Dr. Meredith Whitley, Professor of Sport-Based Youth Development at Adelphi University and a Research Fellow with the Centre for Sports Leadership at Stellenbosch University in South Africa will present a free webinar, “Changing the Game: Integrating Mental Health into Youth Sport Ecosystems”. Dr. Whitley summarizes her talk: “While sports offer tremendous opportunities for growth, physical health, and community, the modern youth sports environment has become increasingly intense and demanding. As overall youth mental health struggles rise nationwide, the pressure of year-round schedules, early specialization, and social media can make playing sports feel more overwhelming than rewarding. This lecture breaks down how sports culture has changed and introduces a clear, seven-part blueprint to create a healthier ecosystem for young athletes to build life skills while retaining their love for the game.” The presentation will be followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.

 

Dr. Whitley’s research reimagines advancing youth sport development from within for wider systemic change. Among other accomplishments, she recently served on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, & Nutrition Science Board. Dr. Whitley has designed, implemented, and evaluated sportbased programs, from school-based programs in Boston and San Francisco to community-based programs with refugee youth in Michigan, urban youth in New York, Xhosa youth in South Africa, and students in Nigeria. Most recently, she collaborated with Beyond Sport to assess an intervention designed to improve mental health outcomes for youth of color, LGBTQ+, and girls, and for the past two years, has led the development of the Mental Health Guidelines for Youth Sport across the United States.