By Zack Kime ’23, editor

Mental toughness is an important skill for athletes across any level of any sport.

The cause for concern comes when an athlete, or maybe a student-athlete, puts their performance or ability to be on the field over their general well-being.

“It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the pressure to return from an injury comes from,” Sam Long, a senior on the men’s lacrosse team at LVC, said. “It’s a combination of feeling an obligation to the team and to my family and coaches too.”

Coming up on his senior season, Long has dealt with many injuries throughout his career, the most notable being a deltoid ligament strain that brought with it a variety of unexpected challenges.

Similarly to Long, Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper began the season by facing the challenge of tearing his ulnar collateral ligament, an injury that would sideline most athletes, let alone a professional baseball player.

Yet for Harper, he was determined to contribute to the team somehow, resulting in him fighting through the pain and being deployed as the team’s designated hitter throughout the 2022 season.

“He knows he doesn’t have a choice right now,” Bryson Stott, Harper’s teammate in Philly, said. “So you’ve got to find a way to make it work. And he has.”

This speaks to the mindset that both Harper, Long, and other athletes have when it comes to pushing through the pain. Each athlete knows their limits but has to weigh the outcome of the team or the competition alongside them.

For Long, he had to manage his injury while still attending classes and maintaining his normal routine.

“I had to change the way approached practices, games, and everything outside of that too,” Long said. “Having an injury obviously affected me on the field, but it was the extra time I had to take to rehab and get around campus that started to get to me eventually.”

The pressure to return to play, coupled with the added needs of an injured student-athlete’s life, gave Long an eye-opening perspective that he says now directly helps him handle younger teammates with injuries.

“I’ve seen teammates play through being hurt and regret it in the long run, the best thing to do is be supportive and assure your teammates to take the time they need,” Long said.

It’s important for student-athletes to know that they have resources available both in and outside of support systems created by their teammates and coaches.

Jim Felty, the director of counseling services here at LVC, enjoys meeting with students on a daily basis, and more specifically, takes a special interest in the student-athletes that come through his, and the other counselors’, doors.

“Some of my favorite things are the people I work with,” Felty said. “Everyone here cares about the students and how we can serve them. Our counselors, Ann Burris and Nicole Grier, are uniquely gifted at helping students and understanding their needs.”

In the case of Harper, he was presented with a rare opportunity to still contribute to the team while rehabbing his own injury. He’s since been rewarded with a spot on the Phillies’ roster, where they came up short in the 2022 World Series.

For Long, he has since fully healed from the injury and says that to this day he still feels like athletes should fight through what they physically can handle, for the greater good of the team.

It’s important for one to note that not all athletes will be rewarded for pushing through the pain with a worldwide platform to showcase their talent. However, it’s even more crucial for athletes to know their limits when it comes to persevering in the face of an injury.

Student athletes at LVC may feel at times like they don’t have options or someone to turn to when faced with the challenge of an injury on top of managing school, practice and a social life.

Instead of being overwhelmed, students should lean on teammates, reach out to clubs like the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and utilize organizations like the Mental Health Awareness Club. These are all great resources to help manage the tall task of dealing with an injury and continuing to push through. 

If you or a teammate is in need of counseling services, you can learn more at https://www.lvc.edu/offices-directories/counseling-services/ or by reaching out directly to Jim Felty at felty@lvc.edu, (717)-867-6698 for more information about working with you or your team.