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VIRTUAL FORUMS

Pandemic Playbook event flyer

A Pandemic Playbook – 10-27-2020:

https://vasportshof.com/a-pandemic-playbook/

YouTube Link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whs6GElVbEc

Event Description

Canceled games. Disrupted seasons. And a season of uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic has left many young athletes wondering when they will ever play again competitively. As student-athletes wrestle with so much change, maintaining their mental wellness is critical. Join our panel of experts in a virtual forum to understand the physical and emotional challenges that athletes face today. Learn to recognize mental health symptoms that indicate an athlete needs support.

Panel Speakers

Dr. Andrea Arcona, CHKD psychologist
Dr. Joel Brenner, medical director of CHKD’s sports medicine program
Elliot France, Senior at Cox High School (Virginia Beach), member of the soccer team
Chris Scott, head football coach, Oscar Smith High
Dr. Rachel Turk, staff psychologist for University of Richmond’s athletic department

Moderator: Claudell Clark, executive director, Hampton Roads Sports Commission

Media Coverage, WAVY-TV: htps://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/portsmouth/helping-student-athletes-find-mental-wellness-during-the-pandemic/

Bench the Stigma Event flyer

Bench The Stigma – March 21, 2021:

https://vasportshof.com/bench-the-stigma/

Facebook Watch Link – https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=162647072372175

Event Description

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and The Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters continued their community partnership on Sports and Mental Health with another virtual forum Sunday March 21, 2021:

Youth Sports: Coaching Positive Mental Health #BenchTheStigma

The event featured clinical professionals, a student-athlete, and a youth sports coach discussing topics such as mental wellness vs mental performance, the mental health continuum, and how to create a positive mental health culture within a sports organization.

To learn more, view our previous virtual forum “A Pandemic Playbook.”

Thank you to our event panelists:

  • Betsy Cutler, M. Ed., President and CEO, Cutler Wellness Programs
  • Dr. Gary Bennet, PhD, Associate Athletic Director, Sports Psychologist, Virginia Tech
  • Rennel Marshall, LCSW at CHKD, former collegiate football player and high school coach
  • Eli France, Senior at Frank W. Cox High School, soccer player
Who R U Facebook event flyer

#WHO R U – June 6, 2021:

https://vasportshof.com/who-r-u/

Facebook Watch Link – https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1445769695778327

Event Description

The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and The Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters continued their Youth Sports: Coaching Positive Mental Health discussion series with #WhoRU, a look at identity and specialization in youth sports.

The event, held virtually Sunday June 6, brought together an esteemed panel of guests to discuss the dangers of connecting one’s identity solely to sports. Topics discusses included:

  • Recognizing the warning signs from an athlete that is experiencing negative effects from imbalanced identity based on sports.
  • The positive benefits of sports participation, regardless of the level or stage at which one’s career has come to an end.
  • A coach’s perspective on balancing the mental health needs of a team and how to manage the various identities of those same athletes.
  • The role of the family and parents in support of mitigating all of the factors that go into making choices about sports specialization.
  • Sports specialization and its impact on identity, what athletes and parents face regarding college sports recruitment, and how to support an athlete through it all.

#WhoRU continues the work of previous discussions, A Pandemic Playbook and Bench the Stigma. Both forums were a part of the Youth Sports: Coaching Positive Mental Health series.

The Hall of Fame would like to thank all of the panelists, moderators, and of course the sponsors for #WhoRU. Please check back regularly as we are in the planning stages for our next event.

Thank you to our event panelists:

  • Joel Brenner, MD, MPH – Medical Director, Sports Medicine Program, CHKDSports Medicine and Adolescent Medicine Specialist, CSG/CHKDProfessor of Pediatrics, EVMS
  • Mitch Callis, ATC – CHKD Sports Medicine Athletic Training Manager
  • Will Driscoll – Executive Director, Virginia Sports Hall of Fame
  • Kenny Owens – Former collegiate football player, UNC
  • Tommy Reamon – Former professional football player, high school football coach
  • Rianne Patricio – Parent

Victory, Defeat, & Injury – March 5, 2025:

Full panel Link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laeh6GbgHV0&t=1536shttps://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=162647072372175

Event Description

The Youth Sports Mental Health & Wellness Alliance hosted a virtual panel, “Victory, Defeat and Injury: Supporting Youth Mental Health & Wellness”, on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

The panel, moderated by Virginia Sports Hall of Fame board member and Alliance co-chair Will Driscoll, featured discussion about the complexities of winning, losing, and dealing with injuries in youth sports, as well as the pressures young athletes face, regardless of their performance outcomes or the challenges of returning to sport after an injury.

Panelists:

  • Callie Dickinson: DI All-American Swimmer at the University of Georgia, SEC Women of the Year, top 10 women of the year for the NCAA and competed in 3 Olympic Trials.
  • Duncan MacLeod: Owner of Elite Athletic Development Group, speaker, and coach with a focus on enhancing mental strength and resilience.
  • Rennel Marshall: Mental Health Therapist at CHKD and Clinical Social Worker and Mental Health Coordinator at ODU.
  • Erin Sutton: Student-athlete at Kempsville High School.
  • Darryl Tapp – 12 year NFL veteran. Current Washington Commanders DL coach
  • Pete Zell: Teacher and Baseball Coach at Ocean Lakes High School.