Big Ten cancels organized team activities through June 1, increases mental health focus
Penn State Athletics will go at least another month without holding practices.
The Big Ten extended its suspension of organized team activities in athletics through June 1.
The conference announced the decision with a press release Monday morning, the same day its extended cancellation was set to come to an end. The Big Ten previously canceled all conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the 2019-20 academic year, which includes spring sports that have a schedule that extends beyond the academic calendar.
Coaching staffs are also prohibited from recruiting on or off campus for the foreseeable future as the Big Ten and other conferences work to manage athletics through the challenges of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Big Ten is taking the time it has without athletics to communicate with medical experts with the hope of determining the next steps the conference must take.
“The main priority of the Big Ten Conference is to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty, fans and media as we continue to monitor all developing and relevant information on the COVID-19 virus,” the statement read.
Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour previously said Penn State football would need 60 days to prepare for the season. That would mean practice would need to be allowed by July 7 to allow the Nittany Lions to prepare for their Sept. 5 season opener against Kent State. If the Big Ten continues to cancel practices month-by-month, it would be able to extend its cancellation one more time before the football season would be in jeopardy.
Big Ten increases mental health efforts
The conference also announced an increased dedication to the mental well-being of student-athletes, coaches, full-time athletic department staffers and conference staff Monday afternoon.
The Big Ten initiative included the formation of the Big Ten Mental Health and Wellness Cabinet, which includes representatives from all 14 Big Ten institutions, as well as sport affiliate members Johns Hopkins (women’s and men’s lacrosse) and Notre Dame (men’s hockey).
All Big Ten student-athletes, coaches, full-time members of university athletic departments and conference staff members will also receive free, unlimited access to Calm, a mental fitness app for helping individuals experience lower stress, less anxiety, improved focus and more restful sleep.
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said the mental well-being of those associated with the conference has been at the forefront of his mind since he was hired in June 2019.
“This is a complex and stressful time in our society and the mental health and wellness of our Big Ten family is a critical component of our focus,” Warren said. “The cabinet will be instrumental for us both short and long term, as we pursue our goal of creating and maintaining the most comprehensive mental health and wellness platform in college athletics.”
Penn State will have two members of its athletic department represented in the cabinet, Dr. Natalie Hernandez Depalma, assistant director of clinical services, and Dr. Carl Ohlson, assistant athletic director, performance psychology.
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 3:03 PM.
