By SCOTT AUST / Greater Garden City
In a recent match, Garden City High School soccer goalkeeper Jarica Hutcheson gave a mighty kick from in front of her own goal and watched the ball sail the length of the field, over the heads of the defenders, bounce once and glance of the opposing goalie’s hands and into the net for a Buffs goal.
Amazing, even for the reigning Western Athletic Conference girls soccer player of the year.
More amazing considering Jarica’s mental health journey coming back from an eating disorder that nearly killed her.
Tammy Hutcheson said one of the goals for sharing Jarica’s story is to stop the stigma associated with mental health disorders and to highlight some of the success stories that may help inspire others to seek help.
“I’m partial to it because I’m her mom. But I’m also in the field of psychology. I teach psychology at the college,” she said.
In 2023, Jarica spent 111 days in McCallum Place in St. Louis battling an eating disorder. When admitted, she weighed 80 pounds and her heart rate was 22 beats per minute.
Jarica is multi-sport athlete at GCHS. She competed in soccer and wrestling this year, but in the past has played basketball and some football.
Jarica’s journey started the summer before she entered eighth grade. She said the negative impact of social media almost killed her. Health videos, working out videos, healthy recipes, beauty tips, all fed a false body image mentality.
In October 2022, she started eighth grade and had grown three inches and thinned down. A little too thin for her mom so they took Jarica to a dietician to work on a plan. It might have worked but Jarica admits she lied about following the plan.
By the Spring of 2023 her parents noticed her eating disorder was out of control. She was working out more than five hours every day. She felt guilty after every meal or snack. Her purge was to work out, even in the middle of the night.
“I guess it was my escape, but it turned into an unhealthy way to escape reality. Like my mom says, everything in moderation is okay. But working out turned into not being in moderation. It turned into my whole lifestyle and that’s all I would think about, which is unhealthy,” Jarica said. In March 2023, Jarica hurt her hand while working out and because her body was so malnourished it wasn’t healing properly. Her body was conserving all the energy it had to keep her brain and internal organs functioning.
Jarica said deep down she knew something was wrong but just thought it was a phase, something that she would just get over. But it didn’t. Over the course of eighth grade, she steadily alienated friends and had cut herself off from family, turning to working out even more.
“I had to work out or my whole day was ruined. Like if anything changed in my schedule, I was not okay, and that’s when I knew I needed help,” she said.
There wasn’t one moment when Jarica knew she needed help; the realization was spread over time.
Tammy says the family started negotiating with Jarica about going to McCallum in May 2023. They finally convinced her to go in June that year but Jarica was resistant and hated it at first.
“I was practically dead – physically, emotionally, spiritually. When I got to the hospital, I had no respect for anyone. I was so sick. I cussed out doctors, therapists, cafeteria workers, janitors and more,” Jarica said.
Jarica said she missed her family, she didn’t like being asked so many questions and just wanted to be left alone. She hated how they were trying to get to know her, how they made her use the elevator rather than the stairs to avoid burning calories.
A couple of times she was caught working out and so would need to sleep while being under observation from the nurse’s station.
McCallum specializes in treating eating disorders that affect athletes. It offers help to people ranging in age from adolescents to adults.
Tammy said the thought was that since athletics was what led to the situation, maybe a treatment that involves athletics would be the solution. McCallum offers intense therapy, five or six hours a day, both group and individual.
Jarica was released in October 2023. Tammy said one thing that caught her off guard as the medial team assembled to see Jarica off. One of the team members pulled Tammy aside and said Jarica was so sick when she arrived that they really thought she would be the first patient to die at the facility.
McCallum really was all or nothing for the family.
“We had to get her there. We had to get her to that facility,” Tammy said. “We put all our eggs in that one basket and that was our saving grace. We say this all the time – the Hutcheson’s don’t have a plan B.”
The facility started providing calories slowly and by the end of her stay Jarica’s diet was up to 7,500 calories per day. As an athlete, she still works out intensely and consumes about 6,000 calories per day. She has doubled her weight since 2023 and is at a health 160 pounds.
Jarica has been told this is something she’ll need to deal with for the rest of her life. In some ways, she agrees but on the other hand she is hopeful that she’ll overcome it eventually.
“I don’t think about it 24/7, and yeah, I work out a good amount now and I think I’m doing better than I was,” she said.
Tammy said her daughter’s success isn’t typical of many eating disorders. In fact, of the 26 high school athletes who were in the program with Jarica at McCallum, 25 have had to be readmitted for treatment and one has since died of their eating disorder.
One positive of the experience is it created an opportunity to improve treatment options for eating disorders in Garden City and McCallum has helped train people here. Tammy said on average, she sees two families per month who reach out to her asking for resources on dealing with eating disorders.
Jarica’s experience also led to her sister, Baylee Hutcheson, to create the 111 Foundation, a Christian-based Foundation designed to help provide resources for others experiencing eating disorders. In addition, Baylee Hutcheson intends to become a nutritionist to help others like her sister.
The number 111 in the Foundation’s name is significant because it’s the number of days Jarica spent being treated at McCallum Place. The number 111 is also an angel number. In numerology, it symbolizes beginnings, leadership and the capacity to manifest desires into reality.
Jarica struggles with the stigma of her disorder. She admits feeling embarrassed, wondering whether people would think her weak or that they wouldn’t look at her the same way for getting treatment. But she credits her best friend Carly, who called her frequently while in the hospital and has always treated her the same no matter what, with helping her feel better.
Tammy can understand why Jarica felt that way, and said other families dealing with a mental health issue also struggle with the stigma and not knowing where to go to get help. But for Tammy, mental health is no different than having a physical condition.
“You should treat the families of people with a mental disorder the same way you would someone who has cancer, like they need the support. It’s a long journey when you don’t have support. Nobody chooses to have a physical disease, and nobody chooses to have a mental disorder,” Tammy said.
Jarica plans to graduate early this December. She has a full ride scholarship to play soccer at Butler Community College and then she plans to go to a Division I school. Eventually, she hopes to become a professional soccer player.
Jarica said she hopes sharing her story provides inspiration to others.
“My goal, since I was a little kid, has been to impact other people. I feel like going to the hospital is a blessing in disguise. Like, I hated it. But I loved it at the same time. It keeps me motivated,” Jarica said. “When I don’t feel like going to practice, I know I’m working for something. I want to help little girls like me, and little boys, who are struggling, you know? Just help them fight their mental disorders and overcome and know that no amount is too big for God, you know?”
May is Mental Health Awareness month. The observance, held since 1949, is designed to raise awareness about mental health conditions, reduce stigma, and provide support for mental wellness.
Last Thursday, the Garden City High School soccer team observed Mental Health Awareness Month with the first Mental Health Awareness game night. The Lady Buff Striker Booster Club provided resources about mental health disorders at the game.
+ There are no comments
Add yours