The Eric Monday Foundation, a nonprofit uniquely focused on raising awareness of student-athletes’ mental health issues, has now reached the milestone of training its 5,000th coach in Northern Virginia and 15 other states.
Today’s youth are facing a 
mental health crisis. Outside of immediate family members, coaches have the greatest levels of interaction – spending the most time with their athletes and communicating on a level that encourages trust and discourse. But, while coaches receive safety, anti-harassment and other training, mental health training has traditionally not been included. The Eric Monday Foundation (EMF) is working to change that.
With a mission to #TAKEDOWNTHESTIGMA that prevents many competitors from seeking help, EMF’s trainings are required for all middle and high school coaches in Fairfax County Public Schools and have also been adopted by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Reaching today’s milestone, the organization is now encouraging other school districts throughout Virginia and nationally to help save lives by adopting and requiring its training to save lives.
The EMF mental health training can be completed in less than an hour and can have a huge impact on the local student athlete / competitor community. Every coach works with an average of 20 athletes annually, meaning that the program is already reaching as many as 100,000 competitors per year.
Brian Monday, Chairman of the Eric Monday Foundation: “Coaches have the relationships, proximity and trust to make a difference in a competitor’s life. When it comes to their athlete’s wellbeing, they want to help, but they’ve often not been trained on the signs to look for or how to talk to their athletes about mental health challenges. The Eric Monday Foundation is working to change that. With 5,000 coaches and Directors of Student Activities trained, EMF is already making a difference in the Northern Virginia community and now it’s time to encourage everyone else to get on board. Lives are literally at stake. We can make a difference!”
Whether it’s soccer, lacrosse, wrestling, football, band, chess, or any other highly competitive activity, participants today face significant and often unique stressors. Adolescents in these environments navigate pressure on multiple fronts—at a time when, according to the CDC, nearly 49% will experience some level of mental health challenge. These pressures are layered on top of common obstacles: young people may hesitate to share personal struggles, and many fear being judged. Friends and teammates may also be unsure how to step in or speak up. Because of these persistent stigmas, competitors are among the least likely to ask for help. The Eric Monday Foundation is working to break down these barriers by fighting the stigma that mental health challenges are a sign of weakness—advocating instead for a culture of understanding, support, and strength.
