US Club Soccer, Onrise commit to mental health support & services for coaches

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Aug. 15, 2024) – US Club Soccer and Onrise have announced an extension of their partnership to provide ongoing mental health resources to coaches across the country. While US Club Soccer members are accustomed to seeing Onrise-authored blogs and social media collaborations, this partnership expansion ushers in another level of support with custom digital workshops and webinars.

Consistent with US Club Soccer’s vision that educational resources should be accessible, affordable and inclusive, this content is free for all member coaches. Sessions will take place once per month, lasting about one hour each. Workshops and interactive group sessions focus on real-world topics, shared experiences and day-to-day challenges for coaches. Webinar-based training sessions will offer tools and strategies to enhance their mental health, build communication skills and increase leadership effectiveness.

Below are the first four sessions – two group workshops and two webinars – in the series. Sessions will continue to be held monthly on the second Monday of each month, and future sessions will be announced at a later date.

• Sept. 9 at 12 p.m. ET | Webinar: “Mental Health 101” | Watch the full recording
• Oct. 14 at 12 p.m. ET | Workshop
• Nov. 11 at 12 p.m. ET | Workshop
• Dec. 9 at 12 p.m. ET | Webinar: “Self Esteem, Identity and Resilience”

(UPDATE – Jan. 15, 2025: Please reference the Mental Health web page for upcoming sessions and registration links.)

“There are so many coach education courses and resources available, but, unfortunately, the vast majority of those are limited to the technical and tactical aspects of the game, not supporting coaches’ mental health,” said Dr. Missy Price, US Club Soccer VP of Education and Development. “By taking a Players First approach of holistic personal development, US Club Soccer is committed to support coaches on and off the field. These workshops and webinars are intended to better equip coaches to deal with the emotional tolls of the sport and the burdens they bear being in a leadership role within their clubs.”

Onrise is trusted by professional, collegiate and youth sports organizations across the country, including U.S. Soccer, MLS Players Association, USWNT Players Association, the Philadelphia Union and Inter Miami CF. Onrise’s unique telehealth solution leverages untapped networks of retired athletes to offer athlete-specific peer support, therapy and psychiatry.

“Onrise is excited to partner with US Club Soccer and its vast network of clubs, coaches and athletes,” said Kimberly Quigley, MD, FABPN, Chief Executive Officer at Onrise. “By focusing on the person first, Onrise is redefining how mental health care is delivered. Our partnership with US Club Soccer enables Onrise to engage with and educate thousands of athletes and coaches on actionable solutions to the unique challenges that athletes face.”

Onrise, which first partnered with US Club Soccer in May 2023, will also continue crafting custom blog articles for US Club Soccer digital channels. Previous topics have included how to cope with losing as an athlete, coach and parent; empathy; benefits of the offseason; how to have tough conversations as a coach and player; the mind-body connection; and showing resilience.

US Club Soccer members are welcome to contact Onrise directly to learn how Onrise can provide mental health care for your club’s athletes and coaches. Please contact Brad Ring, SVP of Sales, at brad.ring@onrisecare.com or visit onrise.care.