Morgan’s Message: Broncs ‘take a shot’ at mental health

By Benjamin Shinault

Being a student-athlete means a lot more than going to practice for a few hours and heading on a bus to play a game. They are tasked with balancing the stress of being a full-time college student and a diligent player, keeping their GPA up and performing well on the field and on the court.

 Balancing responsibilities can become overwhelming for a student-athlete and Morgan’s Message, a national nonprofit, aims to help all Rider athletes and non-athletes to come together and “take a shot” at mental health.

Morgan’s Message stretches far beyond Rider’s campus. The organization, founded in July 2020, serves as an education program that supports students in becoming ambassadors and advocates for mental health nationwide.

Morgan Rodgers’ story

Morgan’s Message is named after Morgan Rodgers, a former Division I lacrosse player. Born in Fairfax, Virginia, Rodgers was a talented lacrosse player, honored as a three-time conference player of the year, a two-time Under Armour All-American and a two-time Brine High School All-American. With award after award, Rodgers received multiple offers to play at the collegiate level.

In the fall 2014, Rodgers accepted an offer to play for the Blue Devils at Duke University.

Rodger’s freshman year at Duke went great until January 2017 when she suffered a season-ending knee injury before her sophomore season. With the significant injury came depression and anxiety.

On the Morgan’s Message website, it described that Rodgers felt lost and her self-identity slipped away. Through it all, Rodgers kept a smile on her face around her friends and family. As it turns out, Rodgers felt as if she lost control of her life.

Feeling isolated, stressed and anxious from her injury’s battles, Rodgers died by suicide in July 2019 at 22 years old. Despite Rodgers passing away young, her message helps others navigate through anxiety, stress and depression as people like her search for balance in their academic and athletic lives.

Rider’s approach

Morgan’s Message made its way to Rider in 2022. 

Rider’s President of Morgan’s Message and cross country runner, senior Keira Mansure, discussed what the organization means to her.

“It’s just giving a voice and a platform and an opportunity for athletes on our campus, other campuses in the country to have a space where they feel safe, heard and valued, especially in a time where there is such a rising discussion in mental health within athletics,” Mansure said.

Through the school season, Morgan’s Message hosts dedication nights for athletes to wear teal to represent their purpose, a symbol of mental health awareness for student-athletes. 

Most recently on Sept. 26 during Rider women’s field hockey, Morgan’s Message set up a table to help spread awareness. The organization also has events planned for men’s and women’s soccer games, volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country.

On Feb. 21, Rider men’s basketball had their Morgan’s Message dedication night and for Mansure, having the organization being displayed in front of a bigger crowd felt good.

“It makes me so grateful that the athletic department here at Rider allows us to use our basketball team and I love seeing how involved the athletes are and how excited they get when we give them bracelets and the ribbons and just seeing that hint of blue throughout the field,” Mansure said.

Paige McGuire, a senior long jumper on Rider’s track and field team, heard about the organization last year and now she runs Rider’s Morgan’s Message Instagram page along with junior cross country runner Faith Evans.

McGuire also gave her two cents on what Morgan’s Message means to her as a student-athlete.

“I heard about Morgan’s Message last year and I just personally love the overall message,” McGuire said. “I do like that this really brings [mental health] to light.”

‘A safe space’

Morgan’s Message meets biweekly and is the perfect common ground for student-athletes to come and have tough conversations. In the meetings, attendees can make bracelets, listen to others and also hear from people at the organization, like clinical and sports psychologists.

Often with athletics, there is a stigma of being strong and tough but for Morgan’s Message, that negative stigma is diminished.

“When we start meetings, you can kind of see that tentativeness because there is a lot of shame, especially within athletics, you are supposed to be tough and you are supposed to act a certain way and keep your composure but having a space with Morgan’s Message, we are able to be a little looser, feel like your safe to be vulnerable,” Mansure said.

Similar to student-athletes, non student-athletes also deal with stress and anxiety when it comes to balancing school work, clubs and other responsibilities. With that, Morgan’s Message does not close their door on non student-athletes.

“It’s open to anyone — athletes, non-athletes alike” Mansure said. “In these meetings we do presentations that come from Morgan’s Message to educate people on what mental health is,” Mansure said.

Both Mansure and McGuire both shared how they balance their school work with workouts, meets and having personal time.

“It’s taken a long time,” McGuire said with a sigh. “I’ve done sports my whole life and juggling that and school has been something that I am just used to,” McGuire said. 

As she got older, McGuire pushed mental health to the side to focus on sports but now, she knows to find a balance.

“As I have gotten older and being a part of Morgan’s Message, it has allowed me to kind of fight those battles of mental health and to also become more aware of it,” McGuire said.

Mansure’s mental health journey relates a lot to her fellow Bronc, McGuire, but she also has her own twist on how she handles it.

“Something I have learned is not letting it build up and build up because I think it is easy for us to do that and we don’t even notice it,” Mansure said. “The biggest thing for me, especially someone who overthinks and overworks a lot, is trying to create just little pockets of time or these little moments where I am able to center myself, clear my mind and take a moment to journal,” Mansure said.

The Morgan’s Message slogan is “take a shot at mental health” and the Broncs are giving it their best one.