Gophers can relate to Iowa player Patrick McCaffery's battle with mental health issues

Gophers forward Jamison Battle had empathy for Patrick McCaffery when he saw that his former AAU teammate was taking a leave of absence last month from the Iowa men's basketball team.

McCaffery, the son of Hawkeyes coach Fran McCaffery, needed time to deal with anxiety that affected his performance on the court. Like many college athletes, Battle understands that mental health is something many of them need help to maintain during the season.

"Patrick had a lot of stuff going on, and taking a step back from basketball was huge for him," Battle said. "Shoutout to him for doing that because in the end, you have to make sure you're OK before anything."

Nearly a month later, McCaffery returned to the Hawkeyes, contributing to three wins in the last four games entering Sunday's game at Williams Arena. The Gophers (7-15, 1-11 Big Ten) are back from a COVID-19 pause.

How athletes handle mental health has become more public in some cases recently. Battle's ex-DeLaSalle teammate Tyrell Terry, a former Stanford and NBA guard, announced on social media in December that he was quitting professional basketball because of anxiety. Terry is 22 years old.

Five years ago, former Timberwolves star Kevin Love chronicled his decades-long battle with anxiety and depression in a Players' Tribune essay. Before that, former Hopkins standout Royce White went on a mission to raise awareness about the anxiety disorder that derailed his NBA career after he starred at Iowa State.

"That's something a lot of people don't really know because athletes are put on such a pedestal," Battle said. "People don't always look at what the mental health factors are."

The Gophers are among many athletic programs across the country emphasizing mental health awareness and expanding resources on campus. About 55% of Gophers athletes competing in 2021-22 used those resources during their career, according to Dr. Carly Anderson, the U's director of sports psychology services.

"The training demands of being an athlete, injuries and the pressure with all of that can really become quite overwhelming at times," Anderson said. "The pandemic didn't help anyone's mental health in general. But the access to mental health [services] in athletics has continued to increase every year."

Anderson said all 21 Gophers sports teams meet with sports psychology staff members before the season. They're all encouraged to seek more information or schedule personal sessions if needed.

"I really want to emphasize that it's something to be extremely proud of," Anderson said. "Sometimes we get fixated on mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse and trauma, which of course are there.

"The mental wellness includes the performance, psychology and mental side of their sport or game. Things like focus, imagery, communication, confidence and leadership."

Gophers coach Ben Johnson, who has been challenged with navigating a team through a seven-game losing streak, says too much social media isn't healthy, win or lose. He expressed to his players not to dwell on praise or criticism.

"I put myself in the same boat," Johnson said. "It is a battle, and you can't protect them. We don't have a Twitter ban or anything like that. We just talk to them about that fans want to win and are passionate."

Battle, who played with McCaffery on D1 Minnesota's AAU team, has gone through personal adversity this season. An All-Big Ten preseason selection, he worked hard to recover after missing the first four games following foot surgery, but there have not just been physical setbacks.

"If you're not doing well mentally, then you're not going to perform well," Battle said. "When I've had issues with mental health, I tried to face it on my own, but in reality there were so many people willing to help you, have advice for you and have so much insight."

On Jan. 29, McCaffery played in his first game in 28 days, a 93-82 win against Rutgers at home. Hawkeyes fans gave him a standing ovation when he entered the game.