JERSEY CITY, NJ – During the 2018-19 academic year, Saint Peter's University athletics will be participating in a new initiative created by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), which is meant to raise awareness of mental health and to break the stigma around it.
MAAC SAAC started a social media campaign under the title #A11MAACMinds in May 2018, to encourage student-athletes everywhere to be active in promoting positive mental health amongst themselves and their peers. The slogan, #A11MAACMinds, includes the number 11 to represent the number of schools within the MAAC.
When asked what inspired this campaign, MAAC SAAC Chair and NCAA DI SAAC Representative, Madison Arndt said, "Student-athletes across the nation are making mental health their top priority, and it was time that the MAAC student-athletes help continue that conversation."
Rachel Dortch, coordinator for student-athlete development and leadership at Saint Peter's, was the driving force behind starting the initiative with the Peacocks.
"Taking steps into making sure your mental health is in good check should be as natural as brushing your teeth in the morning. The #A11MAACMinds campaign and the green games start the conversation of the types of resources on campus available to our student-athletes as well as what it takes to be mentally healthy," Dortch said.
To show their support for the #A11MAACMinds campaign, all Saint Peter's University teams will have a designated Mental Health Awareness game this year. As lime green is the official color of mental health awareness, the teams will be including the color at one game, per team, this year. The dates of these games are as follows:
Women's Soccer - Oct. 10, 2018 vs. Siena
Men's Soccer - Oct. 17, 2018 vs. Monmouth
Cross Country - Oct. 19, 2018 at Monmouth
Women's Volleyball - Nov. 3, 2018 vs. Iona
Swimming & Diving - Dec. 8, 2018 vs. Pace
Baseball - May 1 vs. Lehigh
Softball - May 5, 2019 vs. Siena
Green Games yet to be determined: Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Golf and Track and Field
