Athlete Wellness Beyond the Injuries: Discussion with Sports Medicine Advisory

Athlete Wellness Beyond Injuries: Athletic Trainers on Mental Health, Identity & Support TeamsOn the MSHSAA All-Access Podcast, executive director Dr. Jennifer Rukstad welcomes Sports Medicine Advisory Committee athletic trainers Brent Holtgrewe (Greater St. Louis) and Jason Pyrah (southwest Missouri) to discuss athlete wellness as fall sports begin. They describe how athletic trainers support students through injuries and often become trusted, non-transactional adults who can notice mental health concerns, identity struggles, fear of letting others down, bullying, or issues at home. Holtgrewe emphasizes relationship-building, trend-spotting, and collaboration with counselors, nurses, and administrators to connect athletes to resources, while Pyrah explains communicating appropriately with coaches to protect athletes during recovery. Both note growing awareness and reduced stigma around mental health and sports psychology, and they encourage helping athletes define what “mental recovery” and a personal reset look like.