Resilience of NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Players: An Interdisciplinary Autoethnography

Abstract

The well-being of NCAA student-athletes is a growing concern due to the demanding nature of collegiate athletics. This autoethnography examines the impact resilience has on the mental health and injury rehabilitation of NCAA Division I (DI) women’s ice hockey players. While resilience is recognized as a vital coping mechanism for athletes to flourish, there is a lack of research specifically focused on NCAA DI women's ice hockey players. The author’s first-hand experience facing significant stressors related to academic demands, training, competition, and recovery from injury as a DI women’s ice hockey player negatively impacted their mental health–including the presence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Findings suggest that these symptoms are common amongst elite female student-athletes. Future research on the connection between athlete well-being and resilience should focus on a holistic approach to resilience intervention implementation for NCAA DI women’s hockey players' overall success both on and off the ice.