The Hidden Opponent recently relaunched on Suffolk’s campus (courtesy of Avery Carvalho).
For many years, there has been a mental health movement that surrounds athletes, both men and women, in all sports. The Hidden Opponent is a step in the right direction with this movement as they advocate for the conversation, education and support of mental health with all athletes. Avery Carvalho, a former softball player at Suffolk University, recently started a new chapter on campus.
The Hidden Opponent was founded in 2017 by Victoria Garrick Browne, after giving a viral TED Talk regarding mental health among student-athletes. It is now a popular program that has different chapters at schools across the country, including Suffolk University. They have Campus Captains ambassadors at each school that represent the message of THO, which is what Cavallo is currently.
As a Campus Captain, Carvalho attends mental health-related seminars, completes multiple training sessions and acts as a leader and resource amongst the Suffolk community. She says these meetings and experiences allow her to be a more supportive peer, both now and going forward.
“When I leave Suffolk, I will leave a lasting impact on my community and carry my THO experience through my workplace and other areas of my life,” said Carvalho.
According to THO, there are 2,575 Campus Captain Student-Athlete ambassadors, with over 800 high schools and college campuses participating since they started the program five years ago. This speaks to the fame and success of the club and the positive effect it has had on student-athletes across the country.
Aside from the Campus Captain program, there is also one that focuses on authority figures in the world of athletics, called the Coaches and Professionals Program. This program is “focused on fostering support for the mental health of all members of the athletic community,” according to their website. This is important to many, as coaches play a big role in their athletes’ mental health, and if they are involved in that movement at the same time, it can make players feel more comfortable and confident during their sport.
Carvalho spoke to the importance of having a community like THO, as athletes can have a place to lean on each other.
“The Hidden Opponent offers another way for athletes and other members of Suffolk to create a stronger network, and work together to strengthen mental health awareness,” said Carvalho.
Being a full-time athlete, especially at the collegiate level, can be extremely challenging for many different reasons. Between constant practices and games, it can be both mentally and physically tiring.
Carvalho spoke to her personal experience with mental health as an athlete, since she has grown up playing multiple sports year-round since elementary school, into college, saying the high pressure and intense team environment can easily take a toll on mental health.
After she parted ways with the softball team, Carvalho was looking for ways to still participate in an athletic program and advocate for mental health, and THO was the perfect way to do that.
“After leaving the team, I was looking to put my energy towards something that I still knew the pressures and struggles of and somewhere that I could make a difference,” Carvalho said. “The Hidden Opponent offered a place and platform where I could be supported in my advocacy for student-athlete mental health.
According to Carvalho, the main goal for THO at Suffolk is to be able to attract long-term members to the chapter and host mental health awareness games in the spring with those teams.