Noah Rubin — Makers & Dreamers 2019

Noah Rubin
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Noah Rubin

Noah Rubin

Athlete and Mental Health Advocate

As a professional tennis player, Rubin chose to delve deeper into athletes’ stories with his project Behind the Racquet, which launched this year.

What made 2019 a milestone year for you?

Behind The Racquet was created in 2019. Before I started telling other players’ stories, I had many ups and downs in my own tennis career. I nearly gave tennis up. Starting Behind The Racquet gives others an outlet to share and discuss the lesser known realities of the sport, but it also really helped me get out from a dark place.

I think we’re fortunate enough to be in a day and age where people are talking about mental health. The stigma is being broken a little bit, but I think we have to take it a step further.

What is the purpose of Behind The Racquet?

Ultimately, I want everyday people, not just professional athletes, to feel comfortable sharing their own stories and struggles. A lot of people have said that Behind The Racquet is like a therapy session. It’s a place to talk about really tough mental health topics that normally aren’t in the coverage of the sport. People need a community to feel safe, and Behind The Racquet offers that.

How has Behind The Racquet had an impact on the tennis community?

I think Behind The Racquet is really crucial for people and players in the tennis community because it builds interpersonal connection between the player and the fan, which in an individual sport like tennis, we should have more of. It’s not just about how their forehand or backhand is that day, but about why they are the people they are, why they do the things they do, and even how they grew up.

What is your biggest inspiration?

Sometimes people see me as a cynic because I have this native New Yorker personality, but people are what inspires me the most. I try to meet as many people as possible, listen to them and what they have to say.

What is on the horizon for 2020?

There are big plans for events in 2020 to continue to break the stigma surrounding mental health and trauma in the world of sport and beyond. I want our readers, however many, to find these stories and feel accepted and supported, and to know that we are here for each other.

2020 Predictions

2020

Predictions