CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A University of North Carolina Charlotte assistant professor and one of her graduate students are creating a podcast for athletes and their mental health called “Take a Timeout.”


What You Need To Know


  • UNCC Assistant Professor and Graduate student creating mental health podcast for athletes

  • $20,000 grant from NCAA

  • Interviewing athletes to understand what help they want and need

Abby Coffey was a student in one of Assistant Professor Alicia Dahl's classes.

Coffey made a presentation that included her own experience with mental health issues as an athlete that morphed into a joint project with Dahl.

The pair were given a $20,000 grant from the NCAA to put together the podcast.

This summer they will survey 100 NCAA athletes from across the country, and then perform focus groups to find what issues are the biggest concerns for these students.

Whitney Carter, a member of the golf team at Winthrop University, said the podcast sounds promising.

She says, “I feel like talking to athletes that are in the moment, you know, doing it right now then that's very beneficial, and I think a lot of athletes would benefit from listening to a podcast like that.”

Dahl says the podcast isn't a replacement for counselors and school resources, but it's something that can help fill in gaps where students might need it.

Dahl says it could start with just personal self empowerment and trying to communicate these messages in a way that makes them feel important and empowered to make changes.

“Take a Timeout” is currently scheduled to release pilot episodes in the fall of 2020.