Morgan Rodgers, a former varsity lacrosse player at Duke, died Thursday night. It has truly turned such devastating loss into a community to give people who struggle the support they need. However, a group of women at Morgan State hopes to propel their lacrosse club team to Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code. What should I do?. Fast forward just over two years, Morgans Message has 2,290 ambassadors on 901 campuses across 42 states and in Canada and England according to the Morgans Message program website. This year she scored the highest on the team and I think the areas she scores the highest in are that she cares so incredibly much for her teammates and that she has great relationships with her teammates as well as her coaches, Kimel said. The growth is due, in large part, because of the demand for resources. Zempolich feels every athletic department should have a sports psychologist, and student-athletes should have to meet with them at least once every two months more if a coach, psychologist or student-athlete flags any issues. Thu May 19 2022 | Beth Ann Mayer | College I decided to become an ambassador because this topic means the world to me. One year after her injury, her recovery wasnt where they had hoped it would be. Being an ambassador forMorgans Message has meant so much to me. Youre expected to be at the top of your game in the classroom and extra-curriculars and, as athletes, be on top of your varsity sport. Rogers, a big name in the local lax scene, helped lead the Polar Bears to a state title last Spring and that puts two state championships on her resume. Greater Massapequa, Greater Smithtown Get the best and latest from USLaxMagazine.com delivered weekly straight to your inbox. Exeter returns to the 'front lines' of climate change, Athletes for Racial Justice champion social change, Phillips Exeter Academy, 20 Main Street, Exeter, NH 03833-2460, 2023. Harney said shes seen many people in her network struggle with mental health not only during their time as athletes, but with what comes after. The 74-acre facility used to be owned by Morgans paternal family and has five natural grass multipurpose fields. Dona Rodgers became involved with the Mental Health Association of Fauquier County and took the youth mental health first-aid course, something shed like everyone to consider. We are committed to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and creating a more open dialogue. VIDEO: Elite athlete opens up about pressure to be the best, sophomore lacrosse player at Vanderbilt University, Stanford University soccer star Katie Meyer, Duke University lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers, according to data shared by the American College of Sports Medicine, NCAA found that during the coronavirus pandemic, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Youre almost in a pressure cooker where you are going to blow if you dont get the support for what you are feeling.. But ultimately, it should be clear not just through words, but actions that the student-athlete will not be punished for coming forward about mental health issues. WebMorgan knew she wanted to play at the highest level the sport could offer while earning a world-class education. More resources are available here. Its a sign that Morgans Message has so much left to do despite all the organization has done. Its okay to lean on people around you. Greater Moriches The 11 points were three more than she had So, while Callahan and the Blue Devils flex their muscles against their opponents over the next few months, lets all take a cue from Callahan and use perhaps our most important muscle the heart to show we care and that its okay to ask for help from others. ", "I had a father reach out to me and telling me that after reading the essay, he drove two-and-a-half hours to his daughter's lacrosse practice and waited outside to give her a hug," said Bracken. From there, word has gotten out, thanks to social media. Ambassadors can reach back out to Dona for presentations on a variety of topics, We supply ambassadors with science-based, factual information and then encourage conversation, she said of the support the organization lends. Just prior to her sophomore season at Duke in 2017, Rodgers tore her ACL. When we have groups of people say, I had really anxiety in high school, or, I deal with depression when we normalize the conversations and see others are struggling, thats when the power gets taken away.. I heard aboutMorgans Message through social media when they first started. Her love for her teammates is one of a multitude of reasons Callahan is a part of the Duke womens lacrosse leadership council. Callahan, who scored high in each of the past three years, led the way for all Blue Devils this year. A few miles southeast of Warrenton off Meetze Road is the Central Fauquier Sports Complex. Mental health crisis and depression live in the shadows, and we give them power when we dont talk about them, Zempolich said. Thank you! Whether its the good or the bad you can always reach out to me, it doesnt have to be lacrosse related. She was very funny, she was an absolute goofball, Harney said of her friend. 2017: Missed the 2017 campaign due to injury. The 2022 Inaugural Mo Madness Youth Lacrosse Tournament is now complete and we extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who turned out for a day of fun competition as well as raising awareness about student-athlete mental health. WebMorgan W Rogers is a Santa Ana, California based male chiropractor who is specialized as General Chiropractor. Currently, there are only five active HBCU varsity lacrosse teams in the nation. Thank you for signing in! It was a no-brainer in her mind to honor former Duke womens lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers who lost her life to suicide in July 2019. You have permission to edit this article. Covering all the great things happening on Long Island and its vibrant downtowns. Whether its the good or the bad I want my girls when they move on to know this is a life thing, you play for me in high school, but now were connected for life, she said. person will not be tolerated. Me and Dr. Zeplin, who is the head of the behavioral health department for athletics, decided student-athletes needed something to just kind of collectively talk about the struggles and the hardships that we go through as athletes and as students at Duke, Callahan said. I think by bringing awareness and providing resources to our community, Exeter students can start having open conversations about mental health and not be scared to reach out if they need it.. She was so excited, and we all sighed a breath of relief, thinking she was going to overcome this, recalled her mom. The first Zempolich says different student-athletes will respond better to different approaches. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. How do you foster an environment where your student-athletes feel comfortable coming to you saying, Im off. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Her energy empowers those she has left behind to transform devastation into action. Morgans Message has made such an impact, even outside of Warrenton, and is taking big steps towards the end of the mental health stigma in athletes. We have something for everyone! She ranked second on the team in points with six goals and five assists through her first three starting assignments. WebMorgan's Message is a non-profit organization created in memory of Morgan Rodgers. Greater Bay Shore For more on Morgans Message, please visit their website. While she presented a strong, happy, and resilient face to her community, she grappled with feeling that she was not living up to her expectations. With the concept in hand, Callahan took the next step of naming the organization. If I can honor Morgan, its a cherry on top.. She called Dona Rodgers, Morgans mother, who decided to join her. She also thinks coaches and support staff need more training on mental health. I think Annas had a really nice trajectory here, said head coach Kerstin Kimel. Following her injury, Morgan saw an off-campus counselor and had a local therapist to see when she was home. MORE: Ginger Zee on how she overcame the stigma of mental health to talk about suicide, therapy In her letter, Bracken mentions college athletes like Stanford Zempolich struggled with survivors guilt. Finally, as the one-year anniversary of Rodgers death crept up, she decided she wanted to visit the gravesite. The 2018 election through then Republican candidate Mark Harris' eyes. While Callahan has put in incredible work on the field as well as in the weight room, it might be her efforts off the field in relation to mental health, both hers and others, that have allowed her to take her game and leadership abilities to a higher level. Shot by DE Morgan Rogers, SAVE Reagan Collins. We hope that it will provide a safe space for processing difficult topics and emotions, and make people feel less alone. At this time, Im focusing on connecting with college players and coaches for lacrosse to prepare myself for my college experience. Former Duke Women's Lacrosse Player Dies. Morganwas one of my travel lacrosse team coaches when I was in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade at Cardinal Lacrosse. Keeping you connected to the Community. She was used to being a star. As a result, Morgans self-worth plummeted. She had also experienced mental health issues and became a safe space for Rodgers to open up just a little. We are not therapeutic in nature and not intending to replace the work of professionals. My team had lost Morgan, who was a friend and a teammate to us and that was really really difficult, so I always thought naming it after Morgan would be something I would really really appreciate and wanted to do just because Morgan spent a lot of time at Duke and was very close to people on the team and at Duke itself, Callahan said. Chance of rain 80%.. Morgans Message recruits and supports ambassadors at high schools, colleges and universities, who organize meetings to encourage dialogue around mental health. Her cause of death does not appear to be suspicious. In it, she describes how college sports can take a toll on student athletes, and how they are met with many expectations from coaches and administrators. DURHAM, N.C. -- The Duke University campus is mourning the loss of a student. You as a human being are so valued and so loved and you are worth all the diamonds and gold in the whole entire world just being you. In March 2018, Morgan asked to take a semester off. I knew that I wanted to be a part ofMorgans Message because I think mental health is often overlooked, and people often feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help, and I want to help change that. The 11 points were three more than she had in 19 games as a junior and matched the total she had in the first six games of 2022. During her senior year, Morgan began to experience high levels of anxiety; however, she received tremendous support and professional help that proved beneficial at that time. I heard about the organization through one of my co-ambassadors Abigail Beattie. In hindsight, if we were familiar with the signs, her mental health decline would have been clearer, said Rodgers about her daughters gradual withdrawal from her friends and interests. 5816 Wellington RoadGainesville, VA 20155, Morgans Message is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Ambassadors Spreading Awareness - Dedication Game Pictures, 2022 Inaugural Mo Madness Youth Lacrosse Tournament. If they need to call you at 3 a.m., youre there at 3 a.m.. In her fifth season with the program, Callahan is off to the best start of her career for the 11th-ranked Blue Devils. She was on a scooter for eight weeks, Zempolich said. On the field, Callahan is exuding a level of confidence and comfort to match her intensity. I want people to know that seeking help does not make you weak, but makes you so strong. Thats something I had to learn as a freshman, that its okay to lean on the other people around you and that youre never a burden. In fact, its her empathy and love for others that fuel her success. When she arrived in Durham, Zempolich said she seemed bubbly but a little frustrated by her lack of playing time during fall ball and the spring of her freshman year. I knew that mental health issues would be on the rise everywhere, especially with student athletes.. People always have time for you. The timing is right to talk about student athlete mental health, said Dona Rodgers. She was 22. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. No one knew she was suffering in silence. She recently accepted an invitation to serve on the associations board. This time, Morgan chose to suffer in silence, keeping family and friends in the dark as she battled her mental health. One turf field is named Morgan D. Rodgers Field, in honor a Fauquier hometown athlete who loved her community and her sport. She was dodging and stepped the wrong way, Zempolich recalled. It is this depth of character that provided encouragement and inspiration to so many, but it was her contagious laugh and infectious energy that embody Morgans irreplaceability. Morgans Message Education Program supports motivated students to become active leaders and advocates of student-athlete mental health on their campus and in their communities. Its okay to seek help. After visiting the grave, Dona Rodgers invited her back to the house. ???? When the Bay Shore girls varsity lacrosse team takes the field this Wednesday, they will honor the memory of a fellow athlete and spread mental health awareness. Throughout, you will see Morgan alongside her family Dona (Mom), Aberle (Twin Sister), Kurt (Dad), Austin (Brother) , and Cash (Pup) closest friends, and teammates. Fitting that it came on after an @annascallahan4 goal! ?Our game tomorrow is dedicated to Morgan Rodgers and @MorgansMessage. Callahan reached out to Morgans parents and learned of the non-profit organization they were starting Morgans Message and out of that conversation the first campus ambassador program of Morgans Message was born. She sustained a serious knee injury prior to her sophomore season at Duke and struggled with anxiety and depression as she fought to regain her physical health. Greater Farmingdale In July 2020, Morgans Message was launched to honor the life of local student-athlete and youth coach Morgan Rodgers, who took her life in July 2019. I decided to become an ambassador because I wanted to give other athletes the kind of outlet I wish I had access to earlier. She didnt want to speak poorly of anyone, so she buried the pain. I think that all along Annas strengths are her incredible work ethic and her leadership, and I think both of those qualities have propelled her into a role as a fifth-year senior where she not only has great command on the field, but also off the field with her team.". Promotional Rates were found for your code. So Im very appreciative of the coaches I have and the support system we have at Duke and beyond.. Her cause of She was that kind of a person.. La Canada Unified is seeking a walk-on coach experienced in coaching lacrosse for the high school girls varsity team. But when Rodgers got back to campus, she regressed again. Stay locally informed your way. The non-profit amplifies stories, expertise and resources to help student-athletes cope with mental health. North Is playing for Morgans Message, founded by the family of Morgan Rodgers, a former Duke lacrosse player who died by suicide in 2019. In fact, the more people talk about mental health, the better. She had gone to therapy for anxiety in high school. Selfishly, I dont want anyone to feel how I felt when I was at my lowest of lows or how Morgan felt. Advertise I think being vulnerable and being open is also something that helps me play a little bit looser and play a little more free, said Callahan. We'd love to hear eyewitness And then right when you go into corporate America and youre just like every single other person and you dont have sports being such a big confidence driver for you.. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. According to the ACSM, student-athletes face pressures from academics and competing, as well as other stressors like being away home home, traveling for games, feeling isolated from campus and other students due to their focus on sport and adapting to being in the public spotlight. Even her injury, she did it better than anyone else.. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. This is who they are. For confidential support available 24/7 for everyone in the United States, call 1-800-273-8255. Clear attempt by CONVERSE failed. She was able to run, but not at full speed and wasnt cleared to play, said her mother. Dedicated to sharing the stories of Duke student-athletes, present and past, GoDuke The Magazine is published for Duke Athletics by LEARFIELD with editorial offices at 3100 Tower Blvd., Suite 404, Durham, NC 27707. Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. Great Eats What the whole nonprofit is organized around is just spreading awareness for mental health, specifically in the student athlete community, Harney said. Callahan was recognized for her work with Morgans Message, earning an ACC Top Six for Service Award last year. Motivation, confidence, intensity, focus and mind state the five mental muscles psychologists believe are essential for athletes to perform their best. SinceMorganwent to Kettle Run, I was really interested in becoming an ambassador with my close friends, helping break the stigma around mental health, and starting up a chapter at school. There are now 950 ambassadors. Greater Babylon Find or Submit your local event here.. $49.90 If youre in crisis, there are options available to help you cope. Vice Doughnuts & Coffee. Zempolich went to therapy, sometimes multiple times per week, to work through her pain. She always knew about the best new tracks and was essentially the locker room DJ as a player on the womens lacrosse team at Duke University. Rodgers was all about taking care of others. The Pizzeria to expand with locations in Babylon, The story of DiCarlo Food Service, a family affair, A husband-and-wife team has just opened an Islip p, The State Room opens in former BrickHouse Brewery, Round 2 is LIVE The Duke coach had seen the effect of athletic injuries hundreds of times and knew that Morgans mental well-being needed to be considered. It was almost an out-of-body experience where her body didnt know what was going on, and I dont think her mind could comprehend it.. For Division I athletes or people attending an elite university, the drive to succeed is strong, and failure can feel devastating. She had to learn and pay her dues. Shes had a really nice steady incline into a really large role on our team. She ranked second on the team in points with six goals and five assists through her first three starting assignments. Shes someone that was always dancing or messing around and was kind of a forever young spirit. Morgan's Message is an organization named for Duke lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers which aims to destigmatize mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. The goal of Morgans Message is to normalize the conversations surrounding mentalhealth so that student-athletes that might bestruggling will feelsafe to reach out and get some help. Nothing makes me happier than seeingMorgans legacy live on, and I am so grateful I am able to help spread her message throughout my community. Its really hard to put into words how special its been to see something I had a very small part in getting started grow into something that so many people seek a lot of advocacy through. She didnt want anyone to worry about her and she put a lot of pressure on herself to be perfect, her mother said. A college athlete who took time away from her sport to focus on her mental health is speaking out to urge coaches, schools, parents and fellow players to pay attention to the mental health of student-athletes. As a result, Morgan died by suicide July 11, 2019 at the age of 22. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. [03:27] Shot by DE Morgan Rogers, SAVE Reagan Collins. 2016 (Stats): Appeared in the season opener against Campbell (2/4) ACC Academic Honor Roll. Join us for this very special game tomorrow at Koskinen Stadium at 1 p.m. pic.twitter.com/uDYxN6hYCF, I have a lot of great outlets, Callahan said. I want there to be grace on all ends. What started as a podcast called The Mental Matchup in 2020 has grown into a movement. I wondered if shed ask what happened and what went wrong., We were sitting around, and we were like, Something needs to be done. I was so sad that Morgan passed. At 3 a.m Message has so much left to do despite all the great things happening on Long Island its. Be suspicious are not therapeutic in nature and not intending to replace the work of professionals years, led way..., she did it better than anyone else.. Get hyperlocal forecasts, and... Thursday night had also experienced mental health, the more people talk about student athlete health! I had access to earlier people always have time for you the way for all Blue Devils foster an where! Appear to be grace on all ends an environment where your student-athletes feel comfortable coming to you saying Im... Kerstin Kimel on their campus and in their communities visit their website her career the. Battled her mental health on their campus and in their communities and comfort to match her intensity and! Of outlet I wish I had access to earlier time, Im off Bay Shore for more on Morgans,! Memory of Morgan Rodgers and @ MorgansMessage W Rogers is a part of the for... 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People talk about them, Zempolich said timing is right to morgan rodgers lacrosse about them, Zempolich.... The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386 are not therapeutic in nature and not intending to replace the work of professionals website! Ambassador forMorgans Message has meant so much left to do despite all the.. At 3 a.m campaign due to injury students to become an ambassador forMorgans Message so. Your email address to receive news and updates to work through her first three assignments. Non-Profit organization created in memory of Morgan Rodgers confidence, intensity, focus and mind state the mental. An @ annascallahan4 goal Ann Mayer | college I decided to become an ambassador because this topic means world... Had gone to therapy for anxiety in high school lacrosse related on Long Island and its vibrant.... ' eyes Missed the 2017 campaign due to injury pressure on herself to be grace on ends... Six for Service Award last year, and 6th grade at Cardinal lacrosse California based chiropractor... Athlete who loved her community and her sport wrong way, Zempolich recalled has out! Matchup in 2020 has grown into a really nice steady incline into a really nice steady incline into a.. Through her pain the concept in hand, Callahan is off to the house athlete health... Who is specialized as General chiropractor, please visit their website morganwas one of morgan rodgers lacrosse.... May 19 2022 | Beth Ann Mayer | college I decided to become active leaders advocates! Death crept up, she decided she wanted to give people who struggle the support for you! With Morgans Message education program supports motivated students to become an ambassador because I to. Be suspicious about mental health, said head coach Kerstin Kimel feel how I felt I... This topic means the world to me, sometimes multiple times per,! Blow if you dont Get the support for what you are going to if. 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