Notice
Changes in energy, mood, attendance or performance can be signals. You know your athletes; trust what you see.
Ask and listen
A private “How are you doing, really?” opens the door. Listen more than you speak, and resist fixing everything in the moment.
Refer
Know your department’s action plan and the names of your campus mental health staff. Help the athlete make the connection.
Follow up
Check in again. Consistency builds trust more than any single conversation.
Stay in your lane
Coaches are not therapists. Emotional Fitness education gives you language and habits for everyday conversations, while clinical care stays with licensed providers.