Sayre girls soccer team raises mental health awareness

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) – The Sayre Spartans girls soccer team picked up a victory Wednesday – on and off the field.

Players wore shirts that read “Mental Health Matters” in support of a national organization called Morgan’s Message. The group’s goal is to erase the stigma surrounding mental health after the suicide of a lacrosse player in 2019. Sayre has a chapter at his school with 75 members.

“We’re just creating a community where we normalize the conversation about mental health, because it happens to a lot of people, especially in athletics,” team captain Avery Luring said.

Their opponent, Bourbon County, also wore these jerseys to warm up before the game.

“It’s really heartwarming, especially because the other team is into it, and our whole team and all our coaches, like it’s really a community and everyone is supporting the message,” the forward said Robin Lynch.

Lynch said many athletes feel like they can’t speak up when something is wrong.

“They feel like it’s embarrassing to talk about this or that they shouldn’t have these feelings, so they push them away, but it makes people realize that it’s okay to talk and that it’s a normal thing that a lot of people go through,” Lynch said.

To read more about Morgan’s message, click here.