What Volcanoes Have To Do With Athlete's Mental Health
By: Chibuike "ChiChi" Odo
"It's better that you are prepared...you might want to sit and eat for a while at the top." Jón Axel's mom's words echoed through my soul and instructed freezing hands to grab gloves from the backpack she packed and take shelter from the chilling combination of 29mph winds, rain, and 48 degree weather. I initially thought three layers, a pair of Brooks, baseball cap, and a sleeve of HobNobs Oatmeal cookies were sufficient, but as my ankles slipped over wet pumice and newly-grown moss, I was thankful for the Salomon hiking boots, gloves, beanie, and chocolate cinnamon bun that quickly found their way onto and in my body.
Through the Watson Foundation, I am studying athlete's mental health independently in England, Iceland, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Australia, and China. Three weeks in, my intention has been to have conversations with elite athletes, coaches, and sports psychologists to better understand the factors that affect an athlete's mental health. I didn't think that my Watson year would take me to an active volcano 2.5 miles up a mountain in Grindavík, Iceland, but I hope my experience can serve as an allegory to aspects of an athlete’s mental health journey.
Pack more than what you think you'll need.
Packing light has been a thrilling part of traveling. I'm independent, can change gears quickly, and it makes leaving the airport on layovers much less of a hassle. However, it has made me hesitant to lean on the hospitality of others when I'm missing something. College athletics for me was no different. At Davidson, I constantly struggled through winter workouts, the two COVID seasons, and the balancing act that is being a student-athlete because I would much rather "grind it out" than ask for help. Undoubtedly, the journey to peak performance is supposed to be rigorous, but your sport is also meant to be enjoyed. You can make it to the top in a t-shirt and shorts, but you will probably be unable to sit, eat and enjoy the fruit of your labor. What's in your "mental" bag? Healthy ways to rest and recharge? Techniques to deal with the stress? Community that you can confide in? Knowledge from mentors who have been there? If you didn't have everything you needed, would you ask for help?
You can't stay on the mountain forever
Thousands of people flew from all over Europe for a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle (the volcano stopped erupting the next day) that did not disappoint, but we couldn't stay on the mountain forever. Like disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, even the most experienced backpackers must hike back down to a mundane, volcano-less world. As a newly-retired athlete, I miss locker room antics, the smell of my Riddell SpeedFlex helmet, running through the tunnel on Saturdays, and the adrenaline from moments that very few things in life can recreate. The pace now is different, but there is so much beauty and purpose to be found on the way down. I spent 45 minutes on top, but I spent 2-1/2 hours on the way down striking conversation with Swedish researchers, trying new paths, and taking way more photos than before because the heights I reached gave me new perspective on what came next.
There is a reason we looked with wonder at National Geographic as kids. Volcanoes––and elite athletics–– are amazing, but they are just one stop on your purpose-filled journey. You are more than an athlete. Pack more than what you think you need, enjoy the view at the top for as long as you can, and never turn down an Icelandic sweater:)