BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Patriot League and The Inclusion Playbook will observe Student-Athlete Wellbeing Week, beginning on Monday, Oct. 5 through Sunday, Oct. 11, with a series of initiatives designed to encourage conversations about student-athlete wellbeing and belonging.
The Patriot League’s member institutions have worked with The Inclusion Playbook to address the demands of being a student-athlete, from managing stress and information overload to setting boundaries and maintaining healthy support systems. Wellbeing Week will provide opportunities to normalize candid conversations about these pressures and more while exploring and identifying resources that promote wellbeing and belonging while creating balance across sport, school and life.
Patriot League Student-Athlete Wellbeing Week will be highlighted by a Leaguewide virtual panel discussion titled, “
Beyond the Game: Staying Grounded When the World Feels Heavy” on Thursday, Oct. 8. Boston University senior softball student-athlete Kyomi Apalit will join a panel that includes Dr. Ryan Sappington, a licensed sport psychologist from Loyola University Maryland and Liam Miranda from The Inclusion Playbook. Ashland Johnson, the Founder and President of The Inclusion Playbook, will moderate the discussion.
*REGISTER FOR THE DISCUSSION
“Student-athlete wellbeing is key to the experience that the Patriot League has long sought to create,” Patriot League Commissioner Jennifer Heppel said. “The demands of athletic competition, academics and life are as demanding as ever, and Student-Athlete Wellbeing Week gives us an opportunity to encourage open conversations and highlight the resources available to ensure our student-athletes are supported.”
During Wellbeing Week, Patriot League student-athletes will highlight the people, programs and traditions that support their wellbeing and a sense of belonging on their respective campuses through the League’s Campus Spotlight Series. Follow the Patriot League’s Campus Spotlight stories on Instagram (
@patriotleague) and X (
@PatriotLeague).
ABOUT THE INCLUSION PLAYBOOK
The Inclusion Playbook is a sports impact consultancy that empowers sports leaders to transform their communities
in and
through sports. The Inclusion Playbook was founded by Ashland Johnson-- a civil rights lawyer, sports equity strategist, and former Division I basketball player, who has over a decade of experience working at the intersection of sports and social justice.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.