3 Wisconsin athletes who’ve bravely talked about mental health

It’s estimated that more than one in five Americans lives with a mental illness. So why is talking about it still so taboo, especially in the sports world?

These Wisconsin athletes are changing that, and undoubtedly saving lives along the way:

🏈 Montee Ball

The 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist and former Badgers running back has been open about his struggles with depression, anxiety, and alcohol, which ended his promising NFL career after two seasons with the Denver Broncos. “I really didn’t know how to speak on it,” Ball said of his mental health problems in college. “I really didn’t know who to talk to. I didn’t even know that I was suffering from it, you know what I mean?”

Ball is now a mental health mentor with Wisconsin Voices for Recovery and, in 2021, released a book about his personal journey.

MORE: ‘Nowhere to Run’ Details Montee Ball’s Highs on the Field, and Lows Off It

⚽️ Emma Jaskaniec

The 2022 Big Ten Midfielder of the year (just the second Badger to ever earn that title) started regularly seeing a psychologist her freshman soccer season. “I was having really dark thoughts,” she shared. “For things to get better, you actually have to seek out help.”

After getting that help for herself, Jaskaniec became involved with UNCUT Madison, a Wisconsin athlete-led nonprofit that leads discussions about mental health.

🏃🏽 Kris Eiring

The former Wisconsin sprinter who now works as a sports psychologist has spoken out about the surface-level conversations that often happen between teammates in the locker room.

“When you say, ‘How are you doing?,’ they say, ‘Great,’ and you don’t really know,” Eiring told Spectrum News. “Maybe pause for a moment and check in a tad deeper. ‘Are you really doing OK?’ That would make a big difference.”

MORE: Why You Should Stop Using the Phrase “Committed Suicide”