Imagine stepping onto the ice, heart pounding, with the weight of a whole city on your shoulders. That’s everyday life for pro athletes, but now, more than ever, they’re not just toughing it out—they’re talking about the mental game that keeps them going.
Sabres Psychologist Breaks the Ice on Hockeys Hidden Struggles
In Buffalo, sports psychologist Amanda Edwards is the unsung hero behind the Sabres bench. Ahead of their first Mental Health Awareness Night, she shared how she watches players during the national anthem, spotting those using breathing tricks or mental rehearsals to stay sharp. ‘When we’re winning, we optimize; when losing, we bounce back,’ she says. Edwards is thrilled to celebrate mental health as a strength, not a weakness—like tuning up your body in the gym.[1]
Olympians Redefine Victory Beyond Gold Medals
As Winter Olympics heat up in Italy, the US team is flipping the script. Clinical psychologist Emily Clark helps stars like Paralympian Kendall Gretsch and figure skater Alysa Liu focus on sleep, resilience, and handling pressure over podium finishes. Gretsch calls her traveling sports psychologist her ‘MVP’—Most Valuable Psychologist—for reminders on why they compete. It’s about thriving through failure, not fearing it.[2]
College Athletes Get Real Support Systems
- Dartmouths 31-Person Dream Team: Behind every Big Green win, a holistic crew handles concussions, mental performance, and team bonding. Hockey player Maura Fiorenza raves about accessible psychologists like Lorna Harkins, who run leadership sessions to build unbreakable team vibes.[4]
- UNCGs Prevention Push: Up to 35% of elite athletes battle burnout or anxiety, but Jeffrey Milroy’s center uses programs like myPlaybook to shift cultures, cutting alcohol risks and fostering whole-person growth through data and counseling.[3]
These stories show sports isn’t just physical—it’s a mental marathon. Phoenix Suns fans felt it at a community event where leaders dished on training the mind like muscles. And in B.C., athlete Madison McKenzie turned sports into her lifeline post-car crash, proving activity heals the heart too.[5][6]
Like a coach calling plays, these pros are prioritizing brains over brawn. It’s a game-changer, reminding us all: check in on your mental scoreboard.
References:
- https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/buffalo-sabres-amanda-edwards-mental-health-sports-psychologist
- https://www.euronews.com/health/2026/01/13/how-olympians-think-about-success-and-failure-and-what-we-can-learn-from-them
- https://www.uncg.edu/news/shifting-sports-culture/
- https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2026/01/behind-every-big-green-victory-the-31-person-support-system-transforming-dartmouth-athletics
- https://globalnews.ca/video/11608669/improved-mental-health-with-help-of-sports
- https://greenlivingmag.com/mental-health-takes-center-court-with-phoenix-suns/
