Mental health awareness integral to East Carolina football growth

Oct. 23--Marcus Anderson often speaks with players on the East Carolina football team about life's hardships: "The storm." Depending on your perspective, he says, you can let the storm destroy you or the storm can be something that builds you up and makes you better.

Nothing could prepare them for the storm that is 2020.

The uncertainty of COVID-19 weighs on the minds of athletes daily. Will they play tomorrow? Will contact tracing force them to miss a game and go into isolation? What if they get sick?

Then, there is the issue of social injustice. How do they cope with feelings of anger, confusion and fear? How can they stand up for what they believe in, understand or be there to support one another?

"It's a stormy time right now. That is what it feels like. We are on a boat being tossed to and for by the winds and waves of life," said Anderson, the team's "character coach," who works with ECU through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

"But those who make it out of the storm are the ones that find a way to grow in the storm."

Reaching out

The stressors of 2020 add to the pile of what collegiate athletes already face on a daily basis. It's why freshman running back Rajahi Harris makes speaking with Anderson a priority.

"A lot of depression. You come in as a freshman and thinking like: 'Can I do this? Can I do this? So, you have got to talk to him weekly just to get your mind right and clear your thoughts, so he has been very helpful," Harris said.

The running back is not alone. Anderson, who has a counseling background, keeps an open door policy and often holds one-on-ones with players. Many of them consistently carve out the time to meet with Anderson in order to take care of themselves, both physically and mentally. He also extends a hand to those who haven't.

"I love Marcus. Marcus is a big impact on the team," junior inside linebacker Xavier Smith said. "He talks to a lot of guys not just during the football season but outside of the football season. Me, personally, I talk to him outside of football. He helps me with some things I got going on and a lot of people on the team. I feel like he is really beneficial to the team."

ECU head coach Mike Houston knows Anderson well. The pair worked together during his James Madison days. He said the relationships his staff have forged with their players have also been important. As coaches, they have made an effort to talk and listen to players about issues beyond football to help them in their daily lives.

"(Anderson) is someone that I lean on. He is someone that our student-athletes gravitate to. It's just so important to have him here because he is someone the kids trust and they can talk to about lots of issues," Houston said. "He is going to take a vested interest in their life and really try to help them and deal with each kid individually.

"I think him as our character coach is something I think is not only essential but is going to be a corner piece for our program."

Ending the stigma

Seeking help for mental health issues is far less often seen as taboo on college campuses.

In 2017, the American Athletic Conference introduced the Powerful Minds campaign, in conjunction with its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. According to Chuck Sullivan, the AAC's assistant commissioner for communications, the campaign serves as a way to raise awareness of mental health issues among student-athletes, eliminate the stigma often associated with those issues and educate on the practice, prevention and treatment of issues.

"There are things that athletes carry with them that we have to be aware and cognizant of," said Anderson, who is also a former collegiate athlete who struggled with mental health issues.

During national Mental Health Awareness Week (Oct. 4-10), the AAC pushed an online initiative with the label of #Pow6rfulMinds. Each day promoted a different theme or message. ECU junior quarterback Holton Ahlers and senior placekicker Jake Verity were among the players featured in a video to support the campaign in helping to end the stigma of seeking help for mental health conditions.

"I think it's something that has been magnified more this year than maybe ever before. It's been something that you deal with every year as a head coach," Houston said. "But I think this year, with quarantine, which was a big concern of mine as we were all away from each other. Now, dealing with things daily and weekly, it's just very challenging.

"You worry about the kids, what's going on in their minds, what they're dealing with. Because we as adults, we're challenged to deal with some of the stuff we're dealing with. In 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds, it's more than what they should be exposed to, but they're still exposed to it. I think we're trying to do the best we can. It's something very much a focal point for our athletic department."

Athletes also face the modern day challenge of unsolicited noise via social media.

"I think the world is a lot louder now," Anderson said.

Win or lose, Anderson encourages players to take the time to unplug. Dealing with glowing comments after a big win can have similar effects to the negative comments that come after a bad loss.

In order for a player to stay grounded and not get caught up in either scenario, he encourages them to use intrinsic motivation.

"I tell our guys all the time. You are more than an athlete," Anderson said. "This is a part of what you do but this should not define you."

Courage and growth

In encouraging players to grow through the storm, the ECU football adopted the acronym GROW: Grounded, Rooted, Opportunistic, Work. Anderson constantly reminds the Pirates that GROW is not limited to football. It should happen in every aspect of life.

"When Corona happened, the thing that they were driven towards was football or being able to get out there and show their athletic prowess, but once that got taken from them, for a lot of guys, it was like: 'What do I look towards next?' Growing has been a thing to keep them focused on getting better, because it's kind of hard to keep that motivation up."

The appreciation ECU players have for Anderson was apparent on the evening of Aug. 31. They cheered as Anderson took stage, front and center, to lead them in prayer after a unity march in late August. It was an athlete-led event that brought all of the Pirates' programs together.

"To see our young men and women at East Carolina molding the future right now -- leadership is not just when you are on the field or on the court but how you live your life. Seeing our guys take a risky stance, a risky step and say: 'Hey, this is where we are. Come join us.' I thought that was a really good moment."

The march allowed players to listen to one another, make their voices heard and connect with one another on a deeper level. It was a moment to GROW away from football.

"For a lot of our guys its having that listening ear, especially in the time of civil unrest and dealing with issues of race and racial conciliation and how does this all work," Anderson said. "Just being a listening ear for all of your players. I am here with you. I may not have an answer, but I can at least be with you and also encourage other players if you don't understand how you can be there with your brethren. We may not be able to offer an answer but we can at least be with the person."

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