though I was a shell of myself, a walking zombie. I struggled daily being April Sykes."
Sykes was a top WNBA prospect coming out of her senior year at Rutgers University.
"For as long as I can remember, I've lived and breathed the game of basketball," Sykes said. "My
passion and love for the game started from a young age. I would train for hours on my game,
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always trying to challenge myself to be the best. Basketball was my safe haven, my escape from
reality when things weren't as easy."
At the age of two, Sykes lost her dad to suicide and never fully understood the
significance of not having a father in her life until she grew older and carried that childhood
trauma into her adulthood.
"I started thinking about my dad's suicide even more. I wasn't surrounded by outside
noise anymore. I couldn't go work out or play pickup. I had to really deal with my trauma and
hurt from his death. The void of my father not being in my life for long had been filled by
attention from others and success on the basketball court." Sykes continued, "Somedays, I would
be my exciting, fun, comedic, and laughable self, while other days I would lock myself in the
room and just cry. Most of the time, I would just drown myself in liquor and tears until I felt
numb to my surroundings."
Soon, Sykes would experience the unexpected and face another opponent. "It wasn't until
I suffered my first major injury when my WNBA career was on the verge of taking off," Sykes
said. "I tore my tibia, causing me to be cut from the Los Angeles Sparks. In the past, I had
suffered injuries before but nothing of this magnitude. I found myself depressed, confused,
embarrassed, and unworthy of life itself. I lost my identity along with my career, not feeling a
part of the basketball world I was once thriving in. For the first time in my life, I doubted my
skill and mind."
Sykes' coping method of smoking and drinking lead her to an unforeseen situation that
changed her life forever . "My way of coping was extremely unhealthy," Sykes said. I would
always try to drink or smoke my sorrows away until one day; I received a DUI in my hometown.
I thought this was the moment in my life when I hit rock bottom and felt like I lost all control. A
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DUI, a DUI! I was my hometown hero. For everyone to witness me at my lowest was my
breaking point. I knew I had to do something way more proactive to help before losing complete
control." She continued, "It wasn't until I had to appear in court surrounded by people who were
once my biggest fans in high school pleading guilty. I was sitting in a room full of two-time
defenders when I realized, I have completely lost all self-control along with my mind.”
Sykes faced her hidden opponent face to face. She then learned that she suffered from
bipolar depression (manic depression), separation anxiety, and childhood trauma. "I had so many
triggers that'll cause me to react in such unbearable behavior," Sykes said. "Discovering my
highs & lows in life develops from something way deeper than was on the surface. It's almost a
weight lifted off my shoulders when I found out what was wrong." She continued. "I thought I
was just angry, crazy, or paranoid, and I'm sure plenty of other people felt the same."
Childhood Trauma: A WNBA Athlete Case Study
WNBA and Los Angeles Sparks player Reshanda Gray is one of those “other people”
who can relate to Sykes’ experience with childhood trauma. "A lot of my hidden opponents are
dealing with where I come from," Gray said in a personal interview. "I grew up in the foster
system, in and out of homes, and I think that’s always going to put me down." She continued,
"People say she’s always going to be a ghetto girl no matter where you take her or put her."
Gray is from a neighborhood in South Central LA called Manchester Hoover, an area
known for gangbanging and domestic violence. "I became accustomed to seeing prostitution and
gangbanging," Gray said, "Seeing friends die every other summer became normal. I was saying
RIP, at least once every other week."
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Gray had fallen into the culture she was surrounded by at a young age, getting in trouble
and fighting. When she was introduced to the game of basketball in the 8th grade, her life
changed. "I was in middle school one day, and this guy was recruiting kids to come to this
afterschool program," Gray said. "And he was a white guy, Caucasian, with blue eyes. I'm like,
Why are you talking to me? Where I'm from, you are the police, and we don't trust those people."
Gray was hesitant to accept his offer when he asked her to join the program. She kept
ignoring him and blowing him off. "But he was persistent about getting me to join the
afterschool program. So I did it. I took the paper home, my mom signed it and I joined the
program." She continued, "I went the first week and every day I had gotten sent to the office. I
just kept getting in trouble."
One day she got sent to the office of the man that recruited her to the afterschool
program. He sat Gray down and expressed to her that she wasn't fooling anyone. He knew her
character, and she was acting out because she was in an uncomfortable situation that was
presented before her as a chance to make it out of her community.
"I have my mom and dad, but they never really sat me down and talked to me how this
guy talked to me," Gray said. It was a different feeling. I wanted more of that because I was so
used to getting attention from doing bad things." From that day on she decided to take the
program seriously and change her life for the better.
"I didn't want to become another product of my community," Gray said, “I ended up
taking basketball really seriously, and that's how I ended up falling in love with basketball. I used
that as an outlet to help me get my school paid for." Gray went on to have a successful high
school and college career, which landed her a spot on the Los Angeles Sparks. But her problems
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didn’t fade when she joined the WNBA and she quickly realized that even when you “make it”,
you have to confront the emotional and mental trauma that lies within.
"When you grow up in the hood and leave people think that, ‘oh, you better because you
left the hood.’ So it was kind of like I was accepted, then I wasn't accepted, because I went on to
try to better my life. And I just feel like a lot of people didn't understand that. She continued,
"They say you try to come back and help. But at the same time, don't act like you’re better than
anybody."
There were times where Gray felt that same childhood pain of being rejected by people
that were supposed to love her, but this time it was coming from her community. "It was bizarre,
but I learned that you can only control what you can control, and I can't control how people feel,
Gray said. “I want to spread positivity, so I created a mentorship with the youth girls in my
community called No Gray areas." No Gray area is a program for inner-city youth of color, and
the mission is to provide love, support, opportunity, and empowerment to women and girls who
are uncertain, undecided, and in the gray areas of life.
Going into her junior season with the Sparks, more adversity arose. In October of 2020,
Gray found out she had fibroids in her uterus, large masses of fat that were not supposed to be
there. She was told she could possibly never have kids, she couldn't go overseas, and she couldn't
play basketball anymore.
"At the time, I felt like my family was drifting apart as well," Gray said. "My relationship
wasn't going well, and I didn't have anybody to turn to, and I had a mental breakdown," she
continued, "And when I had this mental breakdown, I took it out on the only person that was
actually there for me through everything.
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Gray's experience with trauma forced her to reflect on the times she allowed her mindset,
past, and circumstances to trap her into isolation. "When I felt alone, I went back into my
childhood phase where I pushed everyone away," Gray said. "I said whatever to anyone, just to
be by myself, and that wasn't okay." She continued, "I just wish I could go back in time and talk
to somebody and let that person know, and push the panic button to let people know I need help.
I needed to talk to somebody."
Mental Health Coping Mechanisms and Support for Athletes
Dr. Julie Amato, Sports Psychologist and CEO of Elite Mindset, works with athletes who
have experienced trauma and helps them be the best on the court and off. Her work is dedicated
to connecting the mind to the body and the body to the soul for healing methods to help slow
down the mind when it brings up uncomfortable circumstances. In a personal interview, Dr.
Amato described some of the healthy coping methods she encourages when supporting athletes.
"Teaching them about mindfulness, the art of staying in the present, and breathing, a great
technique to center yourself, tells you to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and your
body to relax," Amato said. "I get them [athletes] to really examine and look at their thoughts
and change the way they think and approach things because it all starts with your thoughts. If
you can get your thoughts in a good place, you can begin to embrace challenges and discomfort
versus allowing your mind to create a story. Because you can't erase the past, you can only learn
and grow from it."
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CHAPTER 3 - OPPONENT THREE: IDENTITY
The concept of “athletic identity is the degree to which an individual identifies with the
athletic role” (Brewer, Raalte, and Linder 1993). For many athletes, their identity can be
grounded in the sport they play, and when something traumatic or unforeseen occurs, it can cause
them to question their overall purpose.
Death, Depression, Alcoholism and Athletic Identity: A NBA Athlete Case Study
"I really didn't have an identity issue until I got to the NBA," said seven-time NBA
champion Robert Horry in a personal interview. "One of my darkest times was in 1996 when I
got traded from the Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns."
Horry was going into his fifth season with the Houston Rockets with two championships
under his belt. He had just wrapped up one of his best seasons to find out he was being traded to
the Phoenix Suns.
"Phoenix was not a place I wanted to be," Horry said, "to be honest with you I just didn't
have the support system I needed, and it may sound weird, but sometimes when you leave the
house, you want to see people who look like you and being in Phoenix, I didn't see many people
that look like me." He continued, "It wasn't a comfortable situation."
Horry expressed that even though he was from Alabama and attended the University of
Alabama during segregated times, he felt extremely out of place in Phoenix. As a result, he
began to develop problems with his teammates and coaches.
"I didn't like the coaching staff," Horry said. "I thought because I played them during the
season when I was with the Rockets, I saw how soft they were." He continued, "And when I got
to practice, they were soft, they can get a little hangnail, and it was like that was it, they don't
want to practice anymore, and that wasn't a basketball culture I was used to."
16
His identity crisis would lead him to recklessness and overindulging in alcohol. Horry
said he felt anger like never before because he felt as if he was disregarded by the team.
"The dark time came where I was just mad and getting into it with the coaching staff, and now
they are punishing me by not playing me,” Horry said "It just got real, it was just so frustrating.
That's how the incident of me throwing the towel in Danny Ainge's face happened," he
continued, "it was just not a good situation for me." In Game 3 of that 1994 series, with 7:12 left
in the fourth quarter, the Boston Celtics had created a five-point lead over the Suns. Coach
Danny Ainge benched Horry in favour of Rex Chapman after Mark Bryant committed a foul. As
Horry walked over to the bench, Danny Ainge shared a few words towards Horry provoking the
white towel to be thrown into Anige's face.
Coping with the Unknown and Athletic Identity
Professor of Sports and Exercise at Ball State University Dr. Lindsey Blom specializes in
athletes' identity and how to help them cope with the unknown. In recent years she has talked
with athletes of color who come from places similar to Horry. When these athletes transition to a
place like Indiana or Phoenix, it can be difficult for some who aren't used to that culture or feel
out of place.
"A lot of times, I get athletes that say, you recruited me from my hometown, and you put
me into an unknown environment, and you expect me to perform well, but you haven't helped
me adjust," Blom said. "I've had athletes of color tell me that they didn't know what they were
walking into and, most of the time, they say there's nobody around me that looks like me," she
17
continued, "and we wonder why they can't perform the way they did in high school or at any
previous level."
Dr. Blom says a solution for athletes who experienced identity issues is listening to them.
It allows a way of expression for the athlete to release unwanted tension, stress, and frustration.
When athletes are allowed to express themselves mentally, it shows in their performance
physically. She also stated that bringing in other black male athletes to talk about their challenges
and struggles will help others relate to their circumstances.
"Honestly, talking to someone about my issues without an alcoholic beverage in front of
me helped me solve my issues," Horry said. "I wanted to find myself again and gain my sense of
identity back, so I became intentional about who I kept around and what I consumed." He
continued, “and it's always weird how God puts you in certain positions. He will challenge you.”
Horry's journey after the Suns leads him to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, where he
went on to win three more championships. "When I got to the Lakers, I felt like I found myself
again, and it wasn't because of basketball. I think it was because of the challenges and the
identity crisis." He continued, "when basketball felt like it was no longer a part of me, [I asked
myself] who am I? When I went to the Lakers, I felt that confidence of a renewed mind. I knew I
was ready to play again."
18
CONCLUSION
America loves black athletes and the things they can do for leagues and organizations
through their physical talents and skills. Leagues and clubs will spend millions of dollars on
helmets, shoes, and anything the athlete will need to succeed physically. Why can't that same
energy be put towards an athlete's mental health? Athletes are more than entertainment and
fantasy points. We need to treat mental health just like we treat physical health. When you tear an
ACL, you get treated; when you get depressed, you get treated.
"It's just sports, someone will say, but it's somebody's life. When it doesn't go the way
they've planned it all these years, that person and I have to sit down and figure out where they
are emotionally. I think the more we talk about mental health in sports, the more we talk about
the needs of athletes, the more we talk about black culture, sport culture, injustices, in the lens of
mental health, it helps make a difference. It breaks a stigma," sports psychology expert Natalie
Graves concluded in her interview.
The cry for help is now being more tuned in by teams and organizations. Athletes are
speaking up about the issues going on in their lives and some are even using their platforms to
discuss traumatic situations to inspire the next generation to talk about their issues.
"What I've come to realize is yes, I love to play football, but I am more than fantasy
football points," Neal said. "This is my life and my story, and I take it very seriously," he
continued. "I need to be the change I wish to see and start the conversations on and off the field,
and I have to make sure I change the narrative and help others coming into the league. Once we
start talking, let's not stop."
19
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Blom, Dr. Lindsey, and Toni Hall. Personal interview, March 6, 2021.
Bowen, Fred. “Perspective | Tennis Star Naomi Osaka Revealed Mental Health Struggles Many People
Face.” The Washington Post. WP Company, June 10, 2021.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/tennis-star-naomi-osaka-revealed-mental-heal
th-struggles-many-people-face/2021/06/09/d4276d14-c3e5-11eb-9a8d-f95d7724967c_story.html.
Brewer, B. W., Van Raalte, J. L., & Linder, D. E. (1993). Athletic identity: Hercules' muscles or Achilles
heel? International Journal of Sport Psychology, 24(2), 237–254.
Buckingham, Marcus, and Donald Clifton. Now, Discover Your Strengths: the Revolutionary Gallup
Program That Shows You How to Develop Your Unique Talents and Strengths. New York, NY:
Gallup Press, 2020.
Cartelli, Lance. “Ranking the Highest-Paid U.S. Athletes in 2019.” 247Sports. Accessed June 12, 2021.
https://247sports.com/ContentGallery/Ranking-the-Highest-Paid-US-Athletes-in-2019-13259277
3/#132592773_43.
Gardia, Michelle. Hospice of Havasu, July 12, 2019.
https://www.hospicehavasu.org/2019/07/the-effects-of-trauma-and-how-to-cope-with-them/.
Graves, Natalie, and Toni Hall. Personal interview, March 13, 2021.
Gray, Reshanda, and Toni Hall. Personal interview, April 17, 2021.
Horry, Robert, and Toni Hall. Personal interview, June 1, 2021.
Integrated Listening Systems. “ Integrated Listening Systems (ILs) Sensory Integration.” Integrated
Listening. Integrated Listening, June 10, 2021. https://integratedlistening.com/about-ils/.
Library of Congress. “Breaking the Color Line: 1940 to 1946 : Baseball, the Color Line, and Jackie
Robinson : Articles and Essays : By Popular Demand: Jackie Robinson and Other Baseball
Highlights, 1860s-1960s : Digital Collections : Library of Congress.” The Library of Congress.
Accessed June 12, 2021.
https://www.loc.gov/collections/jackie-robinson-baseball/articles-and-essays/baseball-the-color-li
ne-and-jackie-robinson/1940-to-1946/.
McCabe, Randi, and Irena Milosevic. Phobias. ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2015.
Mental Health America. “Black and African American Communities and Mental Health.” Mental Health
America. Accessed June 12, 2021.
https://www.mhanational.org/issues/black-and-african-american-communities-and-mental-health.
20
Miller, Patrick B., and David Kenneth Wiggins. Sport and the Color Line: Black Athletes and Race
Relations in 20th Century America. New York: Routledge, 2004.
Moore, Xavior, and Toni Hall. Personal interview, April 10, 2021.
Neal, Ryan, and Toni Hall. Personal interview, February 6, 2021.
Sykes, April, and Toni Hall. Personal interview, May 1, 2021.
Thomas, Mike. “Bo Jackson Said His Hip Injury Prevented Raiders Fans From Hating Him -
Sportscasting: Pure Sports.” Sportscasting, June 1, 2020.
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-him/.
21

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Asset Metadata

Creator Hall, Toni M. (author)

Core Title The hidden opponent: how Black athletes fight the taboo of mental illness in sports

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism

Degree Conferral Date 2021-12

Publication Date 09/17/2021

Defense Date 09/10/2021

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

Tag Black athletes,fear of failure or weakness,Football,identity,Mental Health,OAI-PMH Harvest,stereotypes,trauma

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Pecot-Herbert, Lisa (committee chair)

Creator Email tonihall2288@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC15919466

Unique identifier UC15919466

Legacy Identifier etd-HallToniM-10075

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Hall, Toni M.

Type texts

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

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