No One Flies Alone: Hana Ryskova's Passion For Helping Others
Kennedy Knisley
11/18/2022
Golf is known to be one of the most mentally challenging sports in the world. Learning how to control your mental stamina is important to becoming a successful golfer. With so many externalities in college, focusing on mental health is not always at the forefront of athletes’ minds.
Senior women’s golfer Hana Ryskova is one of many international student athletes at the University of Louisville. Being far from home can already be difficult for the typical college student. Combining athletics and academics is even more of a challenge.
For Ryskova, something was off before she even arrived in Louisville.
“I was rude to the people I loved. Despite them always being nice to me, I was becoming irritated," said Ryskova. "I was very self-aware and at the point where I knew this is not me, I’m a nice person, what is going on?”
She reached out to her loved ones trying to find answers. With the high amount of pressure placed on her as a student-athlete, Ryskova understood that this would not be an easy fix.
“In general, I struggle with putting a high amount of pressure on myself. I just want to win, I’m very competitive,” said Ryskova.
This competitive edge has fueled her throughout her career, as she has placed in the top 10 of tournaments a combined five times and the top 20 ten times. Her experience and skill set have created many opportunities for her to excel on the course. Golf has always been Ryskova’s escape from the outside world.
However, Ryskova experienced a season-ending shoulder injury late last year.
“I'm pretty open about everything that I've dealt with in the past. The only thing I’ve not had to deal with is injury. I've never had to struggle with not being able to play my sport,” she said recounting the moments leading up to her injury.
I struggle with putting a high amount of pressure on myself.
I just want to win, I’m very competitive.
She started to take a step back and search for new ways to tackle some of her mental health issues. She channeled her energy into something that helps others, a mental health organization for student-athletes called Cards All In.
“I believe I'm a good person and a lot of bad things have happened to me and I believe it happened for a reason,” said Ryskova. “I just wanted to take my experiences and my stories and put them in a good light that can help others.”
Helping others is something that Ryskova has found a passion for, something that will have an impact on her future.
“It keeps my spirits high that I can actually help people despite the fact that I'm not able to bring scores home,” she said.
Many student-athletes have dealt with or are dealing with mental health issues across all sports. Ryskova realized this and saw a need for change.
“It does not matter if our problems are the same, we both have a problem and we are both willing to be vulnerable,” said Ryskova. “If it comes from student athletes’ hearts, people will just take it a different way."
Having this community is important to her and her peers when they might be missing home. For her, home happens to be over 4,000 miles away.
“In Cards All In, we want to focus on being humans first rather than just athletes. It does not matter if you are a golfer, tennis player, swimmer, diver, or soccer player. For us, it’s important that you’re doing okay as a human.”
