In the fall of last year, Notre Dame sophomore Jon-David Regis started “Regis Reflections,” a podcast that provides a space for student-athletes to discuss mental health on and off the field.
“At first, athletes are looking to keep it all on the court, keep it all on the field. A lot of them, I found, are not comfortable enough speaking out about mental health. So it's about making it open, that sort of safe space for people to talk it out. And once you see one person do it that leads the rest of people to start taking that leap of faith and trust,” Regis said.
The podcast was inspired by Regis’ background growing up around sports — one of his parents was a professional athlete — and his own experience with mental health at Notre Dame. As a Film, Television, and Theatre student, Regis credits his motivation to the discussions he has with athletes and students alike in his classes.
“We’re in a new year and new generation. We're starting to realize that mental health is very crucial. And then a lot of people look at athletes and see them sometimes on a pedestal. A lot of people don't realize they go through the same things,” Regis said.
While the podcast is still fairly new, Regis has already interviewed several Notre Dame student-athletes to share their perspectives.
“People see the good about it, they see the praise, they see the accolades. They think that we have it all, in reality it can be really hard. It’s hard to be a student-athlete in general. On your body. On your mind. You’re being constantly exhausted,” Charity Mcdowell, a senior on the volleyball team, said.
Athletes come on the podcast and talk about the challenges of balancing academics and athletics.
“The competition is next level. The expectations at Notre Dame are like no other. The schooling here is difficult, you have to focus on every little detail. It’s a lot more challenging to focus on soccer when you have to focus on school as much as you do at Notre Dame. But it prepares you for the next level of life and prepares you to do well in the future,” said junior Cleveland Sellers, a junior on the men’s soccer team.
Regis said he hopes to demonstrate to his listeners the importance of showing and discussing emotions as opposed to hiding them, encouraging his guests to do the same.
“You walk into a top institution and it feels like you’re not as good anymore. It was really anxiety-inducing. I was terrified. It came down to me not believing I belonged here. I felt like I was in this glass box where I could see everything I ever wanted but I couldn’t feel any of it. I could see it all but I couldn’t enjoy any of it,” Mcdowell said.
Through the discussions, the interviewees share advice on their mindsets and motivations.
“It’s just trying to push through everything but at the same time taking care of my mental health. Taking care of my body. Taking breaks. It’s a tough balance, but I feel like you’ve got to push through at the end, you’ve just gotta keep going even when it’s mentally tough because it’s always gonna be like that in life,” Sellers said.
Looking to the future, Regis said he plans on continuing to expand the reach of his podcast, interviewing student-athletes of all classes and sports across campus as well as students pursuing other rigorous paths. Regis said he hopes to one day interview professionals in athletic industries to continue to build this platform.
Regis ends every episode with eight words.
“It’s okay to not be okay. You matter.”
Editor’s Note: Jon-David Regis occasionally writes for The Observer’s sports department.
