My name is Morgan Schneider. I am a junior on the girls varsity soccer team. I teamed up with the Morgan’s Message Foundation to spread awareness about mental health.
During my second semester of freshman year, I was not feeling like myself. I was really struggling to get through everyday life. I have close family and friends that I could have talked to, but I just did not choose to share my struggles with anyone. It got to the point that I really needed to get help, and I am so thankful that I did. Struggling with mental health is a very isolating experience and feeling.
During this time, I came across a few mental health platforms, and I then realized I was not alone. When I started to feel like myself again, I decided to go public with my story, and Hope for Athletes published it. When other platforms started reaching out to me, I found Morgan’s Message. Sharing my story on social media gave me the confidence to organize Antioch’s first-ever mental health dedication game. It was a meaningful way to raise awareness and support mental health in our community.
Morgan’s Message is a not-for-profit whose purpose is to eliminate the negative talk surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community. The goal is to even the playing field in treating physical and mental health in athletics. Morgan’s Message was founded to continue the legacy of Morgan Rodgers, a former Duke University Lacrosse student-athlete who died by suicide in July 2019 after battling mental health struggles. Morgan’s Message was created by her family and former teammates with the sole mission to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. Rodgers family and friends want to normalize conversations around mental health and have it treated equally to physical health for all student-athletes.
Morgan’s Message dedication games are being held nationwide with the hope of spreading awareness and informing people about the impacts mental health can have on a person. I was so excited to be part of that message and share the legacy. The event raised over $300, which is amazing because many people are willing to support and donate to this cause. I had parents and youth soccer coaches come up and give me hugs, thanking me and sharing their stories. We sold out of t-shirts and placed another order for those who still want them.
I cannot thank boys and girls varsity soccer coach Maddie Lyon enough for supporting me throughout this entire process. Secretary to Asst. Principal/Athletic director Kim Humann is everyone’s unrecognized hero in the athletic department. During this event, she came out as one of my biggest cheerleaders. I know this was just the start of the conversation about mental health. I am excited to help continue the discussion, this dedication game was just the start.
