The Pressures of Division I Sports
By: Hayden Moore
The cost of pursuing greatness is frequently high. Elite collegiate athletics can be a pressure-filled environment that greatly strains players and coaches alike, affecting their lives in ways that go well beyond the playing fields. Division 1 athletes confront a wide range of rigorous and varied challenges, from demanding training schedules to an unwavering expectation of achievement. While it’s crucial as fans to see our favorite teams win, we must also realize what goes on behind the scenes as players and coaches figure out how to work together.
An NCAA study found that nearly 30% of student-athletes feel extremely overwhelmed while another 30% have reported signs of depression and anxiety. One explanation offered could be that college athletes are more susceptible to stressors than a typical college student. This includes missing classes, unorganized sleep schedule, and poor relationships with teammates and coaches. Despite these signs, college athletes are less likely to seek help than non-athletes. Additionally, according to Ford Heath Staff, college athletes often have struggles finding their identity outside of sports since it enables the athlete to determine how valuable they are by looking at their play or performance.
“Sometimes I regret it,” said Marist men’s lacrosse goalie Noble Smith on playing the position. “There’s the physical pain of being hit with a 100mph rubber ball and then the mental side of getting scored on, and being the reason you either win or lose.” However, the feeling is different when your team has success, as the Red Foxes were able to capture their fifth MAAC championship in Smith’s sophomore season and are looking to continue their run as defending MAAC champions this season. In a home game earlier in the season down to Jacksonville, Smith recalls the team not losing focus. “Honestly I was telling the coach we’re going to win the game. “When we went down at the half, we were giving up easy goals that were fixable, and you can kinda get a feel for the game that the team we were playing against was beatable and all of us had that mindset coming out.” The Red Foxes ended up winning 9–8 in overtime.
As defending MAAC champions, and as successful as the Red Foxes have been in the division, there’s of course pressure that comes along with it. Will the team repeat? Will they fall apart, and will they take the next steps in competing nationally? For Smith, he tells his team to live in the moment. “Pressure is a privilege. The coaches have done a great job getting the team inspired, but the goal remains the same and we know our worth so we just all take it one game at a time.”
For a historically good program, the pressure seems to always be high. Under head coach Brian Giorgis, the Marist Women’s basketball team reached 11 NCAA tournaments, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2007. After retiring at the end of the 2022 season, Giorgis was the all-time leader in wins with 451. Heading in a new direction, Giorgis had appointed long-time assistant coach Erin Doughty as the new head coach. However, she was met with a disappointing season, as the Red Foxes finished with a 6–25 record, their worst record since 2000. “This profession involves a lot of pressure regardless of the situation”, said Doughty. “Our transition added some pressure from Coach Giorgis’ success and what he built, and we’re trying to replicate what he did.”
Research suggests that the position of a collegiate coach is a performance position. It has been shown that coaching causes a great deal of stress, with common stressors being related to work-life balance and team performance. “It hasn’t been easy for my players, and it hasn’t been easy for me and my coaches,” recalls Doughty. “Even during a rough season, they show up every day with the mindset of turning this around, and it says a lot about the players we have.”
While the pressure remains high, the goal always remains the same. Regardless of how a team is doing, with or without star players, everyone should have the mindset of being better each day. Recognizing the cost of such efforts is crucial, as is working to develop a more sustainable and balanced sporting culture that puts everyone’s health and well-being first. Only then can the genuine essence of collegiate athletics be achieved, where success is determined by the personal development of the players as much as victories and defeats.
