My name is Dazza Mitchell; I am a sophomore at the University of Dubuque and a goalie for the hockey team. As a goalie, I can tell you that much of my position and sports in general, has a massive mental demand. Players are more than just assets or property of a team, we are people as well, dealing with our own lives and problems. During the 2022-2023 season, I was the starting goaltender for my junior hockey team, the Weyburn Red Wings. The season had lots of energy and support from the community, as Weyburn had not had a successful team in nearly a decade. Going into the Christmas break, we had a respectable record and were holding onto the final playoff spot. Going home for the break, I saw my family every day for the first time since I had left in August. Things were not the way I left them; my family was facing a struggle that nearly ripped us apart. After witnessing the trauma and potential life-altering reality of home, I was excited to escape back to Weyburn and into hockey. I made it about a month, to the end of January, until hockey could no longer shelter me from my deteriorating mental health. I hit my breaking point mentally and it was starting to affect my performance, attitude, and overall wellbeing. Luckily, I had a coach who cared about me and noticed my silent struggle. He gave me a card for a local therapist who specialized in athlete and family issues. My first call with her was an hour of me falling apart on the phone, as all my pent-up emotions and anxieties came flowing out. It hurt, but I also didn’t know how good it would feel afterwards. A lot of people can be scared of the prospect of making themselves open and vulnerable to someone, even a stranger. There has been a lot of negative outlooks on therapy, yet it is one of the only reasons I was able to return to hockey. Fast forward to today and I have been diagnosed with Anxiety and am on medication to keep me regulated. I am living proof that you cannot do it alone. I was able to find people to help me. Now here I am, in my second year of university, sixteen hours away from home; managing school, hockey and my social life. I couldn’t be happier. A lot of people, men especially, are seen as weak for being emotional and asking for help. I believe that it takes an even stronger person to be able to admit that they need help. You have to want to get better, otherwise it just doesn’t work. I am proud of myself for being able to admit that I was in need of help and I would encourage anyone else who may be struggling out there, ask for help.
