SPRINGFIELD (N.J.) — Allyson, the most decorated U.S. athlete in track and field history, with 11 Olympic medals in her collection, fell into a deep depression after losing by just 0.08 seconds to Jamaican Veronica Campbell in the 200 meter sprint at the Summer Games of 2008.
Felix said, “It was difficult for others to understand, because they see a silver and think, wow, that is amazing. It really is. I am grateful for it, but when you have dedicated yourself so much, it was devastating.”
Felix did not have the tools she has now to quickly pull herself from an embarrassing situation. She waited for four years before finishing second again.
Felix said, “You want to be the best and make your country proud, but you also feel that you want to disappear if you don’t reach the target.”
Mountaintops are remarkably similar in their ability to lead players into the same place. After winning two majors in the early stages of her career, 2022 KPMG Women’s PGA Gee Chun sought treatment for depression. The pressure to be perfect had its price. Chun has been talking about her struggle for many years, in the hope that she can help other people.
Chun said, “It isn’t just me.” Everyone has their own struggles.
Felix was at Baltusrol golf club on Wednesday, accepting the KPMG InspireGreatness Award. He also served as the closing keynote for the Leadership Summit. Mental health is a topic that transcends the boardroom and the locker room. Both female CEOs as well as athletes have felt increased anxiety and stressed in the post-pandemic age.
KPMG started regularly surveying their 40,000 U.S. staff in the aftermath of COVID-19. They heard from approximately 25,000 employees on a range of “How are You Feeling?” questions. Laura Newinski said that employees are asking their managers for assistance on matters not related to the workplace, such as stress over children, spouses, or aging parents.
Newinski said that people turned to their employers as trusted sources of information during the pandemic. What’s the rule now? Now, they’re talking to their employers about a wide range of mental health issues and not just the workplace.
KPMG surveyed 1,500 senior executives (SVP and above) in Fortune 1000 companies from across the nation to determine the increase of post-pandemic anxiety.
Ninety one percent of the women surveyed reported a dramatic increase in stress at work compared to three years ago. 70% of women attribute higher workplace stress to increased workloads, expectations and demands. 58 % of executive women say they have added responsibilities due to the need to manage the mental health of their team on top of managing their own.
There’s no wonder that 71 per cent of women executives say that organizations should do more to support leaders who care about their employees’ mental well-being and health.
Newinski stated that KPMG worked to increase the number of counselors and pre-diagnosis sessions available through their health insurance. Managers are now trained on how to help employees in a mental crisis, and make sure they understand the resources available.
Newinski said, “Our vendor told us that the uptake of our people is twice as high as the average uptake for help with counseling.”
We think that’s because we’re talking about it. “We’re talking about it.”
Stacy Lewis is a two time major champion who joined the LPGA back in 2009. She has been pushing for years for the LPGA’s provision of a sports psychology. She said that she had more fun and was more relaxed in her early years on the tour. She wonders if it is because they played for less money. It felt as if there was a greater sense of support amongst peers.
She said, “For many of these girls golf is their passion.” “It is OK for a while, but eventually it becomes a problem.”
“I want to give these girls a little balance and a system of support outside mom and Dad, someone they can go to without having to go through them.”
This person is Dr. Julie Amato. She is a sports psychology who works for the WNBA team New York Liberty, as well as with the athletic departments of Lafayette College and Princeton University where former athletic director Mollie Marcoux Samaan, the LPGA commissioner, is currently the head of athletics.
Amato began working with the tour in 2012 and meets eight to ten players each week. She hopes to attend as many as ten events this year. She had been onsite at Baltusrol earlier in the week talking to players, and was planning to return on Sunday to be a spectator.
Amato said that golf presents unique challenges. “These athletes’ well-being depends on their performance. It’s an entirely different situation to be in.
Mental fatigue is a factor in the departure of two players who are in contention for this week’s first round leader, Lee-Anne Pace, and Mel Reid.
Pace admitted that she had not liked the game in the past six years. A break during the pandemic was what changed her mind.
She said, “I was very hard on myself.” “I couldn’t do a mistake.” Couldn’t accept making a mistake. Each day I spent on the course was exhausting, and that’s what I didn’t like. “So I stopped.”
The players often talk about how striving for perfection can cause an imbalanced lifestyle. Many who achieve success look around them and think: Is this it?
This week’s purse is $10 million. It’s a new record for the KPMG Women’s PGA. The players who miss the cut receive $4,000 in order to cover their expenses.
Lewis said, “It’s a side effect of playing to earn more money.” “More isolation, more teams with girls and less time to hang out with your peers.
“It’s amazing how many people practice on Mondays.”
Lewis, 38, is currently one of the older players on the tour. She is concerned that LPGA career lengthening continues.
The women’s game does not have a robust pension plan. Many women feel pressured to reach their peak as early as possible to afford a break for starting a family. Few people will be able to walk away from their careers without needing a second one.
The pressure can be felt by those who are at the bottom or at the top of the list.
Newinski believes that the same qualities that helped women to achieve leadership positions, are now being used by men as there is an emotional health crisis that puts more pressure than ever on women.
She said that unless we teach men to share this responsibility, they will not be able to do so – to listen better, to be more empathic and to have vulnerable discussions. “When you are vulnerable, your people can be more vulnerable. This allows them to overcome their challenges by enlisting the help of others, rather than being isolated.”
The same attributes that helped LPGA athletes reach the pinnacle in their sport may also be the ones that keep them from asking for help. They are conditioned to be strong, to not complain and to keep going.
Amato said, “Anytime there is an individual sport,” it’s only you. When things go wrong, there’s nobody else to blame. But when they do well, it’s just you.
“It creates a feeling of loneliness for the players at times.”
The LPGA offers a medical leave for mental health for those players who are in need of a break.
According to the LPGA Extension Policy players are required to complete a similar procedure as if they were experiencing a physical injury. This includes clinical documentation. Before the pandemic, this type of leave existed.
Felix, 37, is grateful for the increased openness surrounding the topic of mental health. Felix, 37, felt she had to stay on the job at all costs early in her career. It was not the time to rest.
She said, “It took its toll.”
Melissa Reid tees up on the fourth hole during the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship third round. Mandatory Credit: John Jones – USA TODAY Sports
Players who spoke at this week’s KPMG all touched on the ongoing battle. Mel Reid, a contender from the beginning of her career, was plagued by a wrist injury that nearly ended it last season.
“I legit quit,” said Reid. “When I sustained my injury, I played through it because I felt like I had to, as I was going to lose my card. And then, yeah, we didn’t get any money for being on a health check.
“I think the girls (quite) do more than the boys. I think the guys are able to take a break, but the girls feel they have to work because it’s their income.
“So yeah, back in September, I told my wife Carly that I was going into the media. I would be like you guys and I wouldn’t play golf anymore. ‘”
Duncan McCarthy was her mental coach during this time. He helped her heal the parts of her golf swing that were not working. Her injury was caused by a full-throttle effort to fix her golf swing. Reid could hit 500 golf balls per day. She couldn’t locate the switch.
Reid said, “I tend to mix up the golfer with the human and then I’m unhappy.” “I never switch off. “I don’t switch-off at home.” I am thinking about golf. Then I am on the course, but I can’t fully enjoy it because of the constant thinking. I look at golf swings and analyze stuff all the while. It drains me. It’s almost an obsession.
“We’ve done an excellent job. Not perfect, but when I am at the golf club, I’m Mel the Golfer. I’m very professional and get my work finished. I’m very present.” “When I am at home, I am present with Carly and my friends. I do whatever I need to do. We’re trying to separate this.”
She’s not the only one.
