UWRF Launches Program to Boost Female Athletes’ Confidence and Mental Health

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has introduced a new program to help female athletes build confidence, self-acceptance, and mental resilience amid the pressures of collegiate sports and societal expectations. Led by athletic trainer Tina Mitchell and other female coaches, the initiative targets women aged 18–22, a group particularly affected by physical and social demands.

“It’s about feeling confident, feeling okay in your skin, who you are,” said Mitchell. “It’s not just body positivity; it’s an overall confidence for women.”

A key goal of the program is creating an environment where athletes feel safe expressing their needs, including dietary concerns and uniform preferences—topics female athletes often hesitate to address. “It’s hard being a student-athlete, let alone a female student-athlete,” one participant said. “The pressures of school and society are already hard enough, then you have to add performing at the college level. It can be a lot.” She added that many young women feel pressure to match the polished images they see on social media, often overlooking the fact that those images are curated or edited.

Mitchell said the program also focuses on fostering thoughtful communication with participants to address their individual emotional triggers. “I do think I speak with more confidence to these girls now, and I can kind of better sense who’s getting triggered,” Mitchell said, noting it is vital to ensure each participant feels valued and understood.

The broader aim of the program is to provide support to all female athletes on campus and eventually include all incoming female students. “I want every female athlete on campus to know my door is always open,” one program leader said. Mentorship and relatable role models are central to the program’s mission, helping participants understand their worth beyond societal pressures.

The initiative provides a critical space for young female athletes to voice their concerns, embrace confidence, and gain support in a challenging social environment. As it grows, the program aims to foster a campus-wide culture of self-acceptance and resilience through continued mentorship and empowerment.