Is Mental Therapy Helping Oregon Athletes Up Their Game?
When you are an Oregon athlete, there are bound to be some ups and downs that you will face. You may feel great when you are meeting your goals and succeeding, but other times you can feel crushed. While this is typical and happens to most athletes, I have often wondered about the amount of mental therapy available to the athletes at University of Oregon and how often these services are utilized. It seems to the typical fan that the differences in conference competition are so close that any edge, (especially mental) could be the winning difference. This spring weve noted how one pitch can make-or-break our Baseball Ducks, and I began to think about this component in relation to what appeared to be the mental collapse of Oregon quarterback Tyler Shough this last fall. (or not?) You may not understand how therapy can help you or athletes, but the truth is that therapy may be able to help just about anyone. If you experience stress, anxiety, depression, or other symptoms that cause disruptions in your life, (like COVID protocols) chances are that talking to a therapist could improve your mental state, and hence your own results. Amazing Photos  This is also the case with athletes as they feel pressure to succeed and perform well, however that pressure can intensify whenever they dont live up to the fans expectations. I have to assume that the pressure cooker of being compared to prior quarterbacks at Oregon in addition to facing the mounting concern of teammates could bend anyones mind in the very short season Tyler Shough experienced in 2020. It is beneficial to talk to someone about these pressures whether you are the Oregon quarterback or a fan enduring trying times in her/his life. There is a theory that the mind and body are related, so you must keep both healthy if you want the best life and athletic outcomes. This is necessary to address for athletes and fans and is the main reason that all of us should consider talking to a counselor to achieve the best overall health. This BetterHelp article talks more about the mind and body connection. We have no idea what happened in the QB meeting rooms and the discussions that took place with Shough, but his loss of confidence in his passing game was apparent to everyone. I have to assume that with all the strength-building and healing apparatuses in the Athletic complexthe mental game is addressed as well with the football players. UO Athletics  The way that Anthony Brown was inserted into the game-plan of the Pac-12 Championship and the Fiesta Bowl was a multi-layered statement to Tyler Shough about the staffs confidence in him and his progress in defeating his own demons. Since Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach Joe Moorhead was a college quarterback himselfit is assumed that he would be able to relate well with his starter. If you feel like you could benefit from seeing a therapist, there are options available to you, although not as specialized as an Oregon athlete might receive. Online therapy is popular and there is evidence that it is also effective. With this election, you will be able to talk to a therapist whenever it is convenient, and in a place where you feel comfortable. Moreover, a therapist can help you and Oregon quarterbacks learn techniques to keep anxiety at bay and lower the stress levels. Consider it a way of working out your mind, like you work out your body as many UO athletes do. Tom Corno  Most observers will pin the losses last year to the quarterback as this leader must have no-memory of mistakes in a similar way that defensive backs can be burned for touchdowns, and yet make the saving interception at the end to win the game. I am troubled by this whole situation, as it is so unusual; typically the problem is the lack of talent, and rarely do you see what occurred in Eugene this last season. It is a long off-season and a great time to be reflecting on the last campaign. OregonReigns  Lakeside, Oregon  Top Screenshot from Pac-12 Video