{"id":14429,"date":"2026-09-16T00:34:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T05:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=14429"},"modified":"2026-09-16T00:38:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T05:38:51","slug":"blue-kc-kansas-city-current-team-up-for-fifth-annual-sideline-the-stigma-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/community-and-culture\/blue-kc-kansas-city-current-team-up-for-fifth-annual-sideline-the-stigma-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue KC, Kansas City Current team up for fifth annual Sideline the Stigma event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Kansas City Current hosted its fifth annual Sideline the Stigma event, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) on Sept. 8, 2026, at CPKC Stadium. One hundred high school-aged female student-athletes from the Kansas City metro joined the Current and Blue KC for a full day of programming and workshops centered around empowering young women to prioritize their mental health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This year\u2019s event featured a variety of interactive sessions for participants, including a brief fitness program, small-group activities, panel discussions and, for the second consecutive year, a keynote speaker. In addition, several all-star female athletes, industry professionals and Kansas City natives helped lead discussions that fostered open, honest conversations about mental health as both panelists and facilitators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur longstanding partnership with Blue KC has allowed us to make a tangible impact with young female athletes across Kansas City, which can be seen firsthand at our annual Sideline the Stigma event,\u201d said Kansas City Current Vice President, Community Relations Ben Aken. \u201cWe\u2019re extremely appreciative of Blue KC\u2019s support in making this event such a resounding success year after year. The skills and conversations fostered here will give these young women the tools to be leaders in their school communities with impact that extends far beyond athletics.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 2026 Sideline the Stigma session facilitators and panelists included Lindsay Kobolt, Krishna Lee, Betty Lennox, Betsy Maxfield, Angel McGee, Tiffani McReynolds, Merideth Rose and Fabiola Riob\u00e9. More information about the group can be found HERE<\/a>. This year\u2019s theme was \u201cFrom Pressure to Power,\u201d highlighting strategies and techniques to maintain confidence, resilience and positive wellbeing even in adverse situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 100 female high school-aged athletes at this year\u2019s event came from 23 different high schools across the Kansas City metro. It also marked the third time the event was held at CPKC Stadium, the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women\u2019s professional sports team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs the only locally based not-for-profit health insurer serving the Kansas City area for close to 90 years, we are proud to partner with the Kansas City Current to improve the mental health and well-being of female high school athletes in the communities we serve,\u201d said Blue KC Behavioral Health Program Manager Rebekah Adams. \u201cWe hope that by having open conversations about mental health, we can help these young athletes be successful not only on the field, but also in the game of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lee, a Kansas Citian with an extensive background in athletics as both a decorated competitor and seasoned coach, spoke to attendees between sessions as the keynote speaker. She was captain of the gold medal-winning 2022 U.S. Women\u2019s National Tackle Football Team and a decorated track and field athlete at the collegiate level, earning three All-American honors at the University of Missouri. In June 2026, she was named the inaugural women\u2019s flag football head coach at Park University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Additionally, attendees got to take part in an interactive panel discussion featuring KC Current players Alana Cook and Haley Hopkins. They were joined by McReynolds, a USA Track & Field athlete and Kansas City native, and Lennox, the sixth overall pick in the 2000 WNBA Draft, 2000 WNBA Rookie of the Year, 2004 WNBA Finals MVP and 2004 WNBA Champion. <\/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 mental health resources at both the local and national level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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