EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a 2-part series of Solutions Journalism stories examining how officials go about organizing high school sports amid COVID-19, and the impact without extra-curricular activities on those involved. Part I was on Aug. 7.
I was sitting in my dentist’s chair last month, a mouth full of tools as the check-up began, and he was telling me about his daughter.
She is about to be a senior, had become a squad leader in the band, and she couldn’t wait for marching band to begin. It was something she’s worked hard for, and looked forward to for years. He said she’ll be devastated if that chance is taken away from her.
Her experience is not an outlier.
There are 56.6 million students enrolled in schools across the country. According to the U.S. Census Burea, 57 percent of students age 6 to 17 participate in at least one extra-curricular activity every year in the United States.
A study in Wisconsin showed the devastation that COVID-19 shutdowns have had on the emotional well-being of students in that state.
According to a study by the University of Wisconsin published July 16 in Up North News, Dr. Tim McGuine and his colleagues surveyed 3,200 athletes in 71 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. They found the physical activity levels of the athletes had declined by 50 percent when the survey was taken in May. McGuine and other sports medicine experts presented the results of the survey of state athletes to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association that suggests that 66,000 high school athletes are suffering mental health effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic closures.
That equated to the spring shutdown of Wisconsin high school sports contributing to symptoms of depression and anxiety in two-thirds of high school athletes, according to the study.
Those are just athletes. That doesn’t take into account students who participate in band, choir, cheerleading, drama, mock trial, key club, etc.
As fall looms in some places of Ohio another season of activities has already been cancelled. So far, in north central Ohio, a number of activities remain alive, but with restrictions.
Even if extra-curricular activities do resume in some capacity, athletes will likely compete in near-empty stadiums, musicians will play in blank rooms, and actors will perform to scarcely populated seats. For students who work hard to develop their skills, the unusual and uncertain times may make them feel as though part of their identity is missing.
So, we asked James Houle, a PhD of Psychology from Ohio State, how youngsters — and their parents — can cope with such an emotional loss.
I started with the scenario above, and we went from there:
RICHLAND SOURCE: What advice would you give to a youngster who is now a senior and was voted a squad leader in the band, but will never have that chance to be out front on the marching field as she had dreamed of her whole high school career?
James Houle: That sounds like a very difficult situation. Often to handle difficulties like these I like the acronym R.A.I.N.
R: Recognize. We have to recognize how we are feeling or what we are thinking before we can do anything about it.
A: Allow. Often we try to push away hard thoughts or feelings. If we allow them and acknowledge them, they tend not to stay as long.
I: Investigate. Not “why do I feel this way,” but where in my body do I feel _________. This allows you address this body areas (e.g., slow down heart rate).
N: Nurture. A major way to calm our feelings/thoughts is to say something to the effect of “of course I feel ______.” This validation and self-compassion goes a long way in emotion regulation.
RS: As a parent, if you have a child in choir dealing with the loss of their year to get the lead in the school musical, how do you comfort them through that disappointment?
JH: Often the two phrases of “me too” and “it sucks” go a long way. This is validation and empathy.
Often people do not want you to fix their problems, thoughts, or feelings, they just want you to be there with them when they are having a hard time.
RS: What is the best method to keep the child’s love for that activity without letting the anger and disappointment ruin it forever?
JH: If we just acknowledge the feelings of anger and disappointment and have an attitude of interest towards these feelings, they tend to not last as long. That is, “isn’t it interesting that I feel so angry about this situation.”
Also, if we look at what we are grateful for and reflect on the good things and generalizable factors we can take way from the activity, the better we feel.
RS: How can a student best channel that creative outlet that is enhanced, and sometimes only possible with a group that is now not allowed to form?
JH: We can acknowledge that we don’t have the same outlet anymore, but use our creativity to think outside the box about how to have a group experience without being in a small close contact group. I think one of the things that has been amazing is to see music artists figure out a way to play music together on Zoom. Covid-19 is forcing us to be creative.
RS: What long-term mental implications concern you about how this prolonged limitation of social activity has on a child?
JH: This is hard to answer because it is hard to predict the future. However, I think that it can be harder to read some social ques on a computer vs. in person. Perhaps this could be a long-term effect (i.e., increase difficulty with reading social ques).
Houle also shared some other thoughts from the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State:
Following the three S’s will help students who participate in sports and other extracurriculars cope with the uncertainty they’re experiencing:
Stay present – Rather than worrying about what you’re missing out on, think about what you can do right now. When we live our lives day to day we tend to be happier, even if we’re in a difficult situation.
Shift your focus – You can’t change the current state of the world, but you can control how you react to it while finding ways to continue to move toward your goals. Try doing some solo workouts and practices or finding another activity to focus on and fill your time.
Seek connections – Talking about your struggles with other students, coaches, parents or counselors can help you realize that you are not alone.
