My name is Justin Potts and I am 19 years old at the University of Dubuque and am currently studying Physical Education along with playing on our baseball team. I graduated from Hempstead High School which is located right here in Dubuque. I graduated from Hempstead as a member of the National Honor Society as well as an athlete participating in Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Track. I have been playing baseball since the age of 4 and it has been a constant source of love and joy in my life. I can recall countless rewarding memories I have playing baseball along with many challenging and upsetting times that I have learned to appreciate as I have aged. Overcoming these challenging moments on the baseball field have helped me through a variety of off-the-field stressors including relationships, academics, self-doubt etc. This leads to mental health which affects everybody at some point in life whether we allow ourselves to realize it or not. Having people in our life that we are comfortable confronting with our mental health issues is crucial in overcoming these situations rather than keeping it internal and letting it affect us for extended period of time. I am extremely grateful to be a part of the UD community that prioritizes not only academics and athletics but also the mental health and wellbeing of their student’s. Therefore, I encourage everybody to be transparent about their mental health and seek out the necessary resources to find a solution for you.
