It's more than just the game: How teens are using sports to improve their mental health
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — As concerns over youth mental health continue to grow, communities are turning to an outlet to help young people cope: sports. From physical activity to social support, studies show playing sports can have long-lasting mental health benefits.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2023, a study found that among high school students across the nation, in the past year many teens face mental health issues. According to the study, 40% of these teens said that they've dealt with persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year. Nationwide, 20% of teens reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the past year.
In 2023, the CDC reported how teen's mental health is taking a decline. (Spectrum News)
North Carolina FC Youth is the largest club in North Carolina, offering soccer to children from the ages of 5 to 18 across the Triangle. Lucia Namey, an NCFC Youth soccer player, said the game means everything to her.
“It was genuinely life-changing for me," Namey said. "I don't know where I'd be without soccer."
Namey recently injured a ligament in her knee.
“With injuries, they're just very isolating, and you feel very lonely, because no one knows exactly what you are going through,” Namey said.
She said that if it weren’t for the support of her teammates, she wouldn’t have been able to get through her injury.
“Everyone showed up for me when I need their support the most," Namey said. "I think that in moments like that, when you're at your lowest, having a big circle around you, showing you love, helps get you through because you know that you're not alone, even when you do feel alone.”
Her favorite part of being on the team is the strong support system that sports teams like these can bring.
"Being here definitely just boosts your mood. I leave feeling much happier," Namey said. "I can be having the worst day, and I know that I'll leave here feeling so much better.”
For her, it's not only about the support of her teammates, but also being able to let off some steam and be physically active after school.
Lucia Namey, NCFC Youth soccer player, is out with an ACL injury, but she still comes to practices to support her teammates. (Spectrum News 1/Ashley Van Havere)
“You get that anger out, you get to express yourself in a different way that's not screaming or yelling at someone," Namey said.
It’s not just about the exercise, NCFC Youth Chief Marketing and Development Officer Katharine Eberhardt said the social side of sports plays a huge role in mental well-being.
“Mental health is such an important topic, it always has been, and especially now, it's a part of the conversation," Eberhardt said. "We want parents to be talking with their kids, we want coaches to be talking with their their players.”
With a world full of screen time, Eberhardt said it's becoming even more important for activities like these to exist.
“It's great to have an outlet where we can create this environment that allows kids some freedom to become friends," Eberhardt said.
For NCFC Youth Coach Tom Misuraca, it's all about watching the teens grow as people and have fun on the field.
“You just got to keep them up and keep them going, get their confidence back, let them know they're doing a good job and just be there for them and talk to them when they when they get down," Misuraca said.
For these kids, the real win isn't just what's on the scoreboard, but it's in feeling supported. Sports doesn't fix everything, but it might just be part of the solution.
