Mental health is an issue that touches everyone, even legends like former Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith.
It's been nearly 15 years since the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner decided to retire, but retirement hasn't kept Smith away from the field.
Through organizations like Vertical University, the former Buckeyes playmaker is using football as a vehicle to teach young athletes how to prioritize their mental health. The mission is personal for Smith, who admitted that dealing with his own mental health was the “toughest battle” of his playing career.
“Emotionally, you go through so many hurdles and so many ups and downs,” Smith said. “Anger, abandonment, stress, anxiety. There are so many words you can use to describe what you're going through.”
Smith hosted Vertical's “Best of the Midwest” camp on Sunday at Elyria Catholic High School in northern Ohio. During the event, Smith and other football stars, including Ted Ginn Jr. and Antonio Pittman, balanced drills and instruction with talks about etiquette and respect.
“The mental health part of playing football and living life isn't taken as seriously as it should be,” Smith said. “I think little things like this soften the blow and, of course, take away all of those vulnerabilities.”
Mental health issues can affect anyone at any age, but Smith says it's most important to develop healthy habits early in life that will help you later in life.
“It starts at a young age,” Smith said, “so if we can help kids understand that it's okay to talk about their feelings and it's okay to talk about their emotions and feelings early on, I believe they will be able to become complete adults.”
