As student athletes’ schedules get more rigorous and demanding each year, Grandview Heights Schools is looking to keep up with the needs of students and staff. The rigor and challenges of a season can be taxing, and few know the stress and demands of school and athletics as well as Harry Miller, former offensive lineman for The Ohio State Buckeyes.
Miller played in 22 games during his college football career before retiring from the sport in 2022 for mental health reasons. Miller was welcomed to Grandview Heights High School in November to talk about his experience and share his message with Grandview Heights’ students, athletes, coaches and staff.
Behind the helmet
Since retiring in spring his junior year, Miller has been traveling to places like Grandview Heights High School to share his experiences.
Samantha Bates, an assistant professor at OSU and a licensed independent social worker, led the discussion with Miller, who opened up about what brought him to his decision to leave football.
“As we were approaching that last week heading into the season, I just felt very panicked and I felt terrified,” Miller said during the event. “I felt that I had walked to the edge of a cliff. My parents had invested so much time and money to get me there, those agents (and) the coaches recruited me. I felt like I had signed so many contracts with my soul that the only way to void that contract, I thought, was to commit suicide.”
When he turned to coach Ryan Day and the team’s mental health experts in his time of need, Miller says their support helped save his life by offering resources and guidance he needed.
Now a mental health advocate, Miller shares his story and continued journey with his health in hopes of making it easier for others to talk about it, especially younger people.
“My goal with speaking about (my journey) is if we can lower the threshold of talking about suicide, you’ve provided so much room for healing and for action,” Miller said at the event.
Lessons to be shared
One thing Miller has learned from his experiences is that the first step to helping others can be as simple as reaching out.
“When you see somebody’s not being themselves, and you feel like, ‘I should say something, but I’m afraid I’m not gonna say the right thing,’ … don’t be afraid to close that gap and to tell the person that you’re there for them and that you love them,” Miller said during the event.
Miller says sometimes parents and coaches lean too much into the idea of fixing the problem, rather than simply listening.
“My advice to parents or coaches, or any administrator, is you don’t have to know anything. You don’t have to know it all. You don’t have to do anything, you just have to be there. And anybody can do that,” Miller says.
Miller says his most important piece of advice is to practice mental health fundamentals just like an athlete would practice their sport.
“I think fundamentals in the context of mental health is this just being open and communicating,” Miller said at the event. “It feels silly because it feels like nothing’s even happening when you have a conversation earlier in the process, but that’s preventative health. That’s good mental health and that’s how you create a good culture and not have to react to crises.”
Grandview impact
Senior Denison Murphy is a member of the cross country and track teams at Grandview Heights High School. Throughout his three years in high school athletics, he has been learning about mental health from his cross country coach, Chris Szabo.
“Mental strength is something that we’ve definitely worked on, we’ve had some mindfulness practices and yoga. And some of us, at the coach’s recommendation, have looked into visualization and all kinds of techniques because running definitely is how far you can push yourself and your teammates.”
Coach John Provenzano
Wrestling coach John Provenzano says Miller’s talk reinforced some of the practices he already has in place with his athletes.
“I always make sure there’s time spent digging inward and talking with kids about how they’re feeling about things. The perceived successes and perceived setbacks and how they’re affecting them,” Provenzano says. “Checking in with them is a big thing and making sure that they know how to handle strong emotions, and using them or letting them go and how to do that.”
Provenzano says he checks in with the team at the end of almost every practice and gives them resources if they are struggling. The team uses breathing techniques and exercises to help them work through emotions and feelings.
What Provenzano appreciated the most from the event was that his players got to hear these lessons and stories from someone who has been in their position.
“It was really good seeing someone that is in the stereotypical machismo position of a football player at a big-time university come out and be vulnerable,” Provenzano says. “It actually creates connection and support. … Modeling those behaviors really goes a lot further than just telling them and preaching.”
Rachel Karas is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at rkaras@cityscenemediagroup.com.
