It was a no-brainer in her mind to honor former Duke womens lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers who lost her life to suicide in July 2019. Zempolich coached with Rodgers that summer, and she seemed better than before. Its okay to not be okay, Callahan reiterates. We do not support Internet Explorer. I hope that it will allow those students who are struggling with mental health to feel more comfortable in reaching out for help. Shes someone that was always dancing or messing around and was kind of a forever young spirit. Harney said shes seen many people in her network struggle with mental health not only during their time as athletes, but with what comes after. Be it body image, self-esteem, or dealing with being sidelined by an injury, I've been through it all, and I know how hard it can be to open up and talk about it. My team had lost Morgan, who was a friend and a teammate to us and that was really really difficult, so I always thought naming it after Morgan would be something I would really really appreciate and wanted to do just because Morgan spent a lot of time at Duke and was very close to people on the team and at Duke itself, Callahan said. How could I miss these signs? Don't knowingly lie about anyone As someone who's been playing competitive sports their whole life, I've most definitely had my struggles with mental health, both on and off the field. Throughout, you will see Morgan alongside her family Dona (Mom), Aberle (Twin Sister), Kurt (Dad), Austin (Brother) , and Cash (Pup) closest friends, and teammates. Whether its the good or the bad I want my girls when they move on to know this is a life thing, you play for me in high school, but now were connected for life, she said. Morgan Rodgers, a 22-year-old former Duke student and womens lacrosse player, died on Thursday, July 11, 2019, the school announced on Friday. I was like, Hell yeah, Morgan is back.. Active license number of Morgan W Rogers as General Low 48F. Morgan's Message is an organization named for Duke lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers which aims to destigmatize mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. I was investing so much of my worth in lacrosse.. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. She ultimately left the team. But inside, Rodgers was often singing a different, darker tune. Great Eats Its really hard to put into words how special its been to see something I had a very small part in getting started grow into something that so many people seek a lot of advocacy through. The 22-year-old was a psychology major from Warrenton, Virginia. From there, word has gotten out, thanks to social media. Ambassadors can reach back out to Dona for presentations on a variety of topics, We supply ambassadors with science-based, factual information and then encourage conversation, she said of the support the organization lends. Callahan credits the support from Zeplin and the university, for allowing her to flourish on and off the field. WebMorgan's Message is a non-profit organization created in memory of Morgan Rodgers. Greater Massapequa, Greater Smithtown Morgan's story is tragic and painful, but sadly, Among athletes with known mental health conditions, only 10% seek care from a mental health professional, according to the ACSM. In her honor, her family started Morgans Message, a But theres so much more to them as people too. This council is formed from a pair of leadership surveys, which quantify qualities of a leader, taken by each player. I think I lot of times we tie in our identity to just who we are as an athlete and the whole message is that youre more than just an athlete.. Morgan Rodgers, a former varsity lacrosse player at Duke, died Thursday night. She was dodging and stepped the wrong way, Zempolich recalled. We were told she would be cleared to play in about a year and we all felt that that was a realistic goal, said her mother. This story originally appeared in the 14.7 Issue of GoDuke The Magazine February 2023. [02:12] She sustained an injury during a lacrosse practice at Duke University in January 2017; following surgery and six weeks of no-weight bearing recovery, she began the long process of physical therapy. She was so excited, and we all sighed a breath of relief, thinking she was going to overcome this, recalled her mom. The NCAA found that during the coronavirus pandemic, student-athletes' mental health was even negatively affected, with students reporting stress due to academic concerns, lack of access to their sport, financial worries and COVID-19 health concerns. 5816 Wellington RoadGainesville, VA 20155, Morgans Message is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Ambassadors Spreading Awareness - Dedication Game Pictures, 2022 Inaugural Mo Madness Youth Lacrosse Tournament. Digital and Print Subscription memberships available. On college campuses in the United States, around 30% of women and 25% of men who are student-athletes report having anxiety, according to data shared by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Stuck at home away from friends, the sport and teammates she loved and having unexpected free time on her hands, Callahan heard and felt the need for a mental health advocacy group for Duke student-athletes. High school and college teams around the country have hosted games in honor of Morgans Message to raise awareness for mental health. For confidential support available 24/7 for everyone in the United States, call 1-800-273-8255. Youre almost in a pressure cooker where you are going to blow if you dont get the support for what you are feeling.. This time, Morgan chose to suffer in silence, keeping family and friends in the dark as she battled her mental health. A few miles southeast of Warrenton off Meetze Road is the Central Fauquier Sports Complex. Jean-Paul Christophe '00 helps Exeter honor its veterans. Playing a sport in college, honestly, feels like playing fruit ninja with a butter knife, Bracken wrote. She had gone to therapy for anxiety in high school. In July 2020, Morgans Message was launched to honor the life of local student-athlete and youth coach Morgan Rodgers, who took her life in July 2019. When Zempolich learned the devastating news over text, she didnt believe it. I wondered if shed ask what happened and what went wrong., We were sitting around, and we were like, Something needs to be done. I was so sad that Morgan passed. Morgan was one of my travel team coaches for Cardinals girls lacrosse. SinceMorganwent to Kettle Run, I was really interested in becoming an ambassador with my close friends, helping break the stigma around mental health, and starting up a chapter at school. We heard a pop. And then right when you go into corporate America and youre just like every single other person and you dont have sports being such a big confidence driver for you.. There are now 950 ambassadors. For more on Morgans Message, please visit their website. FAIRMONT, W.Va. Fairmont Seniors Morgan Rogers signed with the Davis and Elkins womens lacrosse team on Wednesday. Motivation, confidence, intensity, focus and mind state the five mental muscles psychologists believe are essential for athletes to perform their best. I like just getting to know them and who they are as an individual and how their daily life affects them.. She was granted medical leave by the university. Don't Threaten. This semester alone, multiple student-athletes have died by suicide, including Binghamton University goalie Robert Martin. Greater Babylon She was able to run, but not at full speed and wasnt cleared to play, said her mother. [CDATA[ WebConcluded her prep career with a total of 303 goals, 63 assists, 228 ground balls, 460 draw controls and 115 caused turnovers in 56 games Served as captain of the U15 national While she presented a strong, happy, and resilient face to her community, she grappled with feeling that she was not living up to her expectations. Morgan Rodgers - Warrenton, Virginia , Moser Funeral Home - Memories wall Sign In BROUGHT TO YOU BY Moser Funeral Home Morgan D. Rodgers Warrenton, Virginia May 27, 1997 - July 11, 2019 Tribute Wall Obituary & Events Share a memory Send Flowers Share a memory of Morgan D. Rodgers. -- Abigail Beattie, Kettle Run High School. We hope that you enjoy our free content. Great Jobs, Food + Drink, Greater Ronkonkoma, Greater Smithtown, New LI Restaurants, Food + Drink, Greater Babylon, Greater Lindenhurst, New LI Restaurants, Food + Drink, Greater Patchogue, New LI Restaurants, Food + Drink, Greater Port Jefferson, Greater Rockville Centre, Greater Roslyn, New LI Restaurants, Food + Drink, Greater Huntington, New LI Restaurants, News, Mito Asian Fusion to open in former P.F. Winds light and variable. La Canada Unified is seeking a walk-on coach experienced in coaching lacrosse for the high school girls varsity team. Morgan Rodgers, a former varsity WebMorgan Rodgers (2015, lacrosse) has committed to Duke University. After visiting the grave, Dona Rodgers invited her back to the house. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, In her letter, Bracken mentions college athletes like Stanford University soccer star Katie Meyer and Duke University lacrosse player Morgan Rodgers, both of whom died by suicide at the age of 22. Months later the pilot for a campus ambassador program of Morgans Message was born. You as a human being are so valued and so loved and you are worth all the diamonds and gold in the whole entire world just being you. She sustained an injury during a lacrosse practice at Duke University in January 2017; following surgery and six weeks of no-weight bearing recovery, she began In addition to undergoing surgery and rehabilitation, the young woman struggled with loss of control over her life and her self-worth plummeted. She was no longer a senior, having taken a semester off and was more than a junior. I want people to know that seeking help does not make you weak, but makes you so strong. Click here to sign up for email and text alerts. Were doing so much, yet it feels like so little sometimes because people are still passing and Im sure there are more people we dont hear about because they dont get publicity.. Click 'Get Started' to proceed. She spent the next 12 months determined to return to the field, undergoing surgery and dedicating herself to an intensive rehabilitation program. But also she was incredibly athletic and talented and gifted. Research suggests student-athletes are more likely to experience mental health issues like anxiety and depression than the general population. Learn More. The 2018 election through then Republican candidate Mark Harris' eyes. Her dream came true in the fall of 2014 when she accepted an offer to play for the Duke University Womens Lacrosse Team. Dedicated to sharing the stories of Duke student-athletes, present and past, GoDuke The Magazine is published for Duke Athletics by LEARFIELD with editorial offices at 3100 Tower Blvd., Suite 404, Durham, NC 27707. She didnt want to speak poorly of anyone, so she buried the pain. She would be like, What do you want? And Id be like, My mom makes this Ramen crunchy salad. I was like, No she was so good. ", I want other coaches to just say, 'Hey, how can I be here for you?,' because I never ever want a coach or a parent or teammate to see a situation like Katie Meyer [or] Morgan Rogers and say, 'I wish I had done more, she told "GMA. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Her cause of death does not appear to be suspicious. She ranked second on the team in points with six goals and five assists through her first three starting assignments. She always knew about the best new tracks and was essentially the locker room DJ as a player on the womens lacrosse team at One turf field is named Morgan D. Rodgers Field, in honor a Fauquier hometown athlete who loved her community and her sport. MORE: Ginger Zee on how she overcame the stigma of mental health to talk about suicide, therapy In her letter, Bracken mentions college athletes like Stanford We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Morgans Message is always looking for new ambassadors. I knew that I wanted to be a part ofMorgans Message because I think mental health is often overlooked, and people often feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help, and I want to help change that. Greater Long Beach She was so full of laughter and could always make us smile. Players will don Morgans Message tees. Your donation will help us continue to improve our journalism through in-depth local news coverage and expanded reader engagement. I think thats one of the things I love about Morgans Message it allows people to get involved in the student-athlete community in a way thats very beneficial for their peers and for themselves.. In January 2017, just before the beginning of her sophomore season, Morgan endured a dream-shattering knee injury. Both Cornell and Jacksonville raised money and awareness for Morgan's Message at the game. T Tribute Store July 4, 2020 Chance of rain 80%. So, while Callahan and the Blue Devils flex their muscles against their opponents over the next few months, lets all take a cue from Callahan and use perhaps our most important muscle the heart to show we care and that its okay to ask for help from others. A podcast where we share stories about the mental health journeys of fellow athletes. WebThe official 2016 Women's Lacrosse Roster for the Duke University Morgan Rodgers. On the field, Callahan is exuding a level of confidence and comfort to match her intensity. As a result, Morgans self-worth plummeted. Former Duke Women's Lacrosse Player Dies. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Join us for this very special game tomorrow at Koskinen Stadium at 1 p.m. pic.twitter.com/uDYxN6hYCF, I have a lot of great outlets, Callahan said. or anything. We are heavy on female representatives, but do have a several male students representing lacrosse, football, track and field, baseball and basketball.. But Zempolich thinks its less about athletics and more about peoples expectations of themselves. Morgan Rodgers, a 22-year-old former Duke student and womens lacrosse player, died on Thursday, July 11, 2019, the school announced on Friday. Being an ambassador forMorgans Message has meant so much to me. Finally, as the one-year anniversary of Rodgers death crept up, she decided she wanted to visit the gravesite. She had to learn and pay her dues. She ranked second on the team in points with six goals and five assists through her first three starting assignments. As a person with ADHD, Callahan understands it is important to stimulate herself with something interesting to keep her mind working. Plant a tree We put together a playlist of songs that reminded us of Morgan, or are Morgans favorite jams. Zempolich went to therapy, sometimes multiple times per week, to work through her pain. Zempolich was out with a hip injury at the same time. Greater Oyster Bay Greater Farmingdale Dona Rodgers said, The first ambassadors were people who knew Morgan and maybe had her as a coach in school. She missed all of the 2017 season due to a career injury. I heard aboutMorgans Message through social media when they first started. The Duke coach had seen the effect of athletic injuries hundreds of times and knew that Morgans mental well-being needed to be considered. ?Our game tomorrow is dedicated to Morgan Rodgers and @MorgansMessage. People always have time for you. Rodgers had level-three tears in her ACL and MCL. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. accounts, the history behind an article. Thats having a better understanding of and acceptance of you and your strengths and also an understanding you dont have to be someone youre not. With a year under her belt, she had her eye on a larger role as a sophomore. Unable to give up the sport she loved and shined at for so long, she started playing club. I want there to be grace on all ends. This year she scored the highest on the team and I think the areas she scores the highest in are that she cares so incredibly much for her teammates and that she has great relationships with her teammates as well as her coaches, Kimel said. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Click 'View all rates' below to see our online subscription options. A tenacious individual, she gave 100 percent of herself to every passion, project and person she encountered. One story originally told on the podcast by Vanderbilt attacker Cailin Bracken turned into a viral written piece that was re-published with permission on the USA Lacrosse Magazine website this spring and made it all the way to the popular morning program Good Morning America.. We recommend switching to Chrome, Firefox, and/or Safari for not only IWLCARecruits, but for all websites. Bracken said that it is because of the support of her team and coaches that she was able to return to the field, writing, "I was able to navigate my way out of the darkness instead of letting it consume me. When she arrived in Durham, Zempolich said she seemed bubbly but a little frustrated by her lack of playing time during fall ball and the spring of her freshman year. It was never something that we thought was a problem. Morgans Message is clear: as an athlete, there is no shame in seeking physical healthcare -- the same should be true for mental healthcare. Discussions sounded off on the international stage last year when decorated Olympian Simone Biles pulled herself out of the U.S. team gymnastics finals in the 2021 Tokyo Games to safeguard her mental wellness. Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. When her students graduate, whether they keep up with the sport or not, the coach want them to know she still values them and that shes just a call away. Sure enough, Id show up, and shed be like, I think I have it. Prior to the start of each game, both teams gathered for brief remarks and a moment of silence in Rodgers' memory. I decided to become an ambassador because I wanted to give other athletes the kind of outlet I wish I had access to earlier. ", "I had a father reach out to me and telling me that after reading the essay, he drove two-and-a-half hours to his daughter's lacrosse practice and waited outside to give her a hug," said Bracken. M 5'4" Fr. Despite the challenges in her life, never had Morgan been so optimistic about her future as a Blue Devil. As a result, Morgan died by suicide July 11, 2019 at the age of 22. The 2022 Inaugural Mo Madness Youth Lacrosse Tournament is now complete and we extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who turned out for a day of fun competition as well as raising awareness about student-athlete mental health. She was very funny, she was an absolute goofball, Harney said of her friend. Shes had a really nice steady incline into a really large role on our team. They may make it look easy. Get the latest news, sports and weather delivered straight to your inbox. Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions enter here to gain access. Thank you! So Im very appreciative of the coaches I have and the support system we have at Duke and beyond.. Im very proud to be a part ofMorgans Message, and to share it at Liberty [High School] and in college next year. Music was a big part of her life and continues to make us smile thinking about her leading us to the dance floor. 2016 (Stats): Appeared in the season opener against Campbell (2/4) ACC Academic Honor Roll. Thats something I had to learn as a freshman, that its okay to lean on the other people around you and that youre never a burden. For the best experience, we recommend. 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