This is a delicate & difficult one to write about for many reasons, personally.
We coordinated an event with JMU Athletics going all the way back to September of 2018 . @theofleury14 @darrenrovell @lukejamesshaffer & I were all there to talk with their student athletes (slide➡️).
Their athletic dept is/was comprised of some of the best people we have gotten to know, in this space. Many of them still there from 4 years ago.
From their athletic directors on through their athletic trainers – this is a family of good people doing so many of the right things needed to help out their athletes – not just in mental health – but in overall health & treatment/life off the field/court/ice/track. I’m torn apart that their family is in the pain it is right now.
And I want to be clear on this post – nothing has been revealed in terms of the cause of this tragedy. All we see is: another student athlete, gone too soon.
There are soooo many factors at play right now that lead to confusion, heartache, and pain.
On the heels of so many other recent losses revealed publicly – ones that were tied to mental health – it’s hard for the HS & college athletic community not to feel a gut punch in our collective stomachs. When we hear of tragic news like this, regardless of what’s revealed or not, we can’t help but it be a reminder of some of the recent trends we’ve seen & some of the losses we’ve experienced.
The only message that makes sense at this time – whatever the cause of this tragedy – is that we need to hold hands & come together REGARDLESS of what is/isn’t revealed. We may lose kids to accidents, to other health conditions – the list of possibilities is long. But a loss is a loss…and in a community, when there is loss, we need to check on each other & have each other’s back.
Please if you do one thing today – check in with ONE more person than what you normally would have. Think of the ripple effect of that.
Darren & I have an event in Livingston NJ with youngsters from Middle School thru HS. We’re gonna check in. Please do the same. We need each other now more than ever. RIP to Lauren & love to all directly impacted.