The Roots & Wings Project
The Start of Something New

The Roots & Wings Project is a result of the Phoenix Wrestling Club’s (PWC) efforts to promote mental and emotional development of student athletes; just a vital to an athlete’s success as physical fitness and technical skill development. Year after year, the leaders of PWC notice the growing need for social supports and youth empowerment. Having witnessed multiple students ‘give up’ on themselves and ‘give in’ to defeat, coaches, board members, and supporters stepped into action. Through a unique partnership opportunity with Guam Behavioral Health’s Prevention and Training Branch, they set forth to empower their members and help them harness their greatest potential.

The first steps…

We wanted to know what were the biggest challenges our student athletes faced as young impressionable teens. So we asked. Then we watched, we listened, and we asked again.

There were many concerning trends and issues we learned about. Given our resources, we decided to address three risk areas.

• Large percentage reported being involved in dating and peer violence, physical altercations, and generally unhealthy relationships.
• High percentage reporting being depressed and having though of suicide, having been affected by suicide, have planned and/or attempting suicide.
• Most report a community acceptance or cultural normalcy for alcohol, tobacco, and even drug use on Guam; at home, for celebrations, and even viewed as a ‘right of passage’.

The plan…

• Find interested teen students (catholic schools) train them, help them increase their skills and confidence, then certify and empower them to be advocates within their communities.
• Go to sporting events and other public gatherings and offer information and promote drug, alcohol, tobacco, and suicide free communities.
• Work with private schools, other sports teams, and local businesses to create “Safe Spaces”- tobacco, drug, and alcohol-free locations with information about risks and how to seek support or help that is needed.

Why Catholic School Students?

Our target population does not receive the exposure and opportunities for personal development like there public-school peers. We find that many do not associate student athletes, especially private school students, as suffering from the societal norms of a Guamanian teenager. Also, grant funding and special projects are normally created to serve groups of people living in financial strain; our students are disqualified for services by circumstance.

WE NEED YOUR HELP: There are so many ways to help us meet our project goals and help create a wiser, stronger, and greater Guam in the process.

• Donate towards one of our fundraising events.
• Attend one of our training events and brainstorming focus group meetings.
• Become an active volunteer.
• Make small changes at home to promote healthy lifestyle choices.