By Dr. Ruth Ann Tetz, Sports Psychologist for The University of Toledo Department of Athletics
March 18, 2020

"I feel like the world is coming to a halt."

One of the last observations I heard from a UToledo student-athlete was simply put and
powerful. The coronavirus COVID-19 has forced each of us to change what, in the past, we thought were the
most stable things in our lives ­­— who we are, what we do, where we live, and what we can expect to
happen. 

For each of our student-athletes, there was an expectation of finishing the season ­­— for some,
their final seasons. The grind of going to classes, studying, writing papers, meeting cohorts
and finishing projects was all made easier by hanging out with teammates and other students.
Dorm rooms, apartments and houses might have been annoying at times, but it was home.
And the structure of conditioning, practice, rehab, and games all gave a sense of purpose. It's
why you worked so hard when you were younger and felt such a sense of accomplishment
when you were recruited and moved to Toledo to begin your college career.

There is a lot that has changed. Change cannot be controlled and we can't return to an
earlier time where we knew the rules, and that can be stressful for some and overwhelming for
others. While we cannot control what happens, we do have control over our reactions to what
happens and that is where we can regain our power!

Because we have never lived through a time like this, fear and uncertainty are
commonplace. But think about all of the times you faced novel situations. When you moved
into organized sports — junior varsity, club sports, varsity and then becoming part of a Division-I team, you
didn't know that you would be successful. Yet each time you were! This is another opportunity
to show yourself and those you care about that you can rise above the circumstances and be
successful.

We will explore how to deal with these challenges in a healthy way. This will be an
ongoing process and your input will be helpful in ordering how these are presented. Although
UToledo student-athletes might be scattered around the world, you are still part of the Rocket team, and together
you are stronger than if you had to do this alone. So until next time, here's a homework
assignment: pay attention to each time that you realize that you are successfully rising above
these circumstances. If you want to really get the full benefit of this homework, start writing
these down. As you look over calendar of notes detailing your successes, you will feel stronger
and more in control. 

Give it a try!

Go Rockets!

NOTE: Dr. Tetz will be sending regular communications to Rocket student-athletes throughout the current health crisis.


Previous Rocket Blogs
A Note From the Athletic Director: Stay Strong Rocket Nation! (March 17, 2020)
How Can We Live Without Sports? For Now, We Must (March 14, 2020)
They Call it March Madness for a Reason (March 10, 2020)
Networking Connects Student-Athletes to Potential Futures Outside of Their Sport (Feb. 28, 2020)
The Battle Against Breast Cancer is Everyone's Fight (Feb. 20, 2020)
Organ Donation is the Greatest Gift You Can Give (Feb. 12, 2020)
Rockets Keep Winning the Recruiting War (Feb. 6, 2020)
Candle's assistant coach hires are great news for the Rockets (Jan. 31, 2020)