RECLAIMING THE GAME TOOLKIT
RECLAIMING THE GAME TOOLKIT
The #ReclaimTheGame General Council brought together a trailblazing group of industry leaders who shared diverse expertise on how we can work together to create a safer and more inclusive soccer industry.
Watch the whole general council event back here.
Reclaiming the game is an ongoing process and we’re honored to work with YOU on this mission.
HOST A #RECLAIMTHEGAME GENERAL COUNCIL FOR YOUR ORG WITH WIS
If you’re interested in bringing a mini WIS #ReclaimTheGame General Council to your organization to promote player safety send us an email at [email protected].
RESOURCES FROM OUR RECLAIM THE GAME STORIES
Reclaiming the game means considering our athletes as people first so we can prioritize their safety from a holistic perspective. The experts and industry leaders featured in these stories demonstrate supporting player safety from many diverse approaches. Learn from the resources each article showcases and contact our our experts for more information:
RESOURCES TO SHARE:
- THE WOMEN OF THE VANCOUVER WHITECAPS RECLAIM THE GAME
- Mental health resources and trauma-informed support resource doc.
EXPERTS TO CONTACT:
If you ever need to discuss any instances of abuse of power, know that you have a safe space to talk at Women in Soccer and our team can be reached at [email protected] . Or, you can contact Matthew Hall, a renowned journalist with The Guardian who specializes in advocating for player safety. Matt can be reached at [email protected] and all messages sent to Matt or the WIS team will be treated with the utmost respect and deemed highly confidential.
RESOURCES TO SHARE:
- COLLECTIVE POWERS RECLAIM THE GAME
- Follow and share content from journalists like Meg Linehan (The Athletic) and Katie Strang (The Athletic), Molly Hensely-Clancy (The Washington Post), and Matthew Hall (The Guardian US) to ensure you are furthering the impact of their work.
- Anti-Rascist Soccer Coalition 10 Point Action Plan
EXPERTS TO CONTACT:
Meghann Burke, NWSLPA executive director
Meredith Bartley, Vice President of The Spirit Squadron
Kaiya McCullough, chairwoman the Anit-Racist Soccer Coalition.
RESOURCES TO SHARE:
EXPERTS TO CONTACT:
Brynn Sebring, NWSL’s first-ever director of player experience
Dr. Robert Hunter, founder and director of Kentucky Fertility Institute
RESOURCES TO SHARE:
- REFEREES RECLAIM THE GAME
- Following and sharing content from people like Christina Unkel and Natalie Simon and accounts like @PROreferees, @FA_PGMOL, @MLSRefStats, @Officials101T, @TheRefCoach will help spread our consideration of The Third Team to the wider soccer community.
EXPERTS TO CONTACT:
Christina Unkel, a FIFA referee and a football laws analyst and the newly appointed State Referee Administrator (SRA)
RESOURCES TO SHARE:
- RECLAIMING THE GAME AT ALL LEVELS
- Lambda Rising Soccer
- Portland Community Football Club
- Organizations at the college level that support mental health wellness for athletes: My Huddle and The Hidden Opponent
- AthMindset which provides unique support for athletes’ mental well-being through the understanding that performing in their sport is a part of their identity.
- Fearless and Capable provides innovative mentorship that supports the specific challenges women and marginalized people in sports face in their careers.
- Concussion Legacy Foundation
- The End of Sports Podcast about how we can begin to right institutional failures and implement practices that keep our athletes safe and institutions accountable.
EXPERTS TO CONTACT:
Lambda Rising Soccer’s founder and program director, Xavi Valdez (she/her/ella) [email protected]
PCFC Founding Executive Director Kaig Lightner
Dylan Firsick, the Assistant Athletic Director, Director of Mental Health and Performance at the University of Georgia [email protected]
Lisa Bonta Sumii is Oakland Roots’ Mental Health & Sports Performance Specialist, [email protected]
Candice Fabry, founder of Fearless & Capable-Kim Shore, a WIS Expert Member and former board member of Gymnastics Canada.
