COACHING THE MIND

CHACHI SULLIVAN

• Athletics Counselor

Like many talented, young athletes, when ChaChi Sullivan headed to South Carolina State University to play football, his four-year plan was to play in the NFL. When that didn’t work out, his coach, who he says was like a father figure to him, convinced him to stay in school and get a master’s degree on top of his undergrad degree in kinesiology. A chance meeting with a professor led ChaChi to join the master’s program in counseling at the University of South Carolina. “I absolutely fell in love with it,” says ChaChi. At the time, he was also coaching football as a graduate assistant and had opportunities with several college programs and did an internship with the Carolina Panthers.

“But I found my real passion in counseling, and I spent 15 years in community-based adolescent programs, such as group homes. It’s tough work, but important work.”

In recognition of the growing mental health issues affecting today’s children—nationally and right here at Country Day—ChaChi was hired this past school year for a newly created counseling position specifically for athletics. His background helps him to connect with both coaches and athletes.

“As athletes mature, the improvement becomes less and less physical and more about mental head space.”

“There are a lot of things coming at young people today that coaches are not necessarily trained to see or equipped to manage,” says ChaChi. “If a young person has one really rough practice, well that happens. But if they’re having a really rough week, that’s an indicator for me that they may need a check-in,” explains ChaChi. “This role is important because it allows Country Day to be proactive versus reactive to a student’s needs.”

ChaChi says Country Day is ahead of the game in this area for a high school and models the approach of many professional teams. “There has always been support for the physical aspects of sports. If you need to get stronger, you go to the weight room; if you have an injury, you see the athletic trainers. But what’s the regimen for self-doubt, for performance anxiety, for worries about college? As athletes mature, the improvement becomes less and less physical and more about mental head space.”

For some student-athletes, a check-in with ChaChi may mean a 15-minute chat every few weeks or it may mean a weekly session for deep discussion. He has also created an inviting wellness space outside of his office in Bruton Smith Athletic Center to give students a place to come and just hang out. Students eat lunch and study there during the school day, and many teams use it for the pre-game meals and gatherings.

A positive ChaChi sees is the growing awareness and acceptance of counseling. “A generation ago, it would be taboo to be seen coming out of my office,” says ChaChi. “But students today often self-diagnose. They know that when they are stressed out, when they are feeling anxious, they can and should seek help.”

“Ultimately, we want these young people to leave Country Day with a well-rounded education and a well-rounded view of themselves.”