Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health advocacy has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. During my time with Real Salt Lake I was fortunate enough to have the support to host a Mental Health Awareness Match. Mental Health Awareness Month is celebrated during the month of May to bring awareness to good mental health. That is exactly what the Club did on May 13, 2023 as RSL hosted LAFC for the first Mental Health Awareness match in Club history.
It was important to myself and the Club that while we bring awareness to mental health we also give back in some way. With the help of Calle and Nic Osterhaut (Warehouse Manager, RSL) we were able to create limited edition scarves and t-shirts. Proceeds from both apparel items were donated to The Huntsman Mental Health Institute.
I am a firm believer that utilizing words of affirmations could turn anyone’s bad day around. That is what I set out to do in the stadium on May 13. With the help (and a lot of patience) of several RSL staffers we printed and cut out over 400 affirmation cards that were placed throughout the stadium for fans to find. Whether it be on seats, bathroom mirrors or concession areas there was sure to be a message brighten your day. The hope with this small sentiment was to bring happiness and smile to someones face when they found it.
We couldn’t leave the players without feeling the love and support before a game though. We created affirmation cards in both English and Spanish as an extra good luck message pregame.
Our digital team worked hard curating stories that would help fit the narrative of Mental Health Awareness Month. From finding small locally owned businesses that promote good mental health, to resources in the area to hearing staff stories there is something for everyone on RSL.com. If you’re interested in reading the stories that we put together for Mental Health Awareness Month you can view those here:
Mental Health and Soccer: RSL Staff Members Share Their Stories
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Mental Health and Soccer: RSL Staff Members Share Their Stories |
Ford Mental Health Apps Playlist
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Ford Mental Health Apps Playlist |
Mental Health Resource Guide
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Mental Health Resource Guide |
Visit Utah Mental Health Local Business Spotlight
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Visit Utah Mental Health Local Business Spotlight |
Fans on the RSL social channels could see a variety of changes to the content that was posted during the match as well as throughout the month of May. The Club leaned on healthcare partner University of Utah Health to supply resources for those struggling or wanting to learn more about mental health. Each Tweet a fan came across on matchday was responded with a resource to promote good mental health.
Along with our friends over at Aptive our videographers this season were able to tell the stories of the people behind the team. In the month of May we showcased Jourdan Johnson the Club’s Mental Health Performance Coach to share more insight into the importance of not only good physical health but also good mental health for athletes. You can watch the full video below.