- Iowa Hawkeyes starter Patrick McCaffery has left the team to focus on his mental health.
- In an Instagram post, Forward said anxiety was “hindering” his preparation and performance.
- His head coach, who is also his father, said the Hawkeyes “admired his courage and outspoken will.”
Patrick McCaffrey is away from basketball.
The Iowa Hawkeyes starter and son of head coach Fran McCaffrey has decided to step away from the team due to his ongoing “battle with anxiety,” he and the program said Tuesday. announced in a statement issued.
“I have been battling anxiety for some time, which recently peaked and it was interfering with my preparation and performance on the court,” said Patrick. “It’s not fair to yourself or your teammates to be on the court when you’re not yourself.
“For this reason, I will be taking an indefinite leave of absence to deal with my situation,” he added.
The 6-foot-9-inch forward elaborated on how anxiety affects her daily life, saying, “It affects every aspect of my health and makes it incredibly difficult to function normally.
“Anxiety affected my sleep, appetite, and stamina, and as a result, I didn’t have the energy levels I needed to reach my full potential,” added McCaffery.
He also confirmed that his time off from the team had nothing to do with his battle with thyroid cancer at the age of 13.
McCaffery squares off for a shot during a 2022 NCAA Tournament game.
Gregory Fisher – USA TODAY Sports
The redshirt juniors started the 2022-2023 season with career-best scoring and rebounding averages. And as his third-leading scorer for Iowa this year, the Hawkeyes will certainly feel him off the court.
“It could be two games, it could be four games, it could be more,” he said in a statement. “But I’ll be back when I feel like it.”
Fortunately for McCaffery and other Iowa student-athletes, the school has several sports psychologists and therapists. According to the Hawkeyes’ Counseling and Psychology Services webpage, current student-athletes can receive “confidential personal counseling, performance psychology services, and psychological rehabilitation from injuries” free of charge through the athletics department.
McCaffery (left) hugs his father and head coach, Fran.
AP Photo/Charlie Neighborgal
On behalf of himself and his team, Fran McCaffrey praised his son’s “courage and willingness to be open about this struggle” and added, “While he navigates this struggle, his family, coaches, teammates, And we have the full support of the management,” he added. .
“I hope others know they’re not alone,” McCaffery said. “We stand with him every step of the way.”
While he’s currently unsuitable for the team, Patrick appears to be staying close to the program during his mental health hiatus.
McCaffery celebrates a successful shot as the Hawkeyes upset the No. 15 Indiana Hoosiers.
AP Photo/Charlie Neighborgal
The 22-year-old sat right behind Iowa’s bench at the Carver Hawkeye Arena on Thursday night. The unranked Hawkeyes in his 21-point comeback he upset No. 15 Indiana his Hoosiers.
Representatives for the Iowa men’s basketball team and the university’s student-athlete counseling and psychological services division did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
