You Don’t Have to Suffer in Silence: Why We Must Prioritize Mental Health in Sports

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to shed light on the silent struggles that so many athletes, coaches, and families face behind the scenes.

At Soccer Resilience, this month carries deep meaning. It’s not just about awareness — it’s about action, change, and breaking the silence around mental health challenges in sports.

A Message From Our Founder

In this month’s featured video, our founder, Dr. Brad Miller, shares a powerful message rooted in his own experience:

“I created Soccer Resilience because I didn’t want any athlete to suffer in silence the way I did.”

As a college soccer player at Wake Forest, Brad battled performance anxiety, self-doubt, and the shame that often comes with struggling mentally in a competitive environment. Despite his achievements on the field, he was spiraling internally. Like many athletes, he felt isolated — afraid to speak up, and unsure where to turn.

The Silent Statistics

Unfortunately, Brad’s story is not unique:

• 1 in 3 student-athletes experience significant anxiety

• Only 1/3 of youth athletes with mental health struggles receive treatment

• Stigma and silence remain two of the biggest barriers to getting support

Why Mental Health is Essential in Sports

Mental health isn’t a weakness. It’s a cornerstone of performance, growth, and well-being.

Athletes face immense pressure — from competition and injuries to academics and identity — and without the right tools, those pressures can take a serious toll.

When we ignore mental fitness, we risk burnout, emotional distress, and lost potential. But when we invest in mental resilience training, we build stronger athletes, better teammates, and more resilient people.

That’s the mission of Soccer Resilience — to normalize conversations, provide tools, and empower players to train their minds just like they train their bodies.

This Month, Let’s Make Mental Health a Priority

If you or someone you know is struggling with performance anxiety, stress, or burnout, please remember:

You are not alone. And you don’t have to suffer in silence.

Let’s make May more than just a reminder. Let’s make it the start of real change — on and off the field.

🧠 Mental Health Tip for May
"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." – William Shakespeare

Is performance anxiety helpful or harmful? The answer: it depends on how you use it.

Performance anxiety can be helpful when it drives you to prepare—putting in effort at training, sleeping well, eating right, and arriving early on game day. But it becomes harmful when it overwhelms you, creates self-doubt, and convinces you you’re not ready—even when you are.

How can you shift anxiety into your advantage?

• Try deep belly breathing: Inhale for 3 – hold for 3 – exhale for 3. Do this for at least 30 seconds to calm your body and engage your thinking brain.

• Then tell yourself: “I’m prepared and ready to go.”

💡 Without any performance anxiety, you might skip training, stay up late, and show up 15 minutes before kickoff with a burger and fries. So embrace it—it means you care.

Want more tips on how to lower self-doubt and performance anxiety to play with more confidence and have more fun?