The Whitman Varsity and JV Field Hockey teams donned special T-shirts and proudly hosted their 3rd Annual “Morgan’s Message” Dedication Game at Walt Whitman High School on Friday, October 2, 2026.

This game is not about raising money; it's about raising awareness, breaking the stigma around mental health, and reminding every student-athlete that their value extends far beyond the field. Athletes are culturally conditioned to be “tough,” often making them afraid to admit any injury or anxiety, fearing it will cut into their playing time, disappoint their coach, or make them look weak.

Morgan's Message is an organization founded in memory of Morgan Rodgers, a Division I women’s lacrosse player at Duke University who tragically lost her life at age 22 after battling anxiety, depression, and isolation following a severe knee injury. The organization's mission is to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health in high school and collegiate sports, ensure mental health treatment for athletes receives equal priority to their physical health, and provide student-athletes with a safe space to talk.

JV Field Hockey Head Coach Madison Skelton serves as an ambassador for the organization. She first became involved with Morgan’s Message after navigating the challenges of competing as a collegiate athlete with Type 1 diabetes and later enduring a serious injury under an unsupportive coach.

“She would blatantly say that because I was diabetic, I didn't have the full potential to be an athlete," Coach Skelton shared. "When I was injured and had to have surgery, she didn't check up on me. She told me I was a horrible teammate because I had to go to physical therapy instead of practice.”

This lack of empathy and understanding took a heavy emotional toll and left Skelton feeling isolated. “I was very depressed, especially post-surgery, because I couldn't play, and field hockey was my identity at the time. It was a huge part of who I was, and not being able to play was detrimental to my mental health. It felt like I had severed a connection with my team, and my coach was actively severing that connection as well.”

Now, in her roles as both a field hockey coach and South Huntington's districtwide social worker and Social-Emotional Learning Specialist, Skelton wants her players, and all district student-athletes, to know they are fully supported on and off the field. “I think it's so important to remind student-athletes that they're so much more than their sport and so much more than just an athlete. It's a piece of who they are and only a piece of their story,” said Skelton. “I reinforce the importance of mental health throughout the season and lead activities to build team connection and internal confidence. I always tell the girls from the start of the season and during preseason that this is supposed to be fun, and I'm here for them.”

In addition to her own team, Skelton routinely visits with other Whitman teams to offer support.  After working with Whitman athletes for a few years now, she thinks the message is getting through. “It's great hearing from other athletes, like the girls' and boys' basketball teams, asking when I'm coming back because they enjoy the visits. It gives them a dedicated space to discuss how to feel better on and off the court. At the end of the day, sports end, but life carries on,” said Skelton.

Whitman’s Varsity Field Hockey co-captains Molly Gorman and Emma O'Reilly agree that having an outlet that acknowledges their specific struggles makes a meaningful difference in feeling supported.

“Athletes struggle all the time with injuries and school issues that they feel like they can't really talk about, especially because they feel like they need to give 100% all the time and hide what they are going through," said Molly. "I think it's important to show that you're not alone, that we all struggle, and that you always have someone to talk to.”

Co-captain Emma O'Reilly agreed, pointing out that athletes often put the most pressure on themselves. “It's performance that makes me feel the most anxious, wanting to do well, but not always feeling like I do. But my coaches are amazing, and our athletic department all around is amazing for people that I'm able to reach out to if I need to,” said Emma. 
Thank you to our amazing players, coaches, and community for coming together to support mental health awareness!