{"id":11421,"date":"2025-09-25T16:36:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T21:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=11421"},"modified":"2025-11-07T13:56:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T18:56:43","slug":"kansas-city-current-hosts-fourth-annual-sideline-the-stigma-event-presented-by-blue-cross-and-blue-shield-of-kansas-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/community-and-culture\/sports-partnerships-community-and-culture\/kansas-city-current-hosts-fourth-annual-sideline-the-stigma-event-presented-by-blue-cross-and-blue-shield-of-kansas-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Kansas City Current Hosts Fourth Annual Sideline the Stigma Event, Presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Watch the event video recap | CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read local media coverage by KMBC-TV Channel 9 | CLICK HERE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 (9\/25\/25). 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\u2019s 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\u2019s National Team goalkeeper, two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion Briana Scurry as the event\u2019s 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 Rodr\u00edguez 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.

\u201cWe are incredibly grateful for Blue KC\u2019s collaboration on making this one-of-a-kind initiative the best it can possibly be for our attendees, and it\u2019s rewarding to see the impact of this year\u2019s Sideline the Stigma on this amazing group of young leaders,\u201d said Kansas City Current Vice President, Community Relations Ben Aken. \u201cIt\u2019s incredibly rewarding to witness the impact of this year\u2019s Sideline the Stigma in conjunction with our broader, ongoing effort with Blue KC to foster open and honest conversations around mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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This year\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s 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\u2019s four-year history, allowing the message of this year\u2019s Sideline the Stigma to reach its largest audience to date.

\u201cSideline the Stigma continues to be the premiere event that we love to offer these young people to help combat the stigma surrounding mental health,\u201d said Jenny Housley, Blue KC Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer. \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2014 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.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about Blue KC and the Current\u2019s commitment to mental health and the Sideline the Stigma program, visit kansascitycurrent.com\/sidelinethestigma<\/a>. The page also includes access to Mental Health First Aid \u00ae training and other resources.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Blue KC supports the Kansas City community through impactful sports partnership programs<\/h3>

Sideline the Stigma<\/p> <\/div>\n

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