After the tragic loss of his son in 2017, Maryland head football coach Mike Locksley became a fierce advocate for mental health in sports. His son had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and was posthumously identified as having CTE. This article is Part 2 of a series discussing mental health in youth sports, recognizing warning signs and providing support. Read Part 1 here.

Between 2005 and 2011, Mike Locksley coached college football at Illinois and New Mexico, while his son, Meiko, excelled as a high school quarterback in both states.

Upon joining Youngstown State in Ohio, things began to change for Meiko.

He began skipping classes and exhibiting unexpected behavior issues. As he transferred schools, he lost a significant amount of weight, experienced hallucinations, and struggled to follow conversations. Additionally, he suffered a concussion while playing at New Mexico, one of many head injuries he sustained throughout his football career.

Locksley felt a sense of embarrassment regarding his son’s situation.

“He was battling schizophrenia,” the Maryland head coach recalled. “He was reaching out to my friends and having strange conversations, and they had no idea what was going on because he wasn’t visibly injured like someone with a broken leg.”

Through a journey of understanding and introspection, his perspective has shifted — one he currently champions for his teams.

“Eventually, I grew weary of feeling pity and thought, ‘What’s the difference between this and an ACL injury?’ I decided to confront it head-on. To normalize it. To make it acceptable.”

During a speech at the Project Play Summit in Baltimore, Locksley was prompted to explain the significance of mental health advocacy for him.

“It roots back to failure,” he remarked. “My son, Meiko Anthony Locksley, was a Division I football player… and he experienced mental health challenges prior to his passing.”

In 2017, Meiko was tragically shot and killed in Columbia, Maryland while studying at Towson with his father coaching at Alabama. He was diagnosed posthumously with CTE.

“Mental health was never my concern, but it suddenly became extremely personal for me, witnessing my son, who was a regular football player at 21, struggling to distinguish reality from illusions.”

“And it came upon me so quickly,” he added with a snap of his fingers.

Locksley also spoke about the haunting expression he saw in his son’s eyes, one he failed to recognize at that moment.

“It’s that look where one can perceive a person’s essence,” Locksley noted. “I’ve encountered numerous players during my 34 years in football who had that look, yet I failed to recognize it. The tragedy of losing my son, possibly linked to his mental health struggles, drives me to support the young adults I coach in their growth from boys to men.”

The audience, comprising coaches and educators, responded with applause, especially when Locksley highlighted Maryland’s new legislation mandating mental health training for public school coaches.

A recent study from the University of Connecticut states that eight states require mental health training for high school coaches. The Million Coaches Challenge aims to unite organizations to provide coaches with training on youth development issues, including mental health awareness.

The loss of Meiko has inspired Locksley to lead his coaching with a heightened awareness of his players’ mental wellness, and he hopes his fellow coaches will emulate his approach.

Recognize both physical injuries and emotional well-being

How are you holding up?

Can you share what’s on your mind?

Are you doing okay?

These are simple inquiries you can make to your athletes if something seems off. It’s essential to take the initiative, even when nothing seems wrong.

If an athlete is recovering from an injury, you might ask, “How are you feeling today after your treatment?”

Clayton Young, an Olympic marathoner who took part in a National Athletic Trainers’ Association mental health briefing last summer, notes that an athlete’s tone and responses about their injury can provide significant insight into their emotional well-being.

Young made a comeback from knee surgery to secure ninth place among over 70 competitors in the men’s marathon at the Paris Olympics. He fondly remembers a late-night text from his athletic trainer checking up on him during a vulnerable moment in his recovery.

It became clear that someone genuinely cared for him.

“Running isn’t just my job or a way to support my family; it’s my passion and part of who I am,” Young shared. “You could say it’s my addiction. When you lose that as an athlete, it can be incredibly tough.”

When faced with a significant injury, like an ACL tear, it may take athletes nine to twelve months to recover—if they recover at all, according to Marci Goolsby, the director of sports medicine for the WNBA.

“When athletes are sidelined, they often lose their community,” Goolsby explained, noting that this effect varies across sports. “We see a lot of injuries in sports like lacrosse and women’s soccer, which can have a profound impact.”

If you’re injured, staying involved by attending practices and social events with teammates can be beneficial.

During his rehabilitation, Young found encouragement from having a training partner who was also recovering—Olympian and two-time NCAA cross country champion Conner Mantz.

“We formed a bond and motivated each other,” Young reminisced. “We understand each other’s struggles and share similar experiences in life. A person like Conner Mantz is essential, whether in running, at work, or with family.”

Open up. Build trust.

When new members join Maryland’s football team, Coach Locksley implements an exercise called the “three H’s.” After practice, each person shares a moment of happiness, a hardship, and a hero.

“This way, we get to know them on a personal level,” Locksley noted. “We prioritize mental health in our program and have an open-door policy about it.”

Mayrena Hernandez, an assistant professor of athletic training at Sam Houston State University, joined Locksley on stage at the Project Play Summit to emphasize the importance of making kids feel comfortable.

Hernandez conducted a study with athletic trainers and adolescents from low-income backgrounds. She discovered that trainers who were good listeners could pick up on emotional cues and understood mental health challenges.

For instance, the study found that cross country runners were facing injuries, but the underlying issue was that they were using inadequate gear, often wearing worn-out shoes.

“They might also be taking the bus while their peers have new cars,” she observed. “Surprisingly, some kids are skilled at concealing these issues to fit in with their classmates. This allows athletic trainers to discern whether athletes are dealing with socioeconomic discrepancies compared to their peers.”

Only about 37% of high schools in the U.S. have a full-time athletic trainer, according to Hernandez. An initiative in Los Angeles called Team Heal helps place athletic trainers in schools.

Having an athletic trainer can be an additional support for athletes and their families—someone who pays attention to their well-being.

“I often mention ‘that look,’” Locksley shared, “I’ve learned to recognize it, and it signals, ‘What’s wrong? Are you okay?’”

“These kids are eager to share their problems with you, but it requires trust and knowing that you genuinely care before they open up.”

Steve Borelli, also known as Coach Steve, has worked as an editor and writer for YSL News since 1999. He has spent a decade coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. Now, he and his wife, Colleen, are sports parents of two high school students. His column appears weekly. For past columns, click here.

(This article was revised to correct an earlier error.)