TW: suicide
In the midst of the 2024 college football season, the Ohio State Buckeyes face immense pressure, not just for their players but also for their head coach, Ryan Day.
With only eight losses on his resume in five years as head coach, Day has consistently led the Buckeyes to success on the field. But beyond football, his dedication to mental health is what truly defines his legacy.
Day’s dedication to mental health stems from a deeply personal tragedy— losing his father to suicide at nine years old. Growing up without his father, Day wrestled with the emotional toll this loss took on him, shaping his views on mental health and the importance of emotional support. For years, he quietly carried the weight of his father’s death, but as he matured, both personally and professionally, he realized the importance of speaking out and supporting others who face similar struggles.
“Suicide is the second leading killer of adolescents and teenagers,” Day said in an interview. “It needs attention. It needs help. The more we talked about it with people, we realized what an epidemic it is in Ohio and everywhere else around the country. The idea was to shine some light on this.”
As a football coach, Day acknowledges that men in particular face a unique stigma when facing mental health issues. As such, he aims to provide ample resources to his student-athletes, to support them on the field, in the classroom, and in life.
According to his comments at an Ohio State event for students, Day refers to the holistic approach to the team’s wellness as the “circle of care,” which includes resources ranging from proper nutrition to cryogenic chambers to sports psychologists. He discussed the importance of creating an environment for his players to feel comfortable asking for help and receiving care, especially when managing the emotional toll that comes with being part of a top-tier program like Ohio State.
“The game of football is a fight, but so is life. It’s a fight to become the best version of yourself every day.”
In 2019, Day and his wife, Nina, launched the Ryan and Christina Day Fund for Pediatric and Adolescent Mental Wellness at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Their goal is to increase access to mental health resources for young people, as well as destigmatize mental health care. The Day family has committed to supporting initiatives that raise awareness and ensure that young individuals struggling with mental health challenges receive the care and support they need. And in 2022, Day and his wife Nina donated $1 million to Ohio State University to create the Nina and Ryan Day Resilience Fund, which supports research and mental health resources.
“I hope we win a lot of games, that's part of the job at Ohio State,” Day said. “But you want to have a bigger impact than that when you're done. You want to leave a legacy behind, you want to make change.”
Thank you, Coach Day, for advocating for mental health at the highest level. You have proved that prioritizing the mental well-being of players and staff doesn’t compromise elite performance—it strengthens it.
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