Focusing on The Team Approach

SAN DIEGO


,


Sept. 5, 2023


/PRNewswire/ — The Matt Stevenson Junior Tennis Tournament (NY), which will again take place at Flushing Meadows, NY, right after the U.S. Open, is expanding its Mental Health mission to include “The Team Approach.” New this year are interactive exercises for parents/guardians on supporting the emotional well-being of their junior tennis players.

This Tournament is unique in that it is the first and only junior tennis tournament in the country to promote the importance of Youth Mental Health as part of the event. Inaugurated in 2019, the Matt Stevenson Tournament came to

New York

in 2021 during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September. The Tournament aims to address the national teen depression, anxiety, and suicide crisis by engaging adolescents through a sport they love and promoting dialogue and understanding of mental health issues. The Tournament is growing in popularity, as 303 junior players competed in this NY event last year, up from 207 from the previous year.

Youth Mental Health Crisis

Recent data released by the CDC in

February 2023

have sadly confirmed our suspicion that the pandemic has exacerbated what was already a national crisis in Youth Mental Health. According to CDC’s Report, “Nearly all indicators of poor mental health and suicide thoughts and behaviors increased from 2011 to 2021.”

1

The Report found that the percentage of teenage girls who persistently felt sad or hopeless increased from about 36% in 2011 to 57% in 2021. By 2021, approximately 69% of LGBTQ+ students felt sad or hopeless, and 45% seriously considered attempting suicide.

Adding to their struggles, some competitive tennis players feel pressure to win, experience performance anxiety, and end up with depressive symptoms after losing a match. On top of competitive pressures, junior tennis players may be especially vulnerable because they are still dealing with the general ups and downs of adolescence. More touring professionals are finally talking about their mental health issues, which may include suicidal ideation. Sport psychologists are now part of the tour to help them deal with their struggles both on and off the tennis court.

In

December 2021

, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr.

Vivek Murthy

, issued an Advisory recommending that all types of organizations – not just health care providers, but also schools, community organizations, foundations, and other institutions – have an important role to play in supporting the mental health of children and youth.

2

Promoting

The Power of Mental Health

®

The Matt Stevenson Junior Tennis Tournament, founded by the ProtoStar Foundation, brings this awareness about mental health issues to the junior level. As in previous years, the Tournament will distribute age-appropriate information about depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and materials available from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The mission is to help adolescents understand the many aspects of mental health, including what it means to be mentally healthy and how to take care of their mental health. We call it

The Power of Mental Health

®

. Please view a

short video

of the Tournament’s mental health mission.

The Team Approach

In 2022, the Tournament added Sport Psychology materials to help junior players understand the interconnection between mental performance on the tennis court and mental health off the tennis court. We focused on the junior tennis player’s development as both a human being and an athlete. This year, we are building on that theme by adding materials for parents/guardians. For example, the updated version of the interactive Sport Psychology Workbook will include not only more exercises for the junior players, but also new exercises that junior players could work on together with their parents/guardians and even those that parents/guardians could do on their own.

Sanctioned by USTA Eastern

Because of its popularity last year, the Doubles and Mixed Doubles events (L5) were held in July at Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the

Bronx

. The Singles events (L6) will take place over two weekends on

September 16-18, 2023

(14u and 18u) and

September 23-25, 2023

(12u and 16u). The Tournament is sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Eastern Section. Players can register for the Tournament on

USTA’s tournament website

by searching for ”

Matt Stevenson

.” A link to the Tournament is also on

ProtoStar’s website

.

About

Matt Stevenson

The inspiration behind the Tournament came from the late

Matt Stevenson

, a young, generous, and passionate tennis professional who ran successful junior tennis programs in the

Washington, D.C.

area. Before tragically taking his own life in 2017 at the age of 32, he had written extensively about his own mental health issues and had asked that kids be made aware of the importance of mental health and to seek help if needed. This Tournament aims to turn a tragedy into something positive.

All proceeds from the Tournament will benefit the

Matt Stevenson Junior Tennis Fund

, which supports junior tennis programs and promising junior players needing financial aid. A portion of the net proceeds will be donated to AFSP, Flushing Meadow’s junior tennis programs, and the Junior Tennis Foundation, a NY-based nonprofit organization that supports tennis programs for underserved youth and people with disabilities.

About ProtoStar Foundation

The sponsor and organizer of the Tournament is the ProtoStar Foundation, a

California

nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in San Diego. It is part of the

ProtoStar Group

, a set of pioneering companies that find resourceful ways to fund, develop, or incubate innovative projects and organizations that have a unique, compelling, and impactful social mission.

Media Contact:

Gary P. Poon

,

gpoon@protostargroup.com

, (202) 360-1160

1

CDC, “Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary & Trends Report-2011-2021 (2023).

2

“Protecting Youth Mental Health,” The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory (2021).

View original content:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/matt-stevenson-junior-tennis-tournament-ny-expands-its-mental-health-mission-at-flushing-meadows-301918179.html

SOURCE ProtoStar Foundation

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GRANDVIEW, Ohio — Katy Gamertsfelder and Bridget Readey will never forget 2021.

The two friends were teammates of a lively, fun-loving, outdoorsy man named Alex Wilhelm, 30, who took his own life on March 8th. 

What You Need To Know

• Six million men are affected by depression in the U.S. every single year according to the National Institutes of Health 
• The NIH reports depression and suicide are leading causes of death among men
• Men die by suicide at a rate nearly 4 times that of women
• Through a volleyball tournament, central Ohio residents are doing everything they can to help spike the stigma

“It was one of the most traumatic, I mean, I think we both can, we can remember the day like it was yesterday, unfortunately,” said Readey, a friend of Willhelm’s.

Alex Willhelm.

Volleyball brought the group together in 2019 as they played in a recreational league together at Woodland’s Backyard every Wednesday. But their friendship extended beyond the sand courts. They all became great friends and went camping, hiking and celebrated birthdays together.

Willhelm’s death came as a shock to the friends as they said it seemed like he had everything going for him. They described him as the life of the party and said he came from a great family and had a stable job.

“He was always buying rounds, buying rounds of drinks for people, he was the coach on our team, you know, he’d always given pointers and bring his dog and go on hikes,” said Katy Gamertsfelder, a friend of Willhelm’s. “You wouldn’t think that someone that’s this active, and that’s in a huge, huge, huge friend and support group, has a beautiful family, that would, that would feel that way, that he had no escape, and it just was an awakening for us.”

Katy Gamertsfelder and Bridget Readey, co-founders of the Spike the Stigma, MENd the Mind volleyball tournament. (Spectrum News 1/ Taylor Bruck)

Gamertsfelder and Readey felt compelled to bring light to men’s mental health and the stigmas surrounding it. In honor of their late friend, they started a volleyball tournament the year he died called “Spike the Stigma, MENd the Mind.” Three years later, the annual tournament continues to bring awareness to men’s mental health and provides resources and support to those who need it. 

“It affects more people than we are aware of,” Gamertsfelder said. “So I think that kind of got across last year. And that’s why the turnout was so big. We had, we had guys, women, you know, people coming up to saying, you know, I had my cousin, my brother, my daughter, my son, you know, it’s terrible. And the point is to talk about it.” 

Nearly 400 players are expected to take part in this year’s all-day tournament with hundreds more coming to watch. Gamertsfelder and Readey raised $17,000 in year one, $30,000 in year two and are hoping to raise $50,000 this year. All proceeds go to organizations in central Ohio working in suicide prevention and awareness, such as The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation and Cornerstone of Hope.

“Everyone has things, whether it’s your, your family, or your friends or your job, and just like stress, and like maybe it’s multiple little things that build over time, but like everyone has, everyone has those things and just like not being, like not assuming that your problems aren’t relatable,” Readey said. 

Every year, the tournament has gotten bigger as they gain more support from the community. This year’s tournament will be the biggest yet. Gamertsfelder and Readey have planned food vendors, a silent auction for gift baskets and local art, 50/50 raffle baskets, a Jeep stacking event, a live Dj and mental health resources.

Spike the Stigma, MENd the Mind 2022 tournament, Submitted Photo

Gamertsfelder and Readey want to break the stigma surrounding mental health among everyone, but especially men. Although all genders are affected by mental illness, it is often overlooked in males. Mental health among men often goes untreated because they are far less likely to seek mental health treatment than women.

The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. They accounted for nearly 70% of suicide deaths in 2021, at a rate nearly 4 times that of women. 

“There’s so many things nowadays, whether it comes down to like men, like, you know, men can’t wear pink or like men can’t cry or you know, and it’s just like, it’s so sickening to hear because especially as two women, right? Like we, you know, we have the right to talk about our emotions or we’re crazy because we cry but like there are men that honestly would rather like end their own life than talk about the way they feel and I just like I’m not having it,” Readey said.

Gamertsfelder and Readey want all men to know it’s ok to speak up, it’s ok to cry, it’s ok to be human. Their friend lost his life to suicide, but they hope his story inspires others to live out theirs. 

“We miss him every day. And we hope that he’s, you know, I know, I feel like in my heart he’s saved other lives because of everything that he inspired,” Gamertsfelder said. 

The volleyball tournament is at Woodlands Backyard in Grandview and goes all day until about 11 p.m., or when the last game has ended.  

If you or anyone you know is struggling, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free and available 24/7. Just call or text 988.

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Bend Health, Inc. (“Bend”), a leading national, virtual pediatric behavioral care provider, and Little League® International, the world’s largest youth sports organization, today announced a partnership for Bend to provide mental health support services during the 2023 Little League Baseball® and Little League Softball® Region and World Series tournaments this summer.

During the region tournaments, Little League Baseball and Softball participants will have access to Bend’s virtual behavioral health coaches at no cost. Athletes and their families at these tournaments can access coaching online for complimentary care from Bend’s team of professional behavioral health coaches. Little League International will also work with UPMC North Central Pa. to provide mental health support for Little League Baseball World Series participants in Williamsport. Additionally, coaches and parents can access educational materials available by visiting LittleLeague.org/MentalHealth.

“One of the most important aspects of our program that we must continue to consider is the mental health and well-being of our players and coaches, and what we can do to support them,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and Chief Executive Officer. “Through the support of our new friends at Bend Health, our participants will now have access to important mental health support services to feel and play their best, especially during this exciting and hectic tournament season.”

“Sports provide fantastic mental and physical benefits, but young athletes are at risk for their mental health. Performing and competing on an international stage can spark stress and performance anxiety,” said Monika Roots, M.D., co-founder and president, Bend Health. “Virtual counseling with a behavioral health coach can help players build resilience and learn healthy ways to cope with feelings of stress and anxiety.”

Additional information and resources, including how to access these opportunities, will be communicated directly to participating parents and coaches at events where these resources are available. To learn more about the additional resources and tools that Little League has available for all its participants around mental health and well-being, visit LittleLeague.org/MentalHealth.

Founded to help address the National State of Emergency in children’s mental health, Bend supports mental health from sub-acute issues such as stress, sibling rivalry, technology addiction, anxiety, and depression to severe mental illness, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, and co-occurring substance use. Its collaborative care model combines virtual video visits, chat messaging, and integrated digital experiences to provide skills for kids, teens, and caregivers that support long-term mental health resilience and wellness. Care teams benefit from AI and novel technology that uses measurement-based care to track patient progress.

About Bend Health, Inc.

Bend Health, Inc., a national provider of pediatric mental health care services for children and families, is on a mission to improve access and reduce the cost of high-quality, expert mental health care. Bend is revolutionizing treatment through a novel, data-driven technology platform and evidence-based collaborative care model that enables the first scalable and integrated care solution in mental health. Through coaching, therapy, and faster access to evaluation and treatment by psychiatric experts, Bend achieves better outcomes utilizing measurement-based care and supports happier, healthier kids and families. Bend services are available through partnerships with leading insurers, employers, and health systems, and self-pay. To get started with care or learn more, follow us online: www.BendHealth.com.

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