The Masuk girls lacrosse team hosted a Morgan’s Message-themed game, bringing athletes, students, and members of the community together to raise awareness about mental health. Combined with Youth Night, allowed younger athletes to learn about the importance of mental health and Morgan’s Message. Morgan’s Message is a club at our school that is dedicated to raising awareness of mental health among students and student-athletes. The club aims to create an environment where students feel comfortable openly expressing their feelings and talking about their mental health with others who understand it and can provide the support they need.
Morgan’s Message is a nonprofit organization founded in honor of Morgan Rodgers, a lacrosse player at Duke who experienced mental health challenges while navigating college athletics. Through school chapters and peer-to-peer conversations, Morgan’s Message aims to help athletes feel less alone and encourage them to speak openly about their mental health.
“I think I struggled personally with my mental health, especially surrounding sports, and I haven’t seen a club here specifically dedicated to athletes, and I think that this is really big and important to our school,” said club president Ella Sancimino.
Sancimino struggles with her own mental health, particularly surrounding sports; she noticed that there was not previously a club that focused on athletes’ mental health. Sancimino believes having a space where students can openly discuss is especially important because many people keep their emotions to themselves. “A lot of people struggle with it, and they kind of keep it bottled up inside, and it just starts getting worse,” said Sancimino
Through meetings, activities, and events such as the girls lacrosse game, Morgan’s Message hopes to make conversations more accessible among students and athletes. Sancimino said the club grew significantly, with about 30 students attending their last meeting.
Zoey Chakraborty, the club’s vice president, has also seen the importance of creating a space where athletes can openly discuss mental health. As an athlete herself, she said she has experienced how often the topic is overlooked.
“I wanted to join Morgan’s Message because, being an athlete my whole life, I have seen firsthand how mental health is a topic that is not recognized enough,” said Chakraborty.
Meetings typically begin with a short presentation from the club’s presidents to remind members why they are meeting and introduce the club’s message to new members. Members then participate in mental health-related activities, including making breathing wands and creating butterfly cutouts with inspirational quotes.
Chakraborty says members are encouraged to support each other, learn ways to cope with different situations, and become more comfortable discussing their emotions. She has noticed a change in how students talk about mental health since the club became active.
“People have now become more open about what they are truly feeling,” said Chakraborty. “Instead of the conversation stopping at simply being tired from practices, it has expanded to people becoming truly vulnerable and aware of their emotions.”
Seeing this change has been one of the most meaningful parts of being involved. Chakraborty said watching students become more comfortable discussing mental health has shown her that the club is achieving its goal.
Emma Esteves, a new member of Morgan’s Message, joined because of the opportunity to become part of a club that promotes an open and supportive environment. She first heard about the club last year and decided it would be a positive activity to be involved in throughout high school. Before joining, she expected the club to be a fun and open environment where everyone was kind and respectful. Since becoming a member, she has learned more about the purpose of Morgan’s Message and the importance of mental health among student-athletes. “It’s changed the way I think because normally I would just brush something off, but now it makes me look at how other people and myself act during their sports,” said Esteves.
Esteves believes that Morgan’s Message helps student-athletes get the support they need, even when they may not initially want to ask for it. She said the club makes it easier to talk about mental health because the topic is already a central part of the club, making conversations feel less unusual or out of place.
As the club continues to grow, its members hope to organize more dedicated games in the future. The club is also considering moving meetings to the auditorium as membership increases and larger spaces become necessary. Chakraborty added that she hopes students understand that mental health struggles are common among athletes, even though they are not always openly discussed. Athletes can sometimes feel pressure to push through difficult emotions or “toughen up,” causing them to ignore what they are experiencing. “You are not alone,” said Chakraborty, “and by addressing your feelings you are getting stronger, not the other way around.”
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