A Path Forward: ECU Soccer Hosts Annual Morgan’s Message Game

It's been nearly two years since the East Carolina chapter of Morgan's Message was founded. In that time, more sports have gotten involved, more athletes have spoken out, and open and engaging progress has been made.

In the fall of 2023, the ECU soccer team got involved and its current ambassadors, Molly Thomas and Sydney Schnell, feel that we have entered a hopeful moment in the battle against the stigma surrounding mental health.

"I think the university as a whole, this is my fifth year being here now and as a freshman, I think I saw a bit less of it," said Schnell. "But now just walking on campus, there's constant reminders about mental health… It's just nice, no matter what you're going through to have someone to talk to, so I think ECU as a school is doing a really good job not just for the athletes but everyone."

Schnell credits the growth in awareness of mental health of a real issue and the steady deconstruction of the traditional feelings around it. She feels it in the environment but it's not just that, it's something tangible too.

In athletics, East Carolina now employs a full-time mental health specialist, Dr. Jan Veinot, whose accessibility and ever-presence has been a gift to the athletes she works with. The department is open about mental health—there's a shame-free environment surrounding mental health and one which continues to improve.

Part of what drives that is the work that the Pirates do with Morgan's Message.

Morgan's Message is an organization "that strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics." The organization aims to expand the dialogue on mental health by normalizing conversations, empowering those who suffer in silence, and supporting those who feel alone.

Named for Morgan Rodgers, the organization's logo is a butterfly, one derived from Morgan's art and in teal color inspired by her love of the color. At ECU, Bernie the Butterfly travels with teams and features and annual Morgan's Message Games. The butterfly, a tangible reminder of the progress we've made and can still make.

Part of the organization which Schnell and Thomas find to be a sign of the times is a group message for student athletes within in the organization globally. The group has nearly four thousand members from all over and serves as a resource for those who need a place to share their story, share events, share strategies for improvement at their schools, and just to feel a part of the great community the organization has created.

"It's people coming together as a community," says Thomas. "There are so many people joining every day, sharing quotes, sharing events."

Now, it's still true that men are statistically more reticent to seek help for mental health struggles. Men are dramatically and tragically more likely to die by suicide or to turn to drugs or alcohol than women. But the conversation is finally being had. Do a quick search online "men's mental health" and you will find article after article about the stigma, toxic masculinity, examinations of the root causes of men not seeking help, and most importantly: ways forward.

"In the next year or two our goals would be to have more meetings in person … to give more space to be open and share our thoughts and collaborate on how to get other sports involved," said Thomas. "I think if we can try hard to promote Morgan's Message and find one or two ambassadors for the sports we don't have yet, then it will help the rest of the team involved as well."

In the end, the job may never be done. Not all ECU teams are involved with Morgan's Message and they may never be—but the conversation is finally being had, and it's being had out in the open. There are still hard days ahead, sure, but perhaps these new days are best summarized by the words of Emily Dickinson: "Hope" is the thing with feathers - that perches in the soul - and sings the tune without the words - and never stops - at all.

May this be our moment to let Hope sing and guide us down the road to a greater path forward.

A Path Forward: ECU Soccer Hosts Annual Morgan’s Message Game

Players Mentioned

Sydney Schnell

Molly Thomas

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