By Ashanti Velez, October 28, 2025
Student athletes are pressured to perform at their highest both in and out of games, which can make it difficult for them to express their emotions or seek help when they need it most.
October is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. In spreading awareness, the CCAA hosted a “Why Mental Health Matters Day” Oct. 24. Cal Poly Pomona’s men’s and women’s soccer teams participated by sharing personal messages in signs each player made with why mental health matters to them.
The CCAA’s Instagram page featured these messages to bring attention to the mental wellness of student athletes.
“I’m learning to calibrate my emotions and not let basketball run how I feel, just in regular life,” said men’s basketball guard Zach Broadous. “I think that, yes, it’s great to care about the wins and losses, but at the same time, don’t let that kind of control your emotions. I’m really learning how to be the one to validate myself and just control my own emotions outside of the wins and losses.”
In the article “NCAA Student-Athletes: Fewer Mental Health Concerns Post-Pandemic,” a survey found that student-athletes are experiencing fewer mental health concerns than they did at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 23,000 student athletes participated in the study. Within men’s sports, 17% reported feeling overwhelmed, 25% said they felt down, and 16% felt mentally exhausted compared to a decrease of 22% from the previous year. The decrease in women was smaller, with 44% feeling overwhelmed and 35% feeling mentally exhausted, down from 38%.
Broadous, a senior at Cal Poly Pomona and men’s basketball guard, has played in 28 games and started in three. He has earned several academic honors throughout his time at CPP, including CCAA All-Academic, NABC Honors Court, and the CCAA Winter Academic Honor Roll in his previous year.
Zach Broadous shares that he often asks himself each week whether he still loves what he does, and up to this point, his answer remains yes. He states that the positives and negatives come in waves, but learning to regulate yourself through both highs and lows is important and if needed, taking a step away is also recommended.
Journaling for Broadous has been one of his most helpful tools for maintaining mental balance. He believes it’s a great way to put all his thoughts on paper and allows him to be authentic and honest with himself. By rereading and figuring out where he’s at, it helps to solve any problem he’s in by looking at the problem itself.
Sarah Ybarra, a women’s volleyball player at CPP, shared how injuries have significantly affected her mental health. She felt weird sitting on the sidelines instead of being on the court, where she has been all of her life.
For Ybarra, the physical recovery process was part of the challenge, but the mental toll of not being able to play the sport she loves weighed heavily on her mental state.
“Last spring, I had an injury where I was out for a good last third of our spring season, and I honestly didn’t really know what to do with myself or how I could help the team,” Ybarra said. “I was almost spiraling at a moment because even my grades weren’t doing too well at some point. I dug myself out of it, and I realized you are more than just an athlete. You are a person, and your feelings are valid. Find something that helps you find calm and helps you find your center.”
Ybarra continues to have a historic season this year, both personally and for CPP as she was recently named the CCAA Offensive Player of the week for the fifth time this season. Ybarra sets a new conference record for the most selections in a single season.
When Ybarra finds herself stressed between her accomplishments, she relies on a technique called box breathing.
“It’s where you inhale for four, exhale for four, and you inhale for four, hold it for four, exhale for four,” Ybarra said. “That’s just something that kind of like slows your heart rate down and kind of just like gives you a moment to just think about your breathing. That’s something that’s definitely helped me a lot.”
Demarreya Lewis-Cooper joined Cal Poly Pomona last year and plays as a guard for the men’s basketball team. He played and started in all 29 games for the Broncos and had a season high of 26 points last season against Stanislaus State.
He has earned several honors due to his accomplishments, including All-CCAA Second Team, CPP Athletics Male Newcomer of the Year, and Second Team All-CCAA. Lewis-Cooper values brotherhood within his team, keeping each other accountable and being there for one another.
“Realize why you started and lean on your people, coaches and your family,” Lewis-Cooper said. “If you have to take that time away from the sport, do it so that you get your mental health back to where it needs to be so you can be like the player that you want to be. You have to be confident, trust yourself and be able to have a good support system behind you. So, if you need to take that time, then do it.”
CPP offers Counseling and Psychological Services to support student well-being. These services are available in person at Building 66, Room 116, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or online at www.cpp.edu/caps/.
Feature graphic courtesy of Connor Lālea Hampton
