Like countless in society, people of all ages struggle with some sort of ailment. Mental or physical, the impact of such hardships have touched the lives of almost everybody in some capacity.
Still, an underlying stigma surrounding people’s personal battles and willingness to openly accept the fight plaguing our country. While the acceptance of publicly reaching out, and subsequently the outside support, are growing by the day as cultural norms continue to shift, it’s still not the easiest thing to do.
That often can be even tougher in adolescence, having the courage and vulnerability to reach out. For Emma Kozlowski, she wanted to make a change.
Going through her own mental health struggles while growing up and enduring personal tragedy along the way, one of Ketcham softball’s star players wanted to turn that into a positive message and force for herself. Scrolling social media and finding Morgan’s Message was the first step.
Morgan’s Message is a non-profit organization that was created in order to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health for student-athletes. On the organization’s website, it says that the goal is to “expand the dialogue on mental health by normalizing conversations, empowering those who suffer in silence, and supporting those who feel alone.”
The organization was created in memory of Morgan Rodgers, a Duke University lacrosse student-athlete who took her own life in 2019.
“I’ve seen a lot of other girls do it and other people do it on social media,” she said in an interview with the Poughkeepsie Journal. “When I was a freshman, it was something that I struggled with.”
Young enough to feel the pain, old enough to make a change
In just her first year in high school, Kozlowski took action.
Saying that the process was pretty simple, just sending an application essay, she eventually became an ambassador with Morgan’s Message.
“I wanted to be a light and let people know that, even though I was so young and can affect you so young, it doesn’t matter what age you are,” she said. “It didn’t really bother me to speak up about it, I just wanted people to know that it is a real thing and that anybody can go through it.”
Wanting to help and partnering with an organization centered around student-athletes, it was a perfect fit for Kozlowski. A Virginia Wesleyan softball commit, the sport has been a major part of her life for so long.
Like many schools around the country ultimately participate in now, the Morgan’s Message game is a shining light for so many sports programs. It is usually an annual contest to help spread awareness and give an opportunity to donate to the cause. Seeing that across social media with her friends beside her, Kozlowski knew that was the way to make her impact.
Ketcham’s involvement
“We were at a team breakfast and a lot of the girls were like ‘Emma, you should probably do this, I think this would be a good idea for you,’ so that’s when I started getting involved with it,” she said, “I thought the John Jay game was a good one because we’re district rivals so you have so many people coming together.”
From there, the two programs have now met for four straight seasons for the annual contest with the most recent this past April 11. Having been a part of setting it up every year since being a freshman, she’ll never appreciate enough the support that the Ketcham softball program and community has given her.
“Everyone is super supportive. Coach Satterlee let’s me do this every year, it really doesn’t cause trouble. Nobody really questions it and everyone likes it,”
While Kozlowski won’t be here to help set up the event after graduating, the efforts she’s made the past four years are ones she’ll never forget.
“It’s been great. I feel like I’m helping somebody even if I don’t know that I am. I just think that it’s good that we shed light on the whole situation,” she said. “Especially for the younger girls on the team.”
No stop in spreading the message
Even when her time at Ketcham ends, it’s just the beginning for her mission to continue to spread the message.
Noting that Virginia Wesleyan does something similar at their program, the help and support she can provide will continue into college.
“I do know that the school that I’m going to also has a Morgan’s Message group. So I’m going to try and get involved with that as much as I can and carry it over to my college team.”
It’s never too early to admit mental health struggles, and it’s never too soon to try to spread a positive message. No matter the age.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Ketcham’s Kozlowski helping to spread awareness around mental health struggles
Reporting by Eric Decker, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
