Taylyn Hadley is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Westwood High School for AZPreps365.com.

The recent uprise of mental health support among athletes has aided in Westwood golfer Jocelyn Phillips’ ability to talk openly about the struggles that she has faced both on and off the course.

“I started to feel more comfortable when others would talk about how they are feeling,” Phillips said. “I want to be that for other people who are struggling.”

Phillips started experiencing the effects of anxiety when she transferred from Fountain Hills to Westwood her junior year. 

Her move resulted in her being nearly 30 minutes away from all her friends and left her feeling lonely and in need of a purpose in life. A purpose that she found through golf.

Luckily, Phillips had the benefit of coming from a family that was very supportive in helping her navigate through her mental health struggles. 

Soon after she discussed her heightened anxiety with her parents, her mother took her to see a psychiatrist. A steppingstone that she found to be only the beginning of her mental health journey.

Golf became both a negative and positive outlet for Phillips. She found herself being extremely anxious before teeing off but would then allow herself to get lost in the round. 

“When I am playing, I get nervous up until my first shot and then all of the nerves go away and I am just in the game,” Phillips said. “(Golf) helped me have something to do and created an outlet for all of the stress and everything else that I was feeling.”

It can be hard to struggle with anxiety and play such an individually focused sport such as golf. While this was a challenge that she had to initially overcome, she eventually loved the anxiety relief that came from playing 18 holes and focusing on only herself, her clubs, and the ball. 

Phillips has found that the support system she carries with her is the most important factor in being able to overcome her daily anxieties.

The Westwood Warriors supported lone senior Phillips on Senior Night by decorating her golf cart and bringing along banners (Photo provided by Ellie Reiks)

Warriors coach Ellie Reiks has been the optimal supporter for Phillips, both on and off the course.

Reiks, who also coaches the Warriors softball team, doubles down as a teacher at Westwood. 

Reiks has made it a focus of hers to make sure that her girls know she has an open door on campus. She makes it mandatory to start practices by checking in with all of her players and asking how they are feeling. 

“I want to make sure that you guys (her golfers) are OK,” Reiks said. 

Reiks opened up about how the new wave of mental health support in sports has even allowed her to come forward and voice her struggles. 

“When I was playing sports, we never talked about mental health,” Reiks said. “It is a generational shift. Kids are so much better at communicating their feelings these days.”

Phillips' journey has inspired Reiks to recently seek out psychiatric help as well. Something that she does not think she ever would have been able to do in high school.

Jessica Deiter gifted Jocelyn Phillips flowers on her senior night. (Photo provided by Ellie Reiks)

Phillips' closest friend on the team, Jessica Deiter, is an important member of her support system as she keeps her laughing and is often the comedic relief to Phillips’ anxiety. 

The duo have a give-and-take relationship on and off the course. Phillips is branded the person who has brought Deiter out of her shell. In turn, Deiter uses this to make Phillips laugh and brighten her day when she needs it the most.

“She needs support, love and jokes,” Deiter said. “I always urge her to laugh it off.”

At the top of her supporters, Phillips gives that title to her mother. Someone who has been in her corner since Day One. 

Whether it’s supporting her in her up-and-down waves of emotions or sharing her bed when she does not want to be alone, her mother has taken her own experience in dealing with mental health and made sure that her daughter has the resources that she needs to be successful. 

Phillips is currently exploring her options of playing golf at Mesa Community College. However, with college comes a whole new set of anxieties.

“It is stressful to go from playing high school golf to (college) tournaments with these girls who are really good,” Phillips said. 

She has begun the process of signing up for more competitive tournaments outside of Westwood golf in order to prepare herself for the challenges she will face from taking golf to the next level.