CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hornets Sports & Entertainment and Novant Health announced today that the two organizations will host the inaugural Healthy Hive presented by Novant Health at the SpringHill Suites Charlotte City Center on Saturday, June 1. The initiative will bring together nearly 50 local student-athletes and athletic staff members from various Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools high school sports teams to learn about the importance of holistic wellness for optimal performance and success both in sports and in life. The half-day program will feature various perspectives from former and current professional athletes, as well as sport psychology and wellness experts.
“We’re thrilled to work with our friends at Novant Health and their Sport Psychology program to put on such an impactful event for high school athletes and staff in our community,” said Hornets Sports & Entertainment Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Betsy Mack. “Coming on the heels of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, our goal for the Healthy Hive event is to emphasize the importance of prioritizing your mental well-being throughout the year. We hope each of our participants leaves this event with a handful of takeaways they can implement in their daily lives to help them thrive.”
To tip off the day, NBA Mind Health Director Dr. Kensa Gunter, a Clinical and Sport Psychologist, will present to guests on the importance of mental wellness in athletic performance. Student-athletes will then attend a series of breakout sessions: Peak Performance led by Charlotte Hornets Associate Head Athletic Trainer Quinton Sawyer; Mindset of Champions led by Novant Health Licensed Psychologist Dr. John Brunelle; and Focus Optimization led by Novant Health Licensed Psychologist Dr. Danielle Graham. Athletic staff in attendance will attend a separate session, Wellness Playbook, led by Novant Health Director of Orthopedic and Sport Psychology Dr. Joanne Perry.
Following a group yoga session led by seven-year NFL veteran and Dream Yoga & Wellness Owner Doug Middleton, attendees will listen to an engaging panel discussion, Game Changers: Athlete Insights & Expert Tactics. The panel will feature Hornets center Mark Williams; two-time WNBA All-Star Ivory Latta, a native of York, SC, who was the 2005-06 ACC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year at UNC; Carolina Ascent FC defender Vicky Bruce, a native of Cornelius, NC, who was a member of UNC’s 2012 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship team and also played at Davidson College; and Middleton, who grew up in Winston-Salem, NC, and played collegiately at Appalachian State University. The athletes will be joined by mental health experts including Dr. Perry and NASCAR Consultant and Licensed Sport Psychiatrist Dr. Tia Konzer.
“We recognize that high performing athletes are more than what they achieve on the field or court, and work to empower them to prioritize their mental wellness. Novant Health is proud to offer the only embedded sport psychology program in Charlotte,” said Dr. Joanne Perry, Director of Orthopedic and Sport Psychology at Novant Health. “We share our commitment to both the mental and physical performance of athletes with the Charlotte Hornets, and we are happy to support the inaugural Healthy Hive event. We hope that the local athletes in attendance will learn from this event and apply mental wellness and performance practices to their lives.”
