“We want to empower our community with this well-being toolkit that they can then take with them, well beyond their years at Brown,” Walsmith said. “We’re working to help equip our student-athletes for whatever they decide to pursue in life.”
The approach has resonated with Jaiden Stokes, who has experienced the challenge of balancing travel, training and practice schedules with academic and social demands. A senior on the women’s track and field team, Stokes serves on multiple groups, including Student Athletes for Mental Health Awareness. She is particularly excited about the addition of the sports psychologist.
“People are ecstatic,” Stokes said. “They’re excited not just to have an outlet to speak to someone, but also for how it’s going to be able to improve athletic performance at Brown overall — because it does make a significant difference.”
Leaders in Athletics have sought opportunities to leverage broader expertise at Brown, too. Teams have worked with the Mindfulness Center, for example, to learn techniques for focus and emotional regulation.
“It makes you feel like a real Division I athlete,” Legenzowski said. “A lot of the initiatives they’ve been implementing are tailored to that, and it’s been incredibly effective. It’s impressive…
