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To say the energy at Wapahani was electric tonight would be an understatement. The Raiders hosted Delaware County rival Muncie Burris tonight at Raider Gymnasium and beat the Owls in five sets.
The odds worked out in Ball State's favor with a 6-2 win against IU Indianapolis (IU Indy).
Tonight: Cloudy skies with a low of 61 degrees. Calm winds coming from the east-southeast.
MUNCIE, Ind. — Last month, Ball State’s bus shuttle system, which many students use to get around campus, underwent a few changes.
MUNCIE, Ind- The Ball State Dodgeball Club allows students to showcase their agility and dodging skills in a fun and competitive way. The club has quickly gained participants from all over campus. Ke’Jaun Smith, the club’s president, believes the passion for the game brings people out to play week after week.
From the moment someone finds out they’re going to have a baby, they have immediately signed on to what can feel like countless doctor’s visits.
Take in a deep breath, hold it for five seconds, then blow it out. Count to five again.
Editors note: This story has been updated to correct a statement that referenced Still Waters Professional Counseling as a "faith-based" counseling service. Still Waters provides inclusive counseling to all members of the community.
Last year, the Ball Daily News published its first special edition based around the topic of mental health. Our staff recognized the growing concern surrounding mental wellness and wanted to produce a paper that could share information and resources, as well as remind our peers and our own staff that no one is alone in their mental health struggles.
Mental health has become an increasingly talked about topic in the sports world. Many professional sports organizations often promote the importance of mental health. The Indianapolis Colts are a prime example of this. In 2020, the Irsay family kickstarted the “Kicking the Stigma” campaign to help raise awareness and support athletes struggling with mental health.While such campaigns get as much recognition as they do, some of the lower-level and younger athletes can often be forgotten. Specifically concerning high school athletics, mental health problems begin in this time of adolescence.“We as coaches — and the athletes themselves — put so much pressure on [us] to perform well,” Wapahani volleyball head coach Valorie Wells said. “They want to do well for the school and community, so they put a lot of pressure on themselves, which kids aren’t really used to.”Since many new aspects of life come to high school students at a rapid pace, students can struggle to handle the stress, Wells said. Then, there’s the added pressure of reaching peak performance in a sport one’s been playing since childhood.“All kids want to be the star player,” said Matt Luce, Wapahani athletic director and boys’ basketball head coach. “But the best leaders bring their kids and teammates together to help them learn a role and just enjoy being a teammate of a high school team.”Yet, some programs are taking this challenge head-on in the way athletes are trained and how they are coached. Delta Athletic Director Tilmon Clark has that idea on his checklist when hiring a new head coach. “When I hire a coach, I have to be able to know that coach is going to have a connection with student-athletes and have them ready to compete and want to have fun at the sport,” Clark said.While Delta head football coach Chris Overholt was hired in 2016, the once Eagles football player wanted to incorporate ways to check on his athletes. Whether that was meals with the team or one-on-one meetings with the staff, the blue and gold are trying to find ways to make sure everyone is in a good place before stepping on the gridiron. “We even have after-practice meetings with players where they get into position groups,” Overholt said. “We like to do a check-in with the kids and most of the players have their coaches and my personal phone number. We pride ourselves on relationships in our program.” One of the biggest obstacles many students face is getting the mindset that there is something wrong with them if they admit to struggling mentally, Wells said. Wells encourages her players to seek help from a counselor if they feel it’s needed, as she has sought out professional help herself.“I tell them from the beginning, ‘You come first,’” Wells said. “I make sure to tell them it’s okay to see a counselor, and I share with them that I have my issues too and that I see a counselor. It’s really about making them feel like they aren’t alone.”A large part of the emphasis in Wapahanis’ program begins with connecting with the student-athletes off the field first. Building relationships and continuing to foster those is a crucial aspect of ensuring that students feel seen for who they are as a person, not just as a player.“The best coaches are the ones that see the kids off the court — the ones that see them in the classroom, or in the hallway saying hi to them, or seeing them in the study hall and checking on their studies,” Luce said. “The coaches that are able to find time off the court and off the field to get to know them as a student-athlete have the most success because they’re the ones who see them every day in the hallway.”One of the hardest things is balancing the fine line between how much energy to put toward school and how much to put toward sports, Luce said Finding that balance can be a challenge at times.“Sports is a great way to learn about life because it’s not always easy,” Luce said. “It’s not always a rosy path. Everybody wants to win and be the best player, but it’s about going through the struggles of a long season, being unselfish and playing your role. That’s a large part of why I decided years ago to be a teacher and coach.”It’s the same thing Wes-Del athletic director and head football coach Matt Nuckols has noticed in his time with the Warriors. “I think that's a big piece when we start talking about how mental health is affecting some of our athletes,” Nuckols said. “We try to teach them in our games and our practices that things won't always go right — how to handle things when they do go well but also how to fight through and deal with those issues.”With Wes-Del being one of the smaller schools in Delaware County enrollment-wise, Nuckols believes that aspect plays a big part in the process. “Our teachers in the building pretty much have every kid that comes through here for the most part,” he said. “So those players make connections with coaches and teachers that are there for them. That's just a perk to being in a close-knit, strong community and small school like ours.”Whether mental health becomes something that high school athletic departments embrace more in the future, the change that has occurred over the last 20 years is something current coaches and directors are happy to see. “I'm definitely happy it is the way it is now,” Overholt said. “I think there's always the stigma, especially with boys, ‘Don't cry [and] don't share your feelings. Just be tough.’ I'm glad now it's an open mindset where kids can go talk and be vulnerable and share their feelings. “It's important, and it's something I buy into. I know I have people that I talk to — that I can share with — and it's definitely nice having those avenues in my life.” Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or on X at @ZachCarter85. Contact David Moore via email at david.moore@bsu.edu or on X @gingninj63.
When he’s not playing one of his three sports, doing homework or working for the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA), Wes-Del senior Grayson Mealy loves to play video games. “I play sports games like Madden, [NBA] 2k, anything like that,” Mealy said. “And then I play Valorant.” Though it was originally something he did with friends, playing video games turned into another school-related activity as he joined the Warriors’ esports team. The team has won the state championship the last two years in Valorant. So, how does he find the time to do all of this? Mealy doesn’t fully know. “It's a lot to balance, but I'd say just through playing sports, it's taught me how to balance time between everything I have going on,” he said. While somehow completing all of these tasks, it’s the way he goes about handling them that has him viewed as a leader in his school and community. “The dude can do a little bit of everything,” Wes-Del athletic director and head football coach Matt Nuckols said. “I don't think there's any kids in the building that don't know who he is, and they look up to him as kind of the guy leading this building.” Mealy’s love of sports began at a young age. Throw in that his mom, Courtney, was a three-sport athlete – softball, basketball and volleyball at Blackford – and his father, Kyle, was a two-sport athlete – baseball and basketball at Blackford, Mealy was exposed to sports from infancy. Naturally, Grayson started playing baseball and basketball when he learned how to walk. Once he was old enough to play tackle football, he took his talents to the gridiron. It quickly became his favorite sport. “I feel like it's such a unique sport, and there’s such a team aspect to it that I've just always been drawn to it,” Grayson said. Grayson has had success with every sport he plays for the Warriors. Last year, he led the Warriors on the diamond with two home runs and was third on the roster in hits (24). On the court, however, Kyle believes his son cares more about who he’s playing with rather than his performance.“[Grayson] plays basketball because he loves playing with those guys,” he said. “Basketball is where I see him as the ultimate teammate because no one's scouting against him in basketball… I love that sport because he fills in that [good teammate] role.” When talking about Warrior athletes and the term leadership, Grayson’s name always comes up in the conversation. “I think the biggest thing is his work ethic because there are not many guys out there that are built mentally like him,” Nuckols said. “He faces adversity and fights through it. He is one of, if not the, hardest workers in the weight room.” According to Kyle, it’s an abundance of things that have molded his son to have that quality. The main three are Courtney, former Warriors’ head basketball coach; John McGlothin, who is said to be an uncle figure to Grayson; and Mealy’s 2022-23 baseball season. “It's probably a moment that I don't think people would say or would be the moment they would think,” Kyle said. Wes-Del was playing Cowan early in the season, a game to be decided in extra innings. Grayson was playing catcher and attempted to make a throw to third base. The ball sailed into the outfield and the Blackhawks scored, which became the deciding run.Kyle saw that his son was hurt, but then two seniors — Travis Bunch and Dawson Bookout — stepped up. “Because of the way those seniors handled a sophomore who made a big error, the way that sophomore handled that and let those seniors lead him, is the reason why we won the regional and went to semi-state that year,” Kyle said. Now, Grayson does that for the current Wes-Del underclassmen. He’s not the most vocal person, but his actions speak volumes. “Grayson's really kind of taken that by the reins and taken these dudes to another level,” Nuckols said. “You talk to a ton of coaches about the best teams they've ever had, and it wasn't their coaches [who] had to push the kids, it was the players. And we got a bunch of guys doing that right now, and Grayson's leading that charge.” Grayson’s leadership goes beyond Wes-Del as he also works for the IHSAA. Being nominated as a sophomore, he was appointed to the Student Advisory Committee with 17 other members. The groups work on multiple events, including state championships. Though the school year started only a month ago, Grayson knows his high school experience will soon come to a close. While his future plans are still undecided, he still has the rest of football season — and the entire basketball and baseball seasons — to look forward to. “It’s bittersweet. I'm looking forward to being one of the top seniors that pretty much run the school,” he said. “You create the school culture for that year. But obviously, there's some sadness there too because it's your last one.” While he has months ahead of him before walking across a stage in the Warriors’ gym, he already knows he doesn’t want to be remembered for his athletic achievements and leadership.He wants the community to think of what he and this year’s senior class did for the current Wes-Del culture. “I'd rather them remember the culture that I wanted to create around here and be known as more of a sports school,” Grayson said. “With football, we've gone [to state?] every year we've been trying to progress our win. We have the ability to do the things we want to do. It just takes leadership and the people [who] are willing to do it.” To Nuckols, Grayson has already put his name in stone when it comes to being that person. “He's one of the faces of Wes-Del right now,” he said. “He's a brilliant student, he works his tail off in the classroom, and he is one of the smartest and hardest working kids we have.”Contact Zach Carter via email zachary.carter@bsu.edu or on X via @ZachCarter85.
MUNCIE, Ind. — What was once known as “Late Nite” at Ball State University now has a new name. The infamous name given to Ball State’s student life organization has been rebranded to “Spirit and Traditions.”
Art is a constant in the lives of everyone.
Zach Carter is a third-year journalism major and writes “Carter’s Comments” for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
Tonight: A cool and clear night is ahead, with low temperatures in the mid to low 50s across the region overnight.
The topic of university students voting was brought up at Ball State University’s Student Government Association’s (SGA) Sept. 11 meeting.
Ella Howell is a fourth-year journalism major and writes a column for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
Construction is underway for Delaware County’s new regional mental health and rehabilitation center. Delaware County Commissioners hosted a “groundbreaking ceremony” to commemorate the solidification of the center’s blueprints and the beginning of construction.
It’s 6:30 a.m., and as Ball State football players begin to make their way into Scheumann Stadium, one man stands there greeting each athlete.
MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State Football opened their historic 100th season of play. On Saturday, the Cardinals hosted the Missouri State Bears at Scheumann Stadium.
