From OhioMHAS

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services awarded a $250,000 SOAR Network Innovation Grant to LiFEsports to extend its “Coach Beyond” trainings to community-based sports organizations.

Coach Beyond is an initiative within LiFEsports, developed in partnership with the Ohio High School Athletic Association.  Coach Beyond offers training designed to go beyond X’s and O’s – helping coaches recognize risk factors and identify symptoms of common mental health concerns and learn strategies to support child well-being.

“Anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation are at all-time highs. The pressures of sports can add additional stressors,” said Dr. Dawn Anderson-Butcher, co-executive director of LiFEsports and an SSI affiliate. “Sports, when designed well, can be a huge protective factor. Coaches at all levels can better support kids, teach life skills that help kids cope on and off the field, foster belonging and community, and be ‘eyes’ who pick up signs and symptoms and respond.”

Currently, all of Ohio’s school-based coaches are required to complete a student mental health training course to obtain their coaching permit. However, research shows the need for this type of training extends beyond schools. Data from a needs assessment of 5,600 Ohio coaches shows that 75% are interested in more training on mental health, and only 29% feel confident in their ability to address mental health concerns among their athletes.

Over the past three years, Coach Beyond has partnered with 17 Ohio school districts to train more than 20,000 coaches. Information about the program can be found on LiFEsports’ Coach Beyond webpage. Youth sports organizations across Ohio can request a free training by emailing coachbeyond@osu.edu.