Empowering Women in Soccer with Grace Ahrens

In this episode of Athlete Mindset, host Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC, shares space with Grace Ahrens, the executive director of Women in Soccer, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting women and underrepresented individuals in soccer. Grace shares her multicultural background, her journey into social work, and how she found her way to Women in Soccer. The conversation explores the importance of mental health in sports and the growing soccer landscape in the United States.

This is the Athlete Mindset podcast. It is all about mental health in sports. It is presented and produced by SportsE Media as part of the podcast network.

Memorable Quote: “Soccer transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, serving not just as a sport but as a powerful medium for social change and community building.” - Grace Ahrens

"Grace Ahrens | Empowering Women in Soccer" Highlights:

• Grace's multicultural background and how it influences her work in soccer
• The mission and growth of Women in Soccer, connecting over 4,600 members nationally
• The importance of social work principles in the sports industry
• Mental health considerations for athletes and underrepresented individuals in the workforce
• The rapidly evolving landscape of soccer in the United States, including the upcoming World Cups
• The intersection of social work values and soccer in creating inclusive spaces
• The significance of representation and belonging in the sports industry

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About Grace Ahrens and Women in Soccer:

Grace Ahrens recently joined Women in Soccer (WIS) as the Executive Director, bringing her passion for building inclusive communities and her background in social work to the organization. With her previous experience as the GM of NYC Footy, the largest coed adult recreational soccer league in New York City, Grace is well-positioned to lead WIS in its mission to empower women and marginalized individuals in the soccer world.

Women in Soccer, founded in late 2020, is a national network that connects women and underrepresented individuals who love soccer. The organization's mission is to increase agency and representation for these groups within the beautiful game through community building. WIS welcomes people of all mind/body types, sexual orientations, gender identities, races, religious backgrounds, and ethnicities, including allies.

The idea for WIS was born from the experiences of co-founder Courtney Carroll Levinsohn and founding member Tracy Hamm, who recognized the need for a support network for those facing barriers in the male-dominated soccer industry. The organization gained momentum following the U.S. women's national team's 2019 World Cup victory and their subsequent fight for equal pay and inclusion.

WIS values inclusion, passion, action, and grit. The organization provides a free platform for its members to connect, access resources, and find job opportunities in soccer. With over 4,600 members nationally, WIS is rapidly growing and evolving to meet the needs of the changing soccer landscape in the United States.

As Executive Director, Grace Ahrens is excited about the future of women's soccer and is committed to making the industry more equitable and inclusive. Her leadership at WIS aligns perfectly with her background in social work and her dedication to creating progressive communities within the sport.

 

Connect with host, guest, and podcast production team:

• Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC: LinkedIn | Instagram | website
• Grace Ahrens: LinkedIn
• Women In Soccer (WIS): https://womeninsoccer.org/
• SportsE Media: LinkedIn | X | https://sportsepreneur.com/

Related episodes to "Empowering Women in Soccer with Grace Ahrens":

• TLH Reckoning – Women’s Soccer Franchise | Ashlee Fontes-Comber
• Brandi Chastain | Soccer Legend, Resilient Champion, Inspiring Leader
• AthMindset | Advancing Women’s Soccer with Dr. Missy Price of the USL

Music credit:

• Beat Provided By freebeats.io | Produced By White Hot

Creators & Guests

Host

Lisa Bonta Sumii

Athlete Mental Health & Performance| Oakland Roots SC|CEO & Founder of AthMindset®|Published Author|Pro Podcaster & Guest|Speaker: Tedx, Keynote, International|Listed -NFLPA Directory, USOPC Registry, MLR Directory

Producer

SportsEpreneur

SportsE Media is a digital sports media brand & production co for executives & entrepreneurs engaged in sports.

What is Athlete Mindset?

This is the Athlete Mindset podcast. Presented and produced by SportsEpreneur. Part of the QuietLoud Studios Podcast Network.
And this podcast is all about mental health in sports.

This podcast series is a space for conversations with athletes, coaches, practitioners, and stakeholders in sports. And it’s where those individuals share their perspectives, experiences, and thoughts on mental health in sports.

Hosted by Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC

Eric Kasimov, Founder of KazSource and the creator of SportsE Media, is generously hosting the Athlete Mindset podcast on his platform as he deeply believes these conversations are essential and deserve to be prioritized.

If you are looking to start a podcast or create original content, you have to talk with the team at SportsE Media. I work with them and I vouch for them. It’s that simple.

About Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC

Lisa is a mental health therapist with over 21 years of clinical experience, licensed in both CA and NV. She is a private practice clinician and the CEO and Founder of AthMindset, LLC.

Lisa supports the elite athlete to achieve optimal mental health and peak mental sport performance. She works with adolescent sport teams, collegiate student-athletes, Olympians/Olympic hopefuls, as well as professional athletes and teams.

Lisa is the first-ever Mental Health & Sport Performance Specialist for the Oakland Roots Sports Club. The Roots are a men’s professional soccer team and purpose-driven club. Seeing the elite athlete as a multidimensional human, navigating various roles and identities, is integral to Lisa’s approach. Focusing on the role that interpersonal trauma, culture, race, gender, and sexual orientation play as the athlete navigates life on and off the field, is at the center of her work.

Lisa is listed in the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Mental Health Registry and the National Football League Player Association’s Clinician Directory.

Lisa is often an invited podcast guest and conference speaker. Besides hosting the Athlete Mindset podcast on the SportsE+ podcast platform. She spoke at TEDxWilmington on the intersection of race, mental health, and sport.

She has been featured in Time Magazine, Teen Vogue, BBC World News, and Women’s Health Magazine.
AthMindset, LLC, supports the mental health of the elite athlete and their ecosystem. This includes serving the spouses/partners, family members, coaches, teams, referees/umpires, agents, and athletic trainers, with clinical services and sport performance consultation.

To get more content like this check out https://sportsepreneur.com and https://quietloudstudios.com/