Mental health advocacy runs in the family for the Feely sisters, as Bridget and Brianna Feely are making a difference as Campus Captains (CC) for The Hidden Opponent (THO). Through their dedication, they’ve become influential voices for mental health awareness on their college and high school campuses.
Bridget, a senior at Western Colorado University, has balanced her academic pursuits in exercise physiology and psychology with a successful four-year stint on the women's soccer team. This fall, she will commit to further helping others by starting her doctorate in occupational therapy. Meanwhile, Brianna, a junior softball player at Standley Lake High School, is following in her sister’s footsteps as a passionate advocate for mental health.
Hear more from Bridget and Brianna on their experience in the Campus Captains program, why mental health is important to them, and much more!
Why is mental health advocacy in athletics important to you both personally?
Bridget: I became passionate about mental health advocacy in athletics when our school tragically lost one of our men’s basketball players to suicide during my freshman year. I was disappointed in the lack of response from our athletic administration, and I quickly became aware of how common this problem is in the NCAA. Once I started facing my own mental health struggles that were directly correlated with soccer, I became involved with THO and made it a goal to change stereotypes regarding mental health in my athletic department.
Brianna: Mental health advocacy in athletics has become important to me in my own life because I know that it is something that isn’t talked about as much as it should be. Students deserve the chance to have access to people and resources that are there to help them through whatever it is that they are battling in their minds. Whether it be falling into comparison traps on teams or against teams, dealing with not-so-amazing coaches and teammates, or just feeling like they are defined by how good they are in their sport. These are things that I know that so many athletes go through, but feel like they don’t need to/shouldn’t talk about for whatever reason they have.
What inspired you both to become Campus Captains for THO?
Bridget: During my sophomore year, I helped coordinate a mental health awareness game for our soccer program. I gathered several Instagram accounts that helped athletes “fill their feed” with positive accounts, and THO was one of them. Once I found out that they had a Campus Captains program that would allow me to be directly involved with their mission, I couldn’t wait to apply and make an impact at my school.
Brianna: Truly, watching Bridget work so hard with the Campus Captains program inspired me to make a change in my school and own life. Seeing what she was able to do with her chapter made me want to start my own at the high school level because the student-athlete mental health stigma happens at all levels, it doesn't matter how old you are.
How has your experience in the program been? How has being part of the program shaped your perspective on mental health in sports?
Bridget: I have truly enjoyed my time in the Campus Captains program so far. I have gained extensive knowledge about different aspects of mental health, how these affect athletes, and what can be done to prevent mental health struggles in athletes in the first place. The programming provided is so easy to relay to my team and other athletes at my school and has helped shape the perspective that by committing to preventing these problems from arising, we can help the student-athlete mental health crisis start to decline.
Brianna: Even though I’ve only been a Captain for about a semester, I have loved being a part of such an amazing program that works to help such an amazing cause. Even the opportunities that I have received just within the past few months have changed my perspective and the way that I can understand and help other students. Each athlete has their own story, and it’s just a matter of getting to hear all the stories of each person that you come into contact with that changes your perspective a little more each day.
Are you able to support each other's work as Campus Captains? If so, how?
Bridget: Since we don’t live in the same city right now, I love to support Brianna’s work as a Campus Captain through social media. Being able to see what she is up to and encourage her that way has been a lot of fun and I can’t wait to see what she continues to do.
Brianna: I would have to agree with Bridget on this one. I love getting to see the things that she is doing on her campus and getting to repost and share them on my social media so that it can reach even more people than those who wouldn’t usually be seeing all of the amazing things that she is doing.
What has been the most rewarding part of being Campus Captains? Are there any memorable moments or initiatives you’ve worked on that stand out?
Bridget: The most rewarding part of being a Campus Captain for THO has been the connections that I have made because of the program. Not only have I developed relationships with other Campus Captains from all over the country, but I have also had teammates and fellow athletes at my school step up as leaders in mental health advocacy, and it has been great to see and experience. I have loved each mental health awareness game that I have helped coordinate, specifically for the soccer and basketball teams at our school. Being able to hold an event that is informative and collaborative has been really rewarding.
Brianna: I would say that the most rewarding part of being a Campus Captain has been seeing the way that my perspective has changed throughout the past few months. I know that as I continue to grow and my perspective continues to change, I am going to be able to help so many more athletes who are going through things that I have either personally gone through or who are going through something that I’ve seen before in a friend, teammate, or other athletes that I have been able to help. I would say that one of the most memorable moments was this past November when I had the privilege of attending a luncheon at the CU Denver Johnson Depression Center where I, along with another Campus Captain and THO CEO Suzanne Potts, got to hear Brendan Hunt from the show Ted Lasso speak on his experiences with the show and how they were able to write it in ways that mental health was able to work its way into the show. It’s experiences and opportunities like this that make me realize how so many people are trying to end the mental health stigma one day at a time.
How has being sisters influenced your approach to tackling mental health stigma together? Do you have any shared practices that help you manage your mental health as student-athletes?
Bridget: One of my biggest goals in my mental health advocacy is the hope that my sister won’t have to go through some of the struggles that I have faced regarding mental health related to my sport. Even if she is placed in some of the same situations that I have found myself in with collegiate athletics, hopefully, she is better equipped to handle those moments and know that she doesn’t have to face them alone. By tackling the stigma together, we have created a space to talk about what we are going through and identify how we can improve the environment within our teams.
Brianna: As the younger sister, I look up to Bridget in so many ways, and she is one of my biggest role models. Seeing the way that she tackles each of the problems that are presented to her when it comes to her sport and the different things that she has had to go through in her athletic career, makes me believe that I can get through whatever is thrown at me too. She tackles each obstacle head-on, which is something that I admire most and try to apply to my life as often as I can. Hearing what Bridget is able to do in her chapter inspires me to continue to build my chapter at my school and I can look to her with any questions or obstacles that I find myself facing.
What advice would you give to future campus captains or those looking to get involved in mental health advocacy?
Bridget: Some advice that I would give future campus captains is that you will never truly know the impact you are having on those around you. Even though people might not say it, opening a safe pace for teammates or classmates to come to talk to someone with the experience you have is invaluable. Even helping just one person can change their entire life, and that makes all of your work worth it!
Brianna: Some advice that I would give to any future captain or those looking to get involved in mental health advocacy is to just find somewhere to start. It doesn’t matter where, or how big it is, anything that you do can make a difference in an athlete's life, whether you notice it in the moment or not. You could be someone who changes another person’s life and inspires them to go out and do the same for someone else.