Editor's note: This is part four of the Ending the Stigma series on mental health

NAMPA, Idaho – Steve Steele has been coaching women's basketball for 22 years. In that time, he figures he's had about 23 athletes suffer from season-ending knee injuries.

While he wishes he wasn't so experienced with the injuries, it has helped him develop principles on how to help the students.

"I have experience with what they are going through physically, emotionally and mentally," he said. "The biggest principle is they have to come to every team event. The most convenient thing to do is rehab during practice, but that destroys their mental and emotional health and all the bonds with the team are broken.

"We try to involve them and give them jobs to do in practice, whether that is keeping stats, running a drill, passing at some point. Everything we do is to try to keep them involved with the team for mental and social health reasons."

Steele has dealt with knee injuries each season he's been at NNU, including this year when sophomore Emma Clark was injured during a recent practice.

As he prepared to meet with Clark, he created a document going over the steps she is expected to follow to heal physically and mentally.

It included seven themes with bullet points under each one, highlighting Clark's support system, that she can come back better than before, focusing on goals, attending team events, telling the coaching staff about progress, being patient and finding ways to serve.

Steele said that Ellie Logan is the best example he has of how a student-athlete can improve despite suffering a season-ending injury. She was a star before blowing out her knee, but led through example rather than words.

"When she got hurt, I said I was sorry but that this is going to be the best thing that ever happened because all she can do now is talk," Steele said. "She went from never talking to being an assistant coach in charge of leading meetings, scouting reports and more. 

"Her senior year was phenomenal. She was a leader in voice and action."

Baseball coach Joe Schaefer also tries to keep his athletes involved, though he said a lot of it depends on the age of the player.

"We just try to keep the focus off of them and keep it on the team," said Schaefer, who is in his 15th year as a coach. "We try to find ways to keep them engaged and helping teammates out."



Schaefer suffered a career-ending injury his senior year, so he knows how hard it can be to stay involved.

"It's easier when there is a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of getting to play the next year or getting the year back," he said. "It's a lot harder when it is a senior and there is nothing left."

NNU clinical counselor Julie Barrass said one key factor in the process is how much family support an athlete has.

"A lot of times, it goes back to family. If you are an athletic family, then you know you have injuries and that is part of playing sports and it is probably OK," she said. "Whereas if you are the only athlete in the family, there is still support but they may not understand why you are struggling. They can see it as, 'Well, you are still on the team.'"

Barrass has worked at NNU for 18 months and has helped develop cooperation between the coaches, training staff and the Wellness Center to help student-athletes who are struggling whether from injury or anything else.

"Our current coaching staff is in a really good place," she said. "I think there is a lot of collaboration happening and support."