I heard about the organization through one of my co-ambassadors Abigail Beattie. VIDEO: Elite athlete opens up about pressure to be the best, sophomore lacrosse player at Vanderbilt University, Stanford University soccer star Katie Meyer, Duke University lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers, according to data shared by the American College of Sports Medicine, NCAA found that during the coronavirus pandemic, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. I knew that I wanted to be a part ofMorgans Message because I think mental health is often overlooked, and people often feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help, and I want to help change that. In July 2020, Morgans Message was launched to honor the life of local student-athlete and youth coach Morgan Rodgers, who took her life in July 2019. Top: Morgan Rodgers with her parents, Dona and Kurt Rodgers, courtesy of Morgans Message. On Wednesday, October 12, at Sentara Park, two rival teams, James Madison University and Virginia, came together for something greater than just a lacrosse game we came together to break the mental health stigma by playing in honor of Morgan Rodgers and in support of Morgans Message . Motivation, confidence, intensity, focus and mind state the five mental muscles psychologists believe are essential for athletes to perform their best. Exeters Keighley Bosshardt 24, Kathryn Welch 22, Emilie Dubiel 23, Baron Fisher 22, Drew McClutchy 23, Logan Olazabal 23, Baron Masopust 24 represented the girls and boys teams and worked as ambassadors to organize the event, raise awareness, and gather donations for Morgans Message. Personal: Born Morgan Dup Rodgers May 27, 1997 in Fairfax, Va. Daughter of Dona and Kurt Rodgers Has one sister (Aberle) and one brother (Austin) Mother competed in gymnastics at James Madison (1984-85) Brother is a member of the club lacrosse team at East Carolina. Prior to the start of each game, both teams gathered for brief remarks and a moment of silence in Rodgers' memory. I was investing so much of my worth in lacrosse.. Winds light and variable. person will not be tolerated. It is this depth of character that provided encouragement and inspiration to so many, but it was her contagious laugh and infectious energy that embody Morgans irreplaceability. Rodgers was all about taking care of others. "And it was the most beautiful thing, because it's exactly why I wrote it.". We have something for everyone! Our main goal was that we dont want anyone else to lose their Morgan, Zempolich said. In March 2018, Morgan asked to take a semester off. "The Duke community extends our deepest sympathies to the Rodgers family at this time," McMahon said. But inside, Rodgers was often singing a different, darker tune. Special to the Fauquier Times. Youre expected to be at the top of your game in the classroom and extra-curriculars and, as athletes, be on top of your varsity sport. It was a setback that seemed to have a silver lining. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. Dona Rodgers said, The first ambassadors were people who knew Morgan and maybe had her as a coach in school. We were told she would be cleared to play in about a year and we all felt that that was a realistic goal, said her mother. The Exeter and New Hampton girls lacrosse teams gather to honor Morgan Rodgers and raise awareness for Morgan's Message. With a year under her belt, she had her eye on a larger role as a sophomore. At this time, Im focusing on connecting with college players and coaches for lacrosse to prepare myself for my college experience. It was then that her grades began to slip. Its really hard to put into words how special its been to see something I had a very small part in getting started grow into something that so many people seek a lot of advocacy through. Welcome! The 22-year-old was a psychology major from Warrenton, Virginia. As an underclassman in high school, several high-caliber programs recruited Morgan to play Division I Womens Lacrosse. Whether its the good or the bad I want my girls when they move on to know this is a life thing, you play for me in high school, but now were connected for life, she said. She also thinks coaches and support staff need more training on mental health. She recently accepted an invitation to serve on the associations board. If they need to call you at 3 a.m., youre there at 3 a.m.. I was like, No she was so good. And then right when you go into corporate America and youre just like every single other person and you dont have sports being such a big confidence driver for you.. I think through the work that shes done with Shawn Zeplin and Morgans Message shes really matured into a fulltime leader for our program and for the athletic department as a whole.. Girls and boys lacrosse teams shine the spotlight on mental health awareness. It was never something that we thought was a problem. Threats of harming another She was moving around and had this air about her, Zempolich said. More resources are available here. Covering all the great things happening on Long Island and its vibrant downtowns. Shortly after, Morgans Message was born at a barbeque with some of Rodgers former Cardinal Club Lacrosse teammates. We want to make sure that you are on a more secure browser and that you have the best experience with IWLCARecruits as possible. FAIRMONT, W.Va. Fairmont Seniors Morgan Rogers signed with the Davis and Elkins womens lacrosse team on Wednesday. Its okay to lean on people around you. If youre in crisis, there are options available to help you cope. Youre almost in a pressure cooker where you are going to blow if you dont get the support for what you are feeling.. Morgan played lacrosse at Duke University where she experienced a knee injury. I also wanted to honorMorgan, as she taught me more about the mental aspect of sports than any other coach I had previously played for. Zempolich struggled with survivors guilt. Me and the team of ambassadors at Highland School have worked hard to educate our community and ensure that everyone gets the support they need, and we are so excited to keep moving forward in our efforts. And beyond the chaos and overwhelm of it all, youve got coaches and parents and trainers and professors who expect you to come away from the experience unscathed, fruit salad in hand, she added. I heard aboutMorgans Message through social media when they first started. I think I am his longest standing patient at Duke, Callahan said about how she and Zeplin have grown at Duke together. You as a human being are so valued and so loved and you are worth all the diamonds and gold in the whole entire world just being you. accounts, the history behind an article. After visiting the grave, Dona Rodgers invited her back to the house. The growth is due, in large part, because of the demand for resources. Sitting in front of a computer for hours on end is against everything they know. No one knew she was suffering in silence. You need you here, point-blank.. I think thats one of the things I love about Morgans Message it allows people to get involved in the student-athlete community in a way thats very beneficial for their peers and for themselves.. [CDATA[ She was so excited, and we all sighed a breath of relief, thinking she was going to overcome this, recalled her mom. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Ann and I had gone through our own mental health struggles.. People, especially athletes, often overlook their mental health or tend to focus more on their physical health, said Bosshardt, who helped champion the cause and organize Exeters involvement. She was finally having fun she was crushing it, Zempolich said. We are heavy on female representatives, but do have a several male students representing lacrosse, football, track and field, baseball and basketball.. But when Rodgers got back to campus, she regressed again. My team had lost Morgan, who was a friend and a teammate to us and that was really really difficult, so I always thought naming it after Morgan would be something I would really really appreciate and wanted to do just because Morgan spent a lot of time at Duke and was very close to people on the team and at Duke itself, Callahan said. Morgan Rodgers, a former varsity Get the best and latest from USLaxMagazine.com delivered weekly straight to your inbox. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. When Zempolich learned the devastating news over text, she didnt believe it. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Morgans Message has made such an impact, even outside of Warrenton, and is taking big steps towards the end of the mental health stigma in athletes. In her letter, Bracken mentions college athletes like Stanford University soccer star Katie Meyer and Duke University lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers, both of whom died by suicide at the age of 22. [02:12] I want to spread that passion and love for every aspect of sports thatMorganhad. ", "I had a father reach out to me and telling me that after reading the essay, he drove two-and-a-half hours to his daughter's lacrosse practice and waited outside to give her a hug," said Bracken. What the whole nonprofit is organized around is just spreading awareness for mental health, specifically in the student athlete community, Harney said. She called Dona Rodgers, Morgans mother, who decided to join her. Thats something I had to learn as a freshman, that its okay to lean on the other people around you and that youre never a burden. Click here to sign up for email and text alerts. We want kids to normalize conversations surrounding mental health, she added. Zempolich was out with a hip injury at the same time. I think the worst part for me was the reality check of life after sports because that was such a big part of my life, she said. 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Her dream came true in the fall of 2014 when she accepted an Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Unfortunately, back on campus, Morgan wasnt sure where she fit in, her mom recalled. Changs spot at Smith Haven Mall, The Pizzeria to expand with locations in Babylon, Lindenhurst villages, The State Room turns former BrickHouse upstairs catering space into cocktail bar, The Instagram-friendly Stone Street Wood Fired Grill opens in Garden City, Inside look at The Farm Italy, Huntingtons new Italian restaurant, First meaningful snowfall of the winter , From truck to storefront. Im very proud to be a part ofMorgans Message, and to share it at Liberty [High School] and in college next year. Because of the demand for resources she fit in, or sign up email! Spreading awareness for Morgan 's Message perform their best, who decided to join her Duke together due in... Mother, who decided to join her to serve on the associations.. 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