As May approaches, so does Mental Health Awareness Month.
As mental health awareness has increased steadily over the past few years, this is a very important time for all people to continue to prioritize mental health. Many organizations, like Mental Health America, have toolkits and offer other virtual services. This year, the Indianapolis Colts launched their Kicking the Stigma initiative, to “raise awareness about mental health disorders and remove the shame and stigma too often associated with these illnesses” (via colts.com).
ABOUT KICKING THE STIGMA
The Kicking the Stigma initiative’s 4-day virtual fundraiser will take place May 3-6. The fundraiser will support expanded programming by NAMI Greater Indianapolis, Mental Health America Indiana, Project Healthy Minds, and Bring Change to Mind. Each day will highlight different areas around the stigma with mental health.
A few of these include:
- A roundtable hosted by Carson Daly, with NFL players Darius Leonard, Hayden Hurst, Solomon Thomas and Darren Walker sharing personal experiences with mental health
- A Colts panel discussion featuring players Kenny Moore II and Zaire Franklin, director of player engagement and former Colts linebacker David Thornton, and Colts counselor and Elizabeth White.
Follow this link to read more about the Kicking the Stigma on the Indianapolis Colts’ website.
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
As a part of this campaign, the Colts created a video PSA that features appearances from important and well-recognized members of the Colts organization, including former Colt and Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, Head Coach Frank Reich, and Owner and CEO Jim Irsay. In this PSA, each person discusses the importance of this initiative. Peyton Manning states that mental health illness “is an illness, and the Colts want to bring normalcy to talking about it.”
This PSA was shared to Facebook, where the Colts have created a Facebook page for the Kicking the Stigma initiative. As of today, that page has 2 million followers. In addition to their social media efforts, the Indianapolis Colts are airing this PSA as a television commercial. One of the places they chose to air this advertisement is on ESPN during the NFL Draft. This was especially important considering the NFL Draft’s viewership. In order to truly “kick the stigma”, the message must be widespread to the entire NFL community.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE FUTURE
There is no doubt that mental health awareness has become more prevalent in our society in recent years. The Indianapolis Colts, by creating their own initiative to raise awareness about mental health disorders, are helping to continue the culture that sports organizations can do more than just promote their own team. They can take stances on issues in our society and can create and promote activities and ideas that promote positive mental and physical well-being.
In the PSA, Reggie Wayne, a Colts’ wide receiver from 2001 to 2014 states that “People, especially athletes, we don’t want to seem vulnerable.” I believe that this can be extended to the toxic masculinity that can occasionally be seen in men, especially in regard to mental health awareness. While an NFL team supporting mental health awareness will not solve all of these problems overnight, there is no doubt that it will continue a trend that promotes ideals mentioned in the PSA.
“There are certain things that you cannot control, and you need help. It requires strength to ask for help.”
– Jeff Saturday, Colts Center, 1999-2011
“It’s okay to not be okay.”
– Darius Leonard, Colts Linebacker
