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In a response to the rising mental health challenges in soccer, USWNT stars Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma have pledged their support to “Create the Space,” a new mental health initiative aiming to address these issues head-on.
Launched in the wake of personal losses, this initiative draws on the collective strength of top soccer players both in the U.S. and Europe, as reported by James Olley of ESPN.
Smith and Girma's involvement, along with USWNT player Sofia Huerta, comes not only from their commitment as professional athletes but also from a place of personal connection – Girma's participation is a tribute to her late San Diego Wave teammate and friend, Katie Mayer, who took her life in March 2022.
“What I have learned through losing my best friend, is that everyone struggles in their own way, even when it doesn't seem they are,” said Girma. “Suffering doesn't always look like the way it's portrayed in the movies. No matter if I am a professional athlete, a student or whatever, making sure that I'm checking in on others and checking in on myself is so important. Create the Space will help people be the best versions of themselves and may even save lives.”
Create the Space is designed to offer mental health support at every level of the sport, providing in-person training facilitated by mental health practitioners. The program's reach extends from the highest tiers of professional play down to the grassroots, ensuring that all participants in the game have access to the support they need.
This initiative is part of a collaboration with Common Goal—a philanthropic movement involving over 250 soccer players and managers dedicated to harnessing the game as a force for societal good. Create the Space aims to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health through comprehensive programs crafted by both Common Goal and its partners.
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Common Goal and E-Motion will spearhead the initiative in North America, focusing on a pilot program targeting youth coaches in at-risk communities across the U.S.
No matter if I am a professional athlete, a student or whatever, making sure that I'm checking in on others and checking in on myself is so important. Create the Space will help people be the best versions of themselves and may even save lives,” Girma said.
In the United Kingdom, the campaign will join forces with the charity Football Beyond Borders to tailor a specific program to their needs. Soccer stars such as Arsenal's Beth Mead and Chelsea's Ben Chilwell have also thrown their support behind the initiative. Mead, who faced the dual challenges of recovering from knee surgery and the loss of her mother, emphasized the importance of community support and the need to normalize conversations around mental health.
“In January I lost my Mum and because of the injury I couldn't play football, which was always my escape, my happy place,” Mead said. “Moments when people thought I was fine because of my outgoing personality, were very dark. … It's been a tough process to understand. … I want to help create an environment in which it's totally normal to address mental health. … There's not a perfect way of dealing with it, but if you feel you're not alone it helps so much. We need to normalize mental health and in doing so that would go a long way.”
