Abstract
Student-athletes face many mental health challenges from performance pressures and injuries. This research, conducted at a private secondary school in Johannesburg, Gauteng, employs a qualitative design with an interpretivist approach. It aims to explore the spectrum of mental health challenges experienced by student-athletes, their coping mechanisms, and the support they receive in their environment. By framing the study within a mental health conceptual framework, it contextualises an understanding of these challenges, how they are managed, and strategies for mental health support. The study reveals that student-athletes grapple with various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, burnout, and internal and external performance pressures.
Moreover, they underscore the pivotal role of support systems in aiding student-athletes through their struggles, with family and parental support emerging as paramount. The findings also emphasise the importance of structured support, including professional mental health services and institutionalised support programmes. The study concluded that despite their rigorous training, student-athletes often lack essential support to address the mental health challenges of sports participation and performance.