Sport is an integral part of Australian culture and comprises a significant portion of time for Australian youth. Within Australia, 73.4% of children reported participating in sport once a week in the latest AusPlay survey (Australian Sports Commission, 2016). Sport historically yields positive health benefits for children and adults. The positive benefits of sport can permeate Australian society. For Australian youth, sport improves mood, enhances neurological functioning, combats chronic disease, and improves biopsychosocial development (Australian Sports Commission, 2016). However, recent national inquiries challenged this exclusively positive conception of sport in Australia, finding sports are institutions that can conceal instances of mental health challenges (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2020). Researchers found ranges of psychiatric disorders in youth athletes ranges from 4 to 68% (Elbe and Nylandsted Jensen, 2016). In response to institutional enquiries into mental health within sport, Australian sporting bodies moved to implement mental health first aid programs and initiatives such as the Australian Institute of Sport (Australian Institute of Sport, 2019) Community Custodians program and the AIS mental health referral network. This opinion piece reflects on these programs and explores ways to heighten our awareness of youth athlete mental health, with an emphasis on the role a coach and sport organizations play in identifying and supporting youth athletes in their efforts to address mental health needs.
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