Number of Participants: 19
Hours Donated: 4
Value of Time Served: $642
Event Type: Health & Safety
Activity: Boys Volleyball
Date: May 6, 2025
Location:
East Longmeadow High School
Maple Street, East Longmeadow
MA
About:
This spring, the East Longmeadow High School Boys Volleyball team served up more than just spikes and sets, they delivered a powerful message of hope and awareness during their first-ever Mental Health Awareness Game. The event, held in May to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Month, aimed to break the stigma around mental health, especially men’s mental health, a topic too often left in the shadows.
Recognizing that most sports teams traditionally focus on Breast Cancer Awareness games in the fall, the program wanted to bring a new kind of awareness to the spring season. The idea was born from a desire to spotlight an issue deeply relevant to students, athletes, and the wider community and the team embraced the mission with heart and determination.
In partnership with athletic counselors from Springfield College, who worked with both the JV and Varsity squads throughout the season, the program had already laid the groundwork for mental wellness education. The Mental Health Awareness Game served as a culmination of that work and a bold step forward in advocacy.
Wearing custom Mental Health Awareness shirts and green wristbands, the players took the court not just as athletes, but as ambassadors for change. Proceeds from concession sales and t-shirt sales were donated in full to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Massachusetts, helping support individuals and families affected by mental health challenges.
The gym was filled with fans, classmates, and families who showed up not only for a high-energy matchup, but also to stand in solidarity with a cause that touches so many lives. It was a moment that showcased how sports can do more than entertain—they can inspire, educate, and unite a community.
Thank you to everyone who supported the event and helped make this inaugural Mental Health Awareness Game a resounding success. With passion, purpose, and team spirit, the East Longmeadow Boys Volleyball team made it clear: mental health matters and they’re ready to keep the conversation going.
