Minnesota United FC among first MLS teams to prioritize mental health for academy players

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota United FC is building the future of their program through an academy-affiliated team of young, promising players — with many of them teenagers.
The MNUFC Academy is one of the first in the MLS to make sure players are both physically and mentally ready for the pro league through a partnership with Allina Health called the “Change to Chill” program.
Ramon Lujano-Salto is one of the U18 Academy players benefiting from this program. He says he needs the help being a goaltender, which is one of the most high-pressure positions on the field.
“I can be a bit of a hothead when I play,” Lujano-Salto said. “After conceding a goal, which is inevitable obviously in soccer, sometimes I have a hard time calming down and moving to the next action.”
The “Change to Chill” program is an online resource that Lujano-Salto uses to help him navigate his emotions on the field. He says he’s learned breathing techniques to calm down. 
“This is, I would say, life-changing for me and any kids younger than me,” Lujano-Salto said.  
Sydney Hobart, a community health improvement consultant with Allina Health, says these student-athletes learn how to recognize when they need help, which is half the battle.
“What are the things that are causing stress for me? If I have that awareness, I can better understand, ‘OK, here’s how I might interact with something when it happens,'” Hobart said.
Learning these skills now could change the landscape of future professional teams.
“This is kind of unprecedented territory,” said MNUFC defender Zarek Valentin. “I don’t know any clubs around the country that do have programs like this.”
While Valentin is preparing to retire, he says strong mental skills are just as key as physical ones, which will improve the overall well-being of players in the league in the future.
“As a young player, I didn’t have access to this because there was such a stigma around mental health, but now to be able to have these conversations and to recognize that it’s OK to not necessarily be OK at times is something really important,” Valentin said.