Kansas City Current Hosts Fourth Annual Sideline the Stigma Event, Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
NWSL Kansas City Current

Kansas City Current Hosts Fourth Annual Sideline the Stigma Event, Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City

Published on September 29, 2025 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Kansas City Current News Release


KANSAS CITY - The Kansas City Current hosted its fourth annual Sideline the Stigma event, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) at CPKC Stadium Thursday afternoon. An event-record 121 high school-aged female student-athletes representing 23 different schools from around the Kansas City metro joined the Current and Blue KC at the first stadium in the world purpose-built for women's professional sports for a variety of interactive workshops supporting the mental health and well-being of female athletes.

The Current and Blue KC welcomed former United States Women's National Team goalkeeper, two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion Briana Scurry as the event's first-ever keynote speaker. Scurry was joined by several community leaders and industry professionals who led small-group workshops with the attendees, and Kansas City Current players Izzy Rodriguez and Rocky Rodríguez shared their experiences and perspectives on mental health, inspiring others through their stories. United States Representative Sharice Davids and Third District Councilwoman Melissa Robinson were also on-hand for the event.

"We are incredibly grateful for Blue KC's collaboration on making this one-of-a-kind initiative the best it can possibly be for our attendees, and it's rewarding to see the impact of this year's Sideline the Stigma on this amazing group of young leaders," said Kansas City Current Vice President, Community Relations Ben Aken. "It's incredibly rewarding to witness the impact of this year's Sideline the Stigma in conjunction with our broader, ongoing effort with Blue KC to foster open and honest conversations around mental health."

This year's theme was Beyond the Game, which highlighted the strength, resilience and holistic well-being of young women in sports. The interactive workshops and panel discussions helped emphasize that athletic identity goes far beyond competition and skills like mental health, leadership, self-awareness and personal empowerment are equally essential for success.

Participants were able to take part in interactive workshops centering around themes like wellness, leadership, yoga & mindfulness, confidence building and navigating social media, all reiterating that mental health is just as critical as physical fitness. Thursday's event featured students from 23 different schools around the Kansas City metro and 121 participating high school-aged female athletes. Both figures marked the highest total in the event's four-year history, allowing the message of this year's Sideline the Stigma to reach its largest audience to date.

"Sideline the Stigma continues to be the premiere event that we love to offer these young people to help combat the stigma surrounding mental health," said Jenny Housley, Blue KC Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer. "It was an honor to welcome World Cup champion Briana Scurry, hear her personal journey related to mental health struggles and what gave her the strength to keep pushing forward to be a world-class leader! It is our hope that the sessions and messaging at Sideline the Stigma will equip everyone to be better prepared in life."

In between sessions attendees were able to hear from Scurry, a legendary, barrier-breaking goalkeeper who played a pivotal role in American soccer history as one of the first African American female professional players. A trailblazer on and off the field, Scurry shared her personal journey with mental health, recovery and resilience - offering her inspiration and real-world insights to young athletes navigating their own challenges.

"There are a lot of different pressures on these young ladies and they're already being incredibly brave by being athletes," Scurry said. "I'm here because mental health is something that's very important to me, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. The Kansas City Current has been great to me and with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City hosting this event, they're providing all these amazing opportunities for these girls. It's truly amazing, and I am just excited to be here with them."

Thursday's event marked the second time programming has solely focused on the female athlete and the second time the event has been held at CPKC Stadium. It also was another significant milestone in the Current and Blue KC's collaborative, ongoing Sideline the Stigma programming. On Aug. 27, the Current and Blue KC launched the first-ever cohort of the Teal Talks Rising Leaders, a seminar held in Riverside, Mo for student-leaders and athletes from across the Kansas City metro.

For more information about Blue KC and the Current's commitment to mental health and the Sideline the Stigma program, visit kansascitycurrent.com/sidelinethestigma. The page also includes access to Mental Health First Aid® training and other resources.

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