For all the college football fans who watched the game between Colorado Rams and the Colorado Buffalos, there was a devastating moment with Henry Blackburn offering a last minute hit that terribly injured Travis Hunter.
As a therapist and Life Coach, all kinds of questions entered my mind.
Is emotional intelligence taught in football?
Does anything trigger in the mind of players when the whistle blow?
If a player struggles with emotion regulation and brings his anger to the football field, is he not a risk to others and himself?
How does the response of fans impact the game?
Who help manage the mental health of the players as they endure life situations, injuries, death and threats?
Football is obviously one of the most dangerous sports young men can play. But, it also offers lessons in teamwork, channeling negative and positive energy and respect for leadership.
The hospitalization of Travis Hunter was devastating and should be taken seriously for the following reasons:
Travis plays two positions: cornerback and wide receiver.
He will miss a few games to heal from an internal injury.
There are conversations regarding him being a Heisman Trophy recipient.
According to ESPN, there were death threats toward Henry Blackburn, which are not condoned in any way.
It was also obvious that his headspace was more charged by adrenaline than following the rules of football. So again, my question is where is the training to hear the whistles, warnings sounds or simply to not run out of bounds after a play (side eye).
My recommendations:
All football players, should receive some sort of counseling if they struggle with emotion-regulation.
Illegal hits should not only have a penalty, but mandatory therapy for the hitter.
When there is reconciliation, make it public to help calm the angry fans.
Don't glorify illegal hits by continuously replaying it (I understand that people want to see what happened in detail. It also boosts the ratings. I get it. But who wants the constant reminder of getting injured?) 🤷🏽♀️
The illegal hitter should have to serve the injured in some way. Not only will pride be challenged, but it can serve as a gentle reminder to keep emotions in check and to play fairly.
For more information and updates regarding Travis Hunter or Colorado vs. Colorado, visit ESPN.com.