‘Without his speech, I probably would not be alive today’ Former coach speaks at mental health awareness event at St. Charles East

Former Newman University men’s basketball coach Mark Potter, now a mental health and suicide awareness advocate, detailed his personal story to St. Charles East athletes on Wednesday.

Mark Potter, a mental health and suicide prevention advocate, spoke to St. Charles High School athletes on Wednesday. Picture from Jacob Bartelson.

ST. CHARLES – Mark Potter’s voice quivered moments before he told the crescendo of the ‘thank-you’ note story.

The note was from a 17-year-old male. It came on the heels of Potter, the former men’s basketball coach at Newman University and Wichita Sports Hall of Famer, going public with his significant battles with depression and anxiety to a local sports reporter for a story at the time.

“He said: ‘Coach, you don’t know me, but I read your article in the paper,” Potter began. “I cut it out; I put it on the inside of my door.’”

Potter, a 30-year basketball coaching veteran at the high school and collegiate levels, spent an hour detailing his previous battles of severe depression and anxiety to attending student athletes at St. Charles East High School on Wednesday.

The mental heath awareness event was organized by current Kane County circuit court judge, Clint Hull, who is also a fierce supporter of high school athletics in St. Charles.

After his coaching career concluded in 2017, Potter and his wife, Nanette, embarked on a national full-time speaking tour regarding mental health awareness, suicide prevention and more. His mission is called: ‘Dedicated to Uncommon Principles’.

‘He said: ‘I knew I had all the signs and symptoms that you had with severe depression and anxiety,’” Potter continued. “‘After one difficult night, I had to tell my Mom and Dad.’”

“‘We went to get help and I’m getting better. I want you to know: Thank you for saving my life,’” the letter concluded.

Potter missed eight games and 28 practices during one season as a result of his difficult experiences in Oct. 2005, which included losing nearly 30 pounds, isolating people and experiencing suicidal thoughts.

“…I would walk onto the practice court; I would do a really good job of faking my team out for two hours,” Potter said of his experiences. “[Later in my office], I’d close my door and I’d sit down, put my head down and I would cry. Tears just flowing.”

“People would always [ask]: ‘What was happening?’ Potter continued. “I don’t have a great explanation other than the fact my serotonin levels in my brain had dropped to the point in which I was way more emotional than I ever had been in my life.”

Nanette Potter detailed another anecdote of needing to drive Mark to a rival college game to scout.

“…All the way up and all the way back, tears were rolling down his face,” Nanette Potter said. “He said to me: “You know what? You’re going to have to help me. I can’t do this anymore and I can’t live like this anymore. You have to do something.’”

A few days later, she later convinced him to attend counseling sessions and doctors appointments.

“It was an overwhelming time,” Nanette Potter continued. If you think you’re the only person in the family that’s impacted and they just don’t get it…make sure you hear this: When one person has a problem that’s a mental health crisis in your family, you all do.”

“Our daughter was 16 at the time, and she kept saying things like ‘when we got depression,’” Nanette Potter said. “…what she meant was: how difficult for all of us at that time.”

Nanette Potter concluded her portion by verbally relaying a voicemail the couple received from a collegiate volleyball player. They spoke at the unnamed university on a particular Wednesday evening.

“We were told by her trainer that she had her suicide planned,” Nanette Potter said. “When she walked out of that Wednesday night presentation, she realized she wasn’t by herself.”

That volleyball player received help. Eight weeks later, the player left the voicemail.

“I was calling to thank Coach Potter for presenting at my university a while back and opening my eyes to my mental health issues,” Potter read. “Without his speech, I probably would not be alive today. So, I just wanted to reach out and explain the impact your speech had on my life.”