Building Muscle to Heal: Why Recovery Deserves Celebration
I’ll be honest — when I first saw that September is National Recovery Month, it was a completely foreign concept to me. Not the idea of healing, but the idea that there’s an entire month dedicated to celebrating it.
But as I started reading about the history and purpose of Recovery Month (NAADAC link), it clicked: not only is this month important, it directly connects to what we should be teaching as coaches of male athletes.
Think about it: no coach in their right mind would send a player back out with a torn ACL. Yet somehow, we still expect people to “play through” depression, anxiety, or addiction.
And here’s the deeper truth — recovery requires an incredible amount of vulnerability and resilience. In order to recover, you first have to admit and embrace what needs healing. Whether that’s substance use, a mental health struggle, or a physical injury, there’s a journey there that’s worthy of support and celebration.
My own lack of awareness about Recovery Month is, in a way, a TeamsOfMen curriculum opening. If you’re a football, soccer, or XC coach in season right now, I’d bet most of your young men haven’t heard of Recovery Month either. But if you ask them about it in a team circle, I guarantee at least a few will immediately connect it to someone in their lives — a family member, a teammate, a friend — who is on the path to recovery. That conversation matters.
And that’s where this month ties directly to our mantra work. Our shirt — “Building Muscle to Heal, Not To Harm” — is the perfect tool to spark this conversation. It’s more than fabric; it’s a visible reminder that healing is strength, not weakness.
👉 Grab yours here: Building Muscle to Heal, Not To Harm Shirt
Wear it this month. Start the discussion. Celebrate recovery.
Coach Prompts
“If we would never send a player back out with a torn ACL, why do we sometimes expect people to ‘play through’ depression, anxiety, or addiction? What does that reveal about how we treat mental health versus physical health?”
“Think of your own recovery routines — stretching, ice baths, sleep. What’s the mental or emotional version of those routines?”
“Why is admitting you need help actually a sign of strength, not weakness?”
Player Prompts
“What does recovery mean to you — physically, mentally, or emotionally?”
“Can you think of a teammate, friend, or family member who showed strength by choosing recovery? What can we learn from them?”
“What is one recovery tool you use now — or could use — to keep yourself in a healthier place?”
