The Athlete Mental Health and Performance approach is athlete-centric and provides athletes, their family, coaches and other support people with accessible information.
The approach is linked to New Zealand’s 2032 High Performance System Strategy which highlighted the importance of a holistic approach to athletes’ development, combining wellbeing, health (mental and physical) and performance.
General Manager of Athlete Performance Support, Fiona Mather, says sporting environments have traditionally addressed athletes’ physical and mental states as separate entities, rather than two halves of a whole.
“This Athlete Mental Health and Performance approach is founded in raising awareness of the potential of the brain for performance and the need to remove barriers which impact that, in life and in sport.”
The previous approach to athlete mental health and performance stemmed from research undertaken in 2017 that highlighted specific mental stressors for athletes.
“Ongoing research and athlete screening has highlighted specific insights such as gender differences and variations between individual and team sports, supporting the importance of both individual and environmental factors. Importantly, the data has driven a need to adopt a preventative approach, one that supports early intervention, rather than one which is primarily focussed on symptom management,” says Fiona.
A key starting point was putting wellbeing as a central pillar of the HPSNZ 2024 Strategic Plan launched in 2021.
“Emerging from this foundational principle, we recognised the potential of performance environments, deliberately designing for wellbeing and performance needs. That meant a shift towards a more proactive approach, raising awareness and reducing barriers to seeking support, the biggest of which is the stigma of mental health.”
The Athlete Mental Health and Performance approach draws from a wide range of health disciplines, such as psychology, medicine and sports science, and includes input from athletes via the Athlete Leaders Network (ALN), coaches, sport partners and internal and external health experts.
HPSNZ’s goals for the wellbeing of New Zealand’s high performance athletes are both ambitious and essential says Sport New Zealand Group Chief Executive Raelene Castle in the foreword to the Athlete Mental Health and Performance approach.
“Achieving the goals will rely on NSOs adopting the approach presented here and using it for the development and implementation of their own strategic athlete wellbeing initiatives through their management, coaches and support staff. Supporting that process is a priority for HPSNZ.”
Fiona says she and the project’s co-sponsor, HPSNZ General Manager of Wellbeing and Leadership, Emily Downes, would like to acknowledge and thank the many people and organisations who have helped shape this vitally important approach to athlete mental health and performance.
“What was striking for us was the level of engagement, many with a personal story or connection which provided us with very rich input that will create a solid platform to drive better understanding, awareness and outcomes for young people through sport.”
