By OkayGoal 
In recent years, professional women’s soccer has seen a powerful shift as players increasingly use their platforms to advocate for mental health awareness. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) features numerous athletes who openly share their personal struggles, normalizing conversations about mental wellbeing in sports. Below are the stories of several remarkable, young NWSL players who have become champions both on the field and in the realm of mental health advocacy.
Caiya Hanks
Caiya Hanks, a forward for the Portland Thorns, has recently made her debut with the NWSL. With these new changes, Hanks has also been shedding light on the mental health challenges that can come with change and confidence issues. Hanks has shared on social media about how, after finishing her first year at Wake Forest, she struggled with feeling like herself. This can be a tough mental space, as Hanks describes how she would spend most of her time in her room. She explained that it can take a while to feel like yourself again, but it is also important to accept the help of people around you, especially those who might be in the same boat, such as teammates.
Ally Sentnor
Sentnor, who joined the NWSL Draft in 2024, has been in the spotlight since her youth years on the Youth National Team, the UNC field, and earning the Sports Illustrated Sportskid of the Year award at just 15. Now playing for the Utah Royals, Sentnor reflects back on some of the challenges she faced. Specifically, Sentnor reflects on her torn ACL during her freshman year of college. Many female athletes face this same injury, but they always come out stronger. Sentnor explains that without playing soccer, she struggled to find her identity because soccer was one of her main sources of enjoyment. Sentnor feels gratitude for her support system and sports psychologist, but also emphasizes that it is OK to struggle sometimes and that this should be normalized.
Kennedy Fuller
Fuller, a midfielder for Angel City, has spoken out about how important it is for those playing sports to prioritize their mental health. After signing at the age of 16, Fuller shared how there was an emotional toll that came with moving far from her family and feeling a new type of isolation. She finds it important for athletes to speak out about vulnerability and believes it is a sign of strength rather than weakness.
Alyssa Thompson
Thompson, an Angel City and US Women’s National Team star, has been a consistent advocate for mental health. In the fall of 2024, Thompson spoke at a program called “Together For Mental Health” presented by Katie’s Save and The Sarah Schulze Foundation. Thompson has dedicated an immense amount of time using her platform to raise awareness about mental health, specifically the health of athletes, who often push themselves to both physical and mental extremes.
Nya Harrison
Harrison is a recent graduate of Stanford Women’s Soccer and a defender for San Diego Wave FC. Harrison has become a representative for Athletes.org, which is an association that represents the rights of college athletes and provides mental health resources. Her work in advocacy expands far and wide, and her dedication has been recognized by Stanford as she won the 2024 ACC UNITE Award in honor of her social and racial justice work. Harrison fights for change, and her determination is admirable. Her ability to represent both collegiate and professional athletes by providing them services to support their mental health has become a crucial development to the game.
Naomi Girma
Girma, another Stanford graduate and defender for San Diego Wave FC, has been a consistent advocate for mental health. Girma has been a spokesperson for the Create the Space retreat, which is a space for professional athletes, specifically soccer players, to commit to their mental health and take care of themselves. For Girma, mental health needs to become a priority as it contributes to all aspects of the sport, on and off the field. Along with Create the Space, Girma has been an advocate for Katie’s Save, a program in honor of Katie Meyer, a friend and former teammate of Girma. Girma recognizes how much Katie Meyer impacted those around her and carries on Meyer’s legacy through her advocacy of vulnerability and destigmatizing conversations surrounding mental health.
Jaedyn Shaw
Shaw is another young player dedicated to using her voice for mental health. While making a statement on the field as a USWNT player and striker for San Diego Wave FC, she underwent an injury, forcing her to take a break from the game. She shared her journey to recovery, both mentally and physically, especially about how her mental struggle was just as difficult as the physical one. While she has come back stronger than ever as a star onthe North Carolina Courage, she worked hard to regain confidence and the momentum she had prior. Shaw used vulnerability as a way to get back on the pitch and focus on herself.
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