Former NCAA coach Mark Potter to speak at NWC about mental health

Mark Potter, former head men’s basketball coach at Newman University, will speak about mental health issues at Northwestern College Feb. 10–12. 

On Monday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. in Christ Chapel, Potter will share his personal story of overcoming severe depression at the height of his coaching career. In addition to providing education about the symptoms of depression and where to find support, he will also identify practical ways to train both the mind and body to reach their full potential.

Potter will also give the chapel message Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 11:05 a.m. in Christ Chapel, and will be featured in a Northwestern NED Talk Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 10:05 a.m. in the Vogel Community Room of the DeWitt Learning Commons. All events are free and open to the public.

The winningest coach in the history of Newman University’s men’s basketball program, Potter has 30 years of head coaching experience and has been named one of the top 15 most influential people in the Wichita, Kansas, sports world. In his 19 seasons at Newman, Potter led the Jets to their final three NAIA tournament appearances and, after Newman athletics earned Division II status, to the program’s only NCAA tournament appearance. A member of the Cowley College and Newman University halls of fame, Potter has given nearly 300 talks at businesses, middle schools, high schools and colleges across the country since retiring from coaching in 2017.

“We are excited to have Coach Potter on campus to bring to light the silent epidemic that is mental health,” says Jenna Visser, Northwestern’s director of counseling. “Mark struggled with severe depression at a time in his life when society would say he shouldn’t have. This experience has given him relatability to all of us whether we have had severe or minor struggles.”

For more information, visit Potter’s website at d2up.org.