Less than a week after her viral essay went live, Cailin Bracken appeared on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday to promote both her story and mental health awareness.
Bracken, a sophomore attacker at Vanderbilt, penned “A Letter to College Sports” for The Mental Matchup. It was republished by USA Lacrosse Magazine on April 8. You can watch the four-minute segment below.
"I want coaches to look at players like humans rather than commodities."
— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 13, 2022
One student-athlete is speaking out about the enormous pressure on players, its emotional toll and what needs to be done to protect them. ABC News’ @LaraSpencer reports.https://t.co/Ijxsod0ec3 pic.twitter.com/ur0Li3sDA1
The essay details Bracken’s own battles with mental health, which included taking time away from lacrosse as a freshman. Vanderbilt’s coaching staff was supportive of Bracken, and the essay calls for more athletic departments to be just as sympathetic and understanding on the subject of mental health.
Bracken’s story hit home for many. Shares on USA Lacrosse Magazine social channels have generated tens of thousands of impressions and have started conversations between players, coaches, administrators and parents.
Upon reading Bracken’s story, one parent reached out to her to let her know that he drove two-and-a-half hours to his daughter’s practice just to give her a hug.