Abby Silberman: Strength Beyond Performance

Abby Silberman, triathlete and mental health advocate.

For as long as I can remember, sport has been a huge part of who I am. I started competing in triathlon at eleven years old, and through years of training, racing, and pushing my limits, I learned that athletics is about so much more than physical performance. Sport teaches resilience, discipline, and perseverance. It also comes with pressure, expectations, and moments of uncertainty that are often overlooked.

Years of training taught Abby that sport builds more than physical strength.

I had never thought about mental health until my sophomore year of high school when I lost a teammate to suicide. At the time, there were no publicized spaces where athletes at my school could feel supported, heard, and valued beyond their performance. It made me realize that even in environments built around strength and resilience, many people are silently carrying struggles that others may never see.

Athletes deserve to be recognized not only for what they achieve, but for who they are beyond performance.

Abby Silberman