Mental Health Training for Coaches: A Policy, Practice, and Research Commentary

Abstract

This commentary bridges policy, practice, and research to provide an update on the status of mental health education and training for coaches, specifically those in K-12 educational settings. Our aim is to discuss current needs regarding student-athlete mental health and advocate one way to strengthen our response is to ensure coaches are trained and prepared to go beyond the “X’s and O’s.” We sought to advance the conversation on training coaches by mapping the current policy landscape of coach training and education in the U.S. regarding mental health, summarizing best practices for developing mental health trainings, and outlining opportunities for future research. For sport social workers, understanding the landscape across policy, practice, and research can help us work toward the mission of promoting individual and community well-being through partnerships between social work and athletics.