Story by: Amber Lynch
MONTEVALLO, Ala. – For many student-athletes, finding an outlet to talk about mental health has become more and more crucial to their well-being. Two student-athletes at the University of Montevallo, Chloe Norman and Madi Milby, have started an organization on campus called Morgan’s Message to do just that.
“We normalize getting physical treatment, rather than getting mental treatment as well,” says Norman. “In my opinion, it affects you all the same.”
Mental health is often stigmatized in our society and looked down upon. For student-athletes, it can be much more difficult to vocalize their struggle with mental health. They are often seen as mentally tough and are taught to overcome constantly in their sport and daily-life.
“Recovery is possible– let’s take a shot.”
Morgan’s Message
Morgan’s Message was established to destigmatize mental health in student-athletes with the statement “Recovery is possible– let’s take a shot.” This organization was created by the friends and family of Morgan, who was a Duke lacrosse player that lost her life to suicide in 2019. Since then, Morgan’s Message has been growing on college campus’ nationwide.
Norman and Milby are both ambassadors for Morgan’s Message and worked together to start this club on UM’s campus. For them, their personal experiences with mental struggles sparked their interest in helping others find the help and outlet they had found.
Madi Milby’s story
Milby is a fifth year senior and plays on the women’s soccer team at UM. During her sophomore year at her previous school, she began to struggle with her mental health. “I really wish there was a program like this at my old school,” says Milby.
“I struggled a lot during COVID,” says Milby. “It was difficult to talk to my teammates about it. I didn’t feel like people struggled the same way I did.” The isolation in her dorm and being by herself most of the time made her start to fall out of love with soccer.
“It started to feel like a chore,” Milby says. Feeling alone in her day-to-day life contributed to these negative feelings. It became difficult for her to keep up with her schedule and grades. Both things she hadn’t had much trouble with in the past.
She then also began to struggle with defining herself by playing time and mistakes made on the field. This started to affect the way that she played, Milby says, it was difficult to rewire her mindset to not believe those negative thoughts.
“Mistakes don’t define you,” Milby says. After transferring to UM, she says her new coaches and supportive environment were what helped her realize that she shouldn’t be thinking this way.
“If you make mistakes, it means you’re trying.”
Coach Jake Wyman
Milby credits Coach Jake Wyman at UM with helping her overcome her negative mindset. He would always tell her, “If you make mistakes, it means you’re trying.” She continues to live by that motto.
For Milby, noticing how many student-athletes were passing away from mental health illnesses made her want to make a difference. “I got a message through INFLCR from Morgan’s Message,” Milby says. “They asked if I wanted to apply to become an ambassador.” Through this interaction, she realized this was a cause that was important to her and she was looking forward to starting this organization on her own campus.
Chloe Norman’s story
Norman is a sophomore on the women’s lacrosse team at UM. She admits that navigating the transition from highschool to college was the most difficult for her. “I was almost always down on myself,” Norman says. “I didn’t believe that I belonged here.”
“I realized I wanted to help other athletes that feel the same way I did.”
Chloe Norman
These negative thoughts started to affect her attitude and demeanor on and off the field. “It took a toll on my mental health in the classroom and at practice,” Norman says.
Finding ways to cope with her mental health was difficult without an outlet like Morgan’s Message.“It is so easy to think that you are the only one feeling that way and there’s no help for you,” Norman says.
Morgan’s Message holds regular meetings that educate other athletes about their mental health and shares tips on how to help take care of yourself. “talking about it and doing the things I enjoyed really helped me,” Norman says.
Norman wanted to start this organization because of her own mental health. After researching how and why they were doing the education program, she began to see the benefit Morgan’s Message would have at UM.
“I realized I wanted to help other athletes that feel the same way I did,” she says, “I wanted to provide that outlet.”
How to join:
The Morgan’s Message Instagram is a great place to start. They share ways to take care of your mental health, along with the PowerPoints from each meeting and when the next meetings will occur.
On the second floor of Farmer Hall, there are pamphlets and bracelets from Morgan’s Message that are free to everyone. You can also visit FalconLink to request to join the club, as well as read about Morgan’s story and why the organization was started.
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