(Pictured above: Yasmeen Al-Kas | Photo by Aca Markovic)
Each Thursday, varsityblues.ca will highlight a U of T student-athlete and their academic pursuits. Each of these students achieved first class honours with an AGPA of at least 3.50 in the previous academic year. These are our Student-Athlete Stories.
Over the past few years, we have had plenty of conversation and actionable causes to help end the stigma around mental health. Seeing the importance in furthering this conversation, Varsity Blues women's soccer midfielder Yasmeen Al-Kas has set her sights set on being someone to confide in and help anyone who may be dealing with mental stress.
Currently studying in her third year of U of T's kinesiology program, Al-Kas has determined exactly how she hopes to help anyone in need.
"I hope to purse medicine with the ultimate goal of becoming a psychiatrist," she said. "Being an athlete, mental health is a struggle for many and I hope I can have the opportunity to help others struggling with theirs."
The mental health topic is one that hits close to home for the Newmarket, Ont., product. Not wanting to see anyone around her having to struggle with disease, it quickly became the inspiration for Al-Kas to pursue her dream of becoming a psychiatrist.
"Seeing close friends around me struggle with mental health issues throughout university, as well as struggling with them myself, really pushes me," she said. "School is very stressful, and being an athlete, having late night practices and commitments, it can be a lot to deal with sometimes."
"As rewarding as sport is, balancing these commitments can really influence someone's mental health if they don't make time for themselves. A lot of time, you see students struggling with mental health but pushing it aside because of the importance of [completing tasks and meeting deadlines]. This shouldn't be the case. Mental health should come before anything, and I strive to be a part of changing the stigma surrounding it."
(Al-Kas (middle left) with her teammates)
Now, having the desire to end the stigma and help those in need is obviously a key component to making a difference, however, it has been well-documented that when it comes to assisting someone with a mental illness, it is not as straight forward as healing a broken bone. For Al-Kas, knowing how difficult it can be for someone to open up on the subject and seek treatment, just makes her career choice much more important for her.
"I know how hard it can be to reach out for help and resources regarding mental health," she said. "I know there were times in my life where I was hesitant to speak about my mental health because of the stigma surrounding it, so, helping others overcome these issues to me means really making a difference in someone's life for the better."
"Playing an important role in the lives of individuals who need it is an accomplishment in itself and I think it's the small actions that go a really long way, even if it seems minimal. Being able to say that I made a difference in someone's life brings me a lot of happiness and peace, especially knowing that someone felt comfortable enough to confide in me."
On a personal level, Al-Kas feels it very important to have good balance when it comes to school, physical activity and mental health.
Fortunately for her, having just completed her second season with the Varsity Blues women's soccer team, her time with her teammates always serves as a great way to decompress.
"Although soccer really helps me relieve my stress through physical activity and my love for the game, it is laughing with teammates who I am able to call my best friends that really helps me," she said. "Going to practice after a hard day and seeing them brings me a sense of comfort knowing that they are always able to get my mind off of things, and I can always count on them to make me smile."
"Playing a team sport is such a big blessing and I am so grateful to have sport as a stress reliever, but also my teammates as my second family."
(Pictured above: Al-Kas battling for the ball against McMaster | Photo by Seyran Mammadov)
Understanding how much her teammates help her on any given day, Al-Kas is simply looking to pay that forward. Understanding the difference a supporting cast can provide, it makes her decision to want to help others an easy one. Her desire to see others succeed at whatever they do doesn't hurt the cause either.
"I strive to help people become the best version of themselves, knowing that some people need a little extra motivation to do so and I hope I can be that for someone who needs it," she said. "Growing up, I had a lot of support around me, which I'm really grateful for. I know some people don't have that so I really hope I can be that for someone who needs it."
Into the back half of her degree now, Al-Kas is well on her way to making a difference for anyone in need. Going beyond just helping individuals, she will also not lose sight of the overall goal when it comes to mental health, which is simply, ending the stigma.
"Mental health is just as important as physical, no one should be afraid or ashamed to ask for help," she said. "I hope one day I can make a difference in the lives of those who need it and advocate for the importance of mental health overall."
