South Bend, IN – When looking back at Saturday’s matchup between Syracuse and Notre Dame men’s lacrosse, it’s hard to see anything other than the result. In a 22-6 defeat, the Orange suffered their worst margin of defeat in nearly 50 years.
However, Saturday’s contest held more significance than just another top-20, ACC matchup. The game was organized and played for Mental Health Awareness by both teams.
Both programs have lost legends in the past two years to suicide. On the Syracuse side, Rob Kavovit took his own life in March of 2021, while ND lost Tommy O’Brien in June of 2020.
Following Kavovit’s passing, his brother Andy created the 15 For Life Foundation. The organization aims to spread awareness about depression and mental illness.
“We started the foundation to try to just jump into the fire and see what we could do to open the dialogue and shed the shame around depression and mental health so that people aren’t afraid to ask for help,” said Andy Kavovit.
The 15 For Life Foundation focuses specifically on silent depression. This form of depression was what Rob struggled with. Instead of there being visible signs of someone’s struggle, often people closest to the situation have no idea anything is wrong.
“If I had a sheet of paper with 50 of my closest friends and you were to tell me who the last person to take his own life, who it would be?” said Paul Carcaterra, Rob’s childhood friend and a former SU All-American. “Honestly, he would have been one of the last that I ever thought would do this.”
In the week leading up to Saturday’s game, 15 For Life organized a Zoom with the SU team, as well as over 200 other college and high school lacrosse players. Several individuals spoke about their experiences with mental illness, as well as how to help others.
“I think when you have depression, you spend so much of your energy all day long convincing everybody that you’re okay,” said Doug Jackson, a former SU standout. “Then when work is over, and you get to practice it’s just like a whole other round of it and it’s just exhausting hiding it and convincing people that you’re okay.”
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The 15 For Life foundation aims to help individuals realize that it’s okay to ask for help. The first step in reaching out is often the hardest but the most rewarding once complete.
“Strength is often times defined as someone who can just fight through things, but strength is actually defined by understanding what your weaknesses are and how you feel. That is strength and coming to terms with it,” said Carcaterra.
Both Notre Dame and Syracuse featured player ambassadors for each respective foundation on Saturday. Cole Horan represented 15 For Life, while Jose Boyer did the same for the Tommy O’Brien fund. Horan has spearheaded many 15 For Life initiatives in the SU locker room, including a featured 15 For Life lacrosse stick.
“We’re able to award it to who the upperclassmen on our team think is being the teammate of the week, that week,” said Horan. “That’s off the field, non-lacrosse related, that’s the guy that’s checking in on their teammates and if there’s anything that they need to get off their chest, we’re going to be there for them.”
Notre Dame and Syracuse was one of three “Mental Matters” games played on Saturday. The initiative continues to spread to college and high school lacrosse teams with one simple goal in mind.
“We lost Rob, we lost Tommy O’Brien from Notre Dame, but we’re going to do our best so we don’t lose the next generation of Rob Kavovits, so the younger kids understand it’s okay to ask for help, it’s okay to be vulnerable,” said Carcaterra.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 800-273-8255.
More information can be found at 15forlife.org and suicidepreventionlifeline.org