Psychologists gearing up to help athletes at Canada Summer Games

The Canada Summer Games is making athletes' mental health a top priority by adding psychologists to its medical team.

• Meet the teenage mountain bikers representing Manitoba in the Canada Summer Games
• 95-year-old Manitoban bearing torch for Canada Summer Games torch relay

Seventeen psychologists are volunteering their time to help athletes during the games, a first for the competition.

"All athletes are human beings too and sometimes they come in with pre-existing mental health conditions or other things happening in their life," said Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, chief psychologist for the games.

Leslie-Toogood said it's no secret the games are demanding and the pressure is on for young athletes coming out to the games who hope to go on to bigger competitions abroad in the future.

• Serena Ryder, Kardinal Offishall to play at Canada Summer Games

"A lot of these athletes that are coming to this experience are expected to represent Canada in the future."

She said being away from home, getting injured or underperforming in the age of social media could all take a toll on an athlete's mental health.

"We're all vulnerable. None of us are robots."

The games start on Friday in Winnipeg.