WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - When William & Mary Athletics hired Deidre Connelly, Ph.D., more than three decades ago to be the school's first in-house sports psychologist, the university was one of only a handful of schools in this pioneering effort. Today, the NCAA mandates in-house mental health services.
 
"From the beginning, William & Mary has done an admirable job when it comes to mental health performance," said Dr. Connelly, who retired from W&M last year.  "If we teach student-athletes how to keep things in perspective, not just focusing on how they perform, it adds to their ability to handle whatever comes their way."
 
Since Dr. Connelly began her work at W&M, the discipline has made tremendous strides culminating with the recent dedication of the Dr. Deidre Connelly Mental Performance Suite in the Mackesy Sports Performance Center (the Mack). 
 
Long-time supporter Marc Elim and his wife Kirsten, both former Tribe student-athletes, provided the financial support for the new suite. "Kirsten and I are so honored to recognize Dr. Deidre Connelly for her three and half decades of dedicated work as the Director of Sport Psychology at William & Mary. Her positive impact on thousands of students-athletes at the University is invaluable and her contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic were especially crucial," Elim said. 
 
The new Dr. Deidre Connelly Mental Health Performance Suite is a testament to three wonderful people who have helped change Tribe Athletics for the better, said Brian D. Mann, Director of Athletics.  "First, it recognizes Deidre, an individual who has had a profound and positive impact on thousands of student-athletes at William & Mary, and secondly it is a magnificent example of Kirsten and Marc Elim's longstanding commitment to student-athlete welfare.  We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of them for what they have done for the Tribe."
 
Over the course of her long career, Dr. Connelly has witnessed many changes in sports psychology and in how mental health issues are addressed.  "When I started at William & Mary, much of sports psychology was theoretical so we needed to ask ourselves: How can we actually help student-athletes?"
 
A former student-athlete and coach herself, Dr. Connelly found that working closely with coaches, and having them publicly support her work, made it easier to gain the confidence of student-athletes.  "Head Football Coach Mike London gave me time during fall ball each year for mindfulness drills because it's always good to have another set of eyes on the student-athletes."
 
Zellessia Ejalonibu, MA, LCPC, or Miss Z as she is known, is the Tribe's Director of Mental Health and Performance, and says the sports medicine staff is solution-focused as they put both theories and skills to work in assisting student-athletes.  She joined W&M about a year ago and has already had a tremendous impact as she carries forward the legacy of emphasizing the importance of sports mental performance.  She sees student-athletes in the new Dr. Deidre Connelly Suite, where she treats three main areas—sport and performance issues, acute life situations and anxiety and depressive symptoms.
 
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and more people are now comfortable publicly addressing the issue.  Dr. Connelly and Ejalonibu agree the increased awareness is a positive development for student-athletes and coaches.  "People talk about it more and there is no stigma.  Plus, many Olympic athletes have been candid about the issue," said Dr. Connelly. 
 
"This generation is more open about talking about their struggles," agrees Ejalonibu.  "It's easier for them because there is more conversation about the issue. Social media is another way to share information."
 
All concur that more openness surrounding the issue is beneficial. "Mental health issues impact virtually everyone either directly, or through a family member/close friend. Mental challenges are not something to be ashamed of and I am proud to serve as a Board Member for NAMI  (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Virginia," says Elim.
 
After Elim's father was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder he lost his job with the State Department, which put a huge strain on his family financially and jeopardized his ability to stay in school.  "Fortunately, I had a network of support that allowed me to continue my education and obtain my degree. Meanwhile, my father received some great treatment and was years later able to get rehired by the government and make a valuable contribution to our society. I think of him as a hero."
 
Student-athletes are taking full advantage of the mental health services available to them, said Ejalonibu, and the staff is always ready to show up fully and "give them the grace and support they need."
 
Dr. Connelly, who still resides in Williamsburg, says that first step in seeking help is critically important and it's a lot easier if they know the people and the place. "I'm very honored to have my name on such a wonderful resource (the Dr. Diedre Connelly Suite for Mental Performance) for our student-athletes and I'm positive they will take full advantage of it.  I'm also very grateful to Marc for being such an advocate for mental health."
 
While W&M has long been at the forefront of providing outstanding services in sports performance and in mental health issues, Athletics continues to evolve in its approach to caring for its student-athletes, said AD Mann.  "We are launching a new model of care as we restructure our Sports Medicine department and we will continue to emphasize with our student-athletes and coaches the importance of paying attention to your physical and mental health."