This topic bridges the gap between athletic mental health and career and technical education by showcasing how mental health support systems can integrate with career pathways, workforce development, and academic disciplines. It emphasizes leveraging athletics to provide the life lessons and real-world skills often touted as the benefits of sports participation, ensuring these ideals are intentionally realized. This approach can engage a highly motivated and hard-working population, fostering growth for students of all ages and abilities, both on and off the field.
Value to Participants:
This session offers a unique and innovative perspective by connecting athletic mental health support directly with career development and life skills, an approach that is not commonly explored. Participants will gain actionable, cutting-edge strategies to implement programs that intentionally combine well-being support with career readiness. Through real-world examples and collaborative discussions, attendees will learn to create impactful, integrated programs that deliver a holistic and forward-thinking approach to student-athlete development, setting this model apart from traditional methods.
Presenter Knowledge and Experience:
Dr. David Schary is a professor, mental health counselor, and Director of Mental Health and Performance for Winthrop Athletics. He brings a unique combination of academic, clinical, and applied expertise. His work focuses on intentionally aligning the life lessons often associated with sports - such as resilience, teamwork, and leadership - with meaningful career pathways and mental health support systems, ensuring these ideals are not left to chance but embedded in practice. Dr. Schary’s approach is designed to engage a highly motivated and hardworking population, empowering students of all ages and abilities to thrive in all areas of their lives. As an advocate for athlete development and mental health, he is committed to fostering well-rounded, mentally strong individuals both in athletics and beyond.
