“I just hope people will look at the act and not try to judge the person. There are a lot of things you don’t know, that people don’t know. There are a lot of people who are hurting. There is a young baby without parents.”
Kansas City Mayor Sly James
This past Saturday, Kansas City Chief’s linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, then later drove to the team’s facility and turned the gun on himself in front of his coaches and general manager.
The team remains in shock although they collectively made the decision to play their Sunday game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which they won. So many questions remain unanswered, but the aftermath created by this tragedy will last forever. Belcher and Perkins are survived by a 3 month old daughter Zoe who will never know her parents.
There is nothing that psychology in football offers as an explanation for this horrific act. By all accounts Belcher led a stellar collegiate career at the University of Maine graduating early with a degree in Child Development and Family Relations. He was not known for violence or infractions with law enforcement. Which brings us to the fallacy too many believe. People suffering from mental weakness look, and act a certain way. Too many people believe if you are a mentally tough athlete, then you will never deal with issues such as depression or anxiety. It doesn’t radiate football confidence to seek help for any mental issues, which often paralyzes a player from seeking help.
Athletes often feel isolated when dealing with emotional problems because they feel it will change their coach’s opinion of their ability to play. Football psychologists are often seen as an extension of the coach, above confidentiality laws. No one knows exactly what was going on within Belcher’s mind, or in the last few hours of his life. Still, in the end he felt the need to drive to the stadium to thank Coach Romeo Crennel, defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs, and general manager Scott Pioli for their belief in him and the opportunities they gave him. Then they watched in shock as he pulled the trigger on himself.
The Kansas City Chiefs are left reeling with questions if there were any signs they could have noticed? Running back Jamaal Charles’ wife Whitney introduced her cousin Kasandra to Jovan. Coach Crennel relied on his captains to make the decision to play Sunday, and although emotions ran rampant throughout the game, it was also a place the team could come together.
Crennel said, “The thing that helped the most was that we were able to lean on each other. We were able to let some things out.” At the end of the game there were no celebrations, just a long walk back to a locker room filled with unanswered questions and grief.
Team owner Clark Hunt stressed that team therapists were available and will be for a continued time for all team members dealing with grief. The coaching staff must make sure that each player’s emotional needs are met before asking the team to develop a mental toughness and focus for rest of the season.
The football mental preparation will require much more priority in the following weeks. These professionals know what it takes to develop a football mind and football confidence, so their initial goals through healing are pursuing the positive mindset and focus on the field. The stages of grief are unique to each individual, and sports psychology stresses the need for athletes to seek assistance when they feel overwhelmed or hopeless.
Condolences to the families affected by the sad tragedy and loss of life, and especially prayers for the surviving baby daughter Zoe.
Jovan Belcher and Kasandra Perkins – RIP
