O-K Red Tennis Rivals Team Up to Promote Mental Health Awareness
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
October 7, 2022
The Ottawa-Kent Conference Red boys tennis championship was decided Saturday, but all eight teams also teamed up for something bigger.
All participants from league members Caledonia, East Kentwood, Grand Haven, Grandville, Hudsonville, Jenison, Rockford, and Holland West Ottawa warmed up together, wearing special “be nice.” shirts in their respective school colors.
The Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan provides the be nice. program, with its mission to promote mental health awareness and prevent suicide through education with a four-step action plan (Notice, Invite, Challenge, Empower). Additionally, be nice. provides mental health awareness training to all head coaches of MHSAA-sponsored sport teams.
“Over the past four years, coaches have received mental health and suicide prevention education by learning the be nice. action plan through annual rules meetings. Now these coaches are bringing it to their athletes and parents,” said Christy Buck, executive director of the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan. “To see these coaches recognize the importance of having mental health discussions on their teams with their athletes gives me the chills. For the entire O-K Red, 140 coaches and athletes, to then take it a step further and bring awareness to their community is incredible. The information people received that day, without a doubt, started important conversations that will be life-changing for someone who was struggling, and that's what we're trying to do. The be nice. team program is simple, accessible, and it's going to save lives."
Leading up to the competition, every team had access to a be nice. team training that taught them to recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental illness and how to take action when they notice these changes. This program is a simple and effective way to empower coaches and athletes with a game plan for mental health concerns. Parents and spectators also were briefed on the be nice. action plan before the tournament began.
“Tennis is competitive and intense in the Red, but for the players and coaches, we see tennis as an extension of something bigger. It's about life, friendships, camaraderie, learning how to deal with adversity, learning how to lose, learning how to win, coming together as a family and creating collective goals,” said Rockford varsity tennis coach Tom Huizing. “Every day we try to live the be nice. way. Not only within our teams or within our conference, but within our lives outside of tennis.
“We've had many be nice. matches within the O-K Red, but now we wanted to set the standard as a conference and let everyone know that we are in this life together. We will notice, invite, challenge, and empower. All of us, not just one player or one coach or one team. Every player, every coach, every team. We want to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. So that's what we're doing on the biggest stage for our tennis conference. We are coming together at the O-K Red Conference finals and we are making a pact as an entire conference to be nice.”
Hudsonville and West Ottawa ended the season as co-champions of the O-K Red.
PHOTO The O-K Red brought together 140 athletes and coaches for its boys tennis championship tournament and also in an effort to bring awareness through the be nice. program. The entire group is pictured above, and the coaches below. (Photo courtesy of be nice.)
Adjust Your Workout When Gym Isn't Option
April 6, 2020
Henry Ford Health System
Feeling at a loss about not being able to stick to your normal workout routine? You’re not alone.
Social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in people all over the world having to adjust their schedules to accommodate working from home, schooling and caring for kids, and finding ways to maintain as much of a “normal” schedule as possible.
As a result, many people are struggling to figure out how to get a good workout in without the help of gym equipment or a personal trainer.
“Anxiety over the current situation can add to a lack of motivation to work out,” says Brianna Gauna, an athletic trainer for Henry Ford Health System. “But just remember how beneficial it is to move your body, even if it is just around the house.”
How a Routine Change Affects Your Body
If you are used to working out every day or going hard at the gym on a regular basis, a short rest period from your routine might have its advantages.
“Taking time to rest can actually be a really good thing because it allows your body to recover,” says Gauna. “You might even start to see more muscle tone set in as you give your body a break.”
On the other hand, if you usually work out a few times throughout the week and suddenly stop, the results may cause negative effects. You may experience:
- Increased resting heart rate
- Less energy
- Change in mood or emotions
- Loss of sleep
How to Work Out at Home
Being stuck at home is not an excuse to skip a daily workout. Everyone works out a little differently, and there are plenty of options for you to stay active and try out new forms of exercise.
“Whether you are used to strength training or cardio, think about what your fitness goals are and choose activities based on what you’d like to achieve,” says Gauna.
Here are some ideas to keep you and your family active:
1. Yoga. Practicing yoga requires a great deal of muscle strength and balance. It is best for a full body workout. Look to YouTube or free apps on your phone for beginner workout videos that you can follow along.
2. HIIT workouts. These workouts are best for getting your heart pumping and increasing your stamina. Try choosing four exercises from the following list. (Search YouTube or Google for examples if you are not sure what each of these entails.) Do one exercise at a time for 30 seconds and then give yourself 20 seconds of rest before moving on to the next exercise. After you get through one rotation of those exercises, repeat three more times.
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Lunges
- Burpees
- Mountain climbers
- Glute bridges
3. Running or walking. Many apps allow you to track your run on a map, so you can plan out your route in your own neighborhood. This allows you to adjust how far you run or how much time you have for a run. A brisk walk through the neighborhood also works.
4. Biking. Biking is a great low-impact workout that works to engage and tone leg muscles. (Remember to wear a helmet!)
5. Team sports. If you are looking for something to engage you and your family, team sports are the way to go. Kick a soccer ball around, try to race through an obstacle course while dribbling a basketball or take turns throwing a football. If you don’t have the equipment, try playing keep-away with a stuffed animal or set up a relay race.
Exercise by Age and Fitness Level
The younger you are, chances are you have a faster metabolism. If you can’t get to a gym, think about how active you usually are and gauge the length of your workout from there.
If you are using this time to get started on your fitness journey, use these recommendations as a starting point:
Ages 7-17: 1-2 hours. Athletes that are used to going to weekly practices may find that two-hour workouts are more suitable.
Ages 18-30: About an hour. Look for times throughout the day that you can squeeze in workouts. Maybe you do yoga in the morning, a HIIT workout in the afternoon and a walk after dinner.
Ages 31-49: About a half hour. If you have children or a pet, you may find that you are already spending more time being active than this!
Ages 50 and up: At least 10-15 minutes. Gauge this based on your own abilities. You may live a more active lifestyle that allows you to be very active throughout the day. If you find yourself struggling to meet this mark, consider a walk during the day or stretches in the morning.
Once you get a regular fitness routine in place, work your way up to longer or more intense workouts to keep yourself challenged.
Making Your Own Equipment
If you have a treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical machine at home, now is the time to clear off the laundry it may have been collecting. If you don’t have access to weights or other gym equipment, though, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a quality workout. Look for things around your house that you can use in their place – get creative!
- Bags of beans, rice or pet food as added weight for squats or lunges
- Old books/textbooks as dumbbells
- A chair for triceps dips, calf raises or for stability during yoga
- Stairs to run sprints or to help you stretch out leg muscles
When your day-to-day routine is shaken up, do what you can to create normalcy in your life. If you find you have more free time throughout the day, take that time to get moving – even if it’s running up and down the stairs or going for a walk around the block.
“Don’t worry about feeling silly for switching up your routine,” adds Gauna. “Whether that’s using a random object for added weight during a workout or trying to remember how to ride a bike again on your street, think about yourself and your fitness goals first. Don’t let thoughts of what other people think of you get in the way of you reaching your goals!”
Want to learn more? Henry Ford Health System sports medicine experts are treating the whole athlete, in a whole new way. From nutrition to neurology, and from injury prevention to treatment of sports-related conditions, they can give your athlete a unique game plan.
Visit henryford.com/sports or call (313) 972-4216 for an appointment within 24 business hours.
PHOTOS: (Clockwise from left) MHSAA Student Advisory Council members Abigail Pheiffer of Novi, Lydia Davenport of Ithaca and Trevin Phillips of Caro will be working to stay in shape while staying home these next many weeks.