But there is no elephant in the room here. Mortensen approaches him head-on.

“Mental health is just as important as physical health,” Mortensen said. “I just want to always be there for others and make sure they know they are loved, cared for and supported.”

Mortensen doesn’t just wear the captain’s armband of the Bemidji State women’s football team. The fifth-year elder is also a “campus captain” for The Hidden Opponent, an organization “dedicated to the mental health of student-athletes,” as Mortensen puts it.

Mortensen’s own experiences at BSU gave him a passion that matches such a mission statement. And she doesn’t run away from them.

“It was actually football,” she said. “My junior year, I had to redshirt for medical reasons. It was super tough.

As the Beavers enjoyed the recall from the biggest season in program history, Mortensen suffered an injury on the bench in 2019. She was out of the roster, which more than affected Bemidji State’s chances on the ground.

“Injuries are really tough, because you’re sitting on the sidelines and you’re not always in the role you want to play for your team,” Mortensen said. “You put yourself down. You lose your own role as a person.

But the story did not end there.

Mortensen has come back from his injury in more ways than one. Not only was she healthy enough to play, but her mental state was also elevated.

“Since then, I have asked for help and have done all of this,” she said. “Then I wanted to be the playground for my teammates and support them in that way as well. “

The Beavers gather during warm-ups before a game against Southwest Minnesota State on October 22, 2021 at Chet Anderson Stadium. (Micah Friez / Pioneer Bemidji)

Since returning to the field, Mortensen has played every game of BSU’s 16-0-2 unbeaten streak. The Apple Valley native anchors a baseline that allows just 0.73 goals per game – the second best in the NSIC – and has the schedule up to No.6 in the country.

But just as important as his beavers are impressive, Mortensen has championed change within the sports community in Bemidji State.

“With my own experience at BSU and seeing my teammates go through it, I wanted to be a part of (The Hidden Opponent),” Mortensen said. “I thought it was really important to have organizational representation at BSU. This is a question that is still relevant today.

The Hidden Opponent is an accredited nonprofit focused on raising awareness and addressing the stigma surrounding mental health in sports culture. The women-led organization was founded by former University of Southern California volleyball player Victoria Garrick and operates from Division I to the NAIA.

Among the NSICs, Concordia-St. Paul has campus captains in female soccer player Sarah Golemme and soccer player Davaris Cheeks. Minot State has basketball player Calli Delsman at the helm of its chapter.

And Bemidji State has Emma Mortensen.

“Mental health is just as important as physical health,” said Emma Mortensen, state official in Bemidji. “I just want to always be there for others and make sure they know they are loved, cared for and supported.” (Micah Friez / Pioneer Bemidji)

“I became super passionate about mental health,” said Mortensen, who joined The Hidden Opponent before the 2021-22 school year. “It’s important, especially as a senior, not only to be involved on the pitch but also off. I’ve always made it a priority to make sure I’m involved in the lives of my teammates and knowing what’s going on.

At the end of the football season, Mortensen hopes to continue working with the BSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to organize events. In the meantime, she has been able to share information with her team and help provide resources to those in need.

So, yes, she’s going to address the elephant in the room.

“Like I said before, it’s just as important as physical health,” Mortensen said. “That’s the key to mental health these days: you have to erase this stigma. Just let people know that it’s okay to ask for help.