Being strong doesn’t mean staying silent
Athletes are taught early that toughness is part of the job. You push through. You don’t complain. You don’t show weakness. And for a while, that mindset helps because grit wins games. But when life hits hard—injury, illness, financial stress, depression, long-term pain that same mindset can become a trap. At the Nebraska Greats Foundation (NGF), we work with athletes who have spent their lives showing up for others—teammates, coaches, fans, schools, communities. Yet many of them struggle to do one thing that could change everything: ask for help.
The “Tough It Out” Culture: Where It Starts
Sports culture often rewards silence. You’re praised for playing hurt. You’re respected for “sucking it up.” You become known as reliable if you don’t let anything show. The problem is: that mindset doesn’t turn off when the season ends. For many athletes, toughness becomes more than a strategy—it becomes identity.
Masculinity, Pride, And The Pressure To Be “Unbreakable”
Masculine norms like toughness and self-reliance can discourage help-seeking among athletes. That doesn’t mean women athletes don’t face stigma—many do. But the “be a man” narrative has historically made vulnerability feel unacceptable for male athletes. So instead of reaching out, athletes may hide pain, delay treatment, minimize mental health struggles, isolate, self-medicate, or keep pushing until something breaks.
Why Asking For Help Feels So Hard
Athletes don’t struggle to ask for help because they’re selfish or stubborn. They struggle because pride is tied to survival in sports. Common barriers include: “I’m supposed to be strong.” “Someone else needs it more.” “I don’t want to be a burden.” “What will people think?” “This isn’t what winners do.”
When Help Changes Everything
One NGF recipient shared: “Without the Nebraska Greats Foundation helping me, I would not have been able to pay my medical bills… They were instrumental in navigating me through this process.” Sometimes people aren’t avoiding help because they don’t need it—they’re avoiding it because they feel they don’t deserve it.
The Hidden Risk: Waiting Too Long
When athletes avoid asking for support, problems often snowball: injury worsens, rehab gets delayed, pain becomes chronic, mental health declines, bills pile up, and isolation grows.
The Truth About Strength
Strength isn’t just playing through pain. Strength is admitting something is wrong, choosing recovery, making the call, asking a trusted person for help, and letting someone support you.
Being Strong Means Speaking Up — Here’s How To Start
1) Start with one person. Choose someone safe and say: “I’ve been carrying a lot and I don’t know what to do next.”
2) Say what you need. You don’t have to explain perfectly. Try: “I need support. I can’t do this alone.”
3) Reach out to organizations built for this. If you’re a current or former Nebraska college athlete dealing with injury, medical stress, or emotional struggle, NGF may be able to help.
Being strong means speaking up — and support is available.
If you or someone you know is struggling after injury, facing medical bills, or battling the mental weight of recovery, reach out. Help is available.
Donate now to help an athlete in need: https://nebraskagreatsfoundation.org/get-involved/donate.html
Apply now for assistance: https://nebraskagreatsfoundation.org/get-help/apply.html
