Chicago Red Stars midfielder, Cari Roccaro, is the club’s nominee for the 2024 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, the Red Stars announced today. All 14 nominees announced by the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) today will receive recognition for outstanding service and character off the pitch.
Newly reformatted to shine a greater light on players who are making a difference in their communities, the Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, honors the ongoing example of excellence and commitment set by the two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and recipient of the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian ESPY Award.
Midfielder Cari Roccaro receives the Chicago Red Stars nomination for her ongoing work with the Chicago chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Chicago). Openly sharing her own struggles with mental health has made Roccaro a dedicated advocate for the importance of mental health in athletes. As an NWSL player, Roccaro played a key role in enshrining mental health leave in the collective bargaining agreement between the NWSL and the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA). Outside of the league, Roccaro also hosts her own podcast, Butterfly Road, which aims to destigmatize conversations about mental health in sports. Recently, Roccaro took part in the Chicago Sky’s “Block the Negativity, Post Up Positivity,” panel on mental health covering the intersection of social media, female athletes, and mental health outcomes.
“I’m incredibly excited to partner with NAMI Chicago again and make an impact in a space that is so personal to me,” said Roccaro. “Everyone can benefit from better mental health resources, and it’s awesome knowing that I’ve been able to play a role in helping NAMI make a bigger difference in people’s lives by sharing a bit of my story and giving others hope for the future.”
In keeping with the spirit of the award, the Chicago Red Stars and Roccaro partnered with NAMI Chicago to promote ‘Ending the Silence,’ a collaborative program with Boys and Girls Club of Chicago. ‘Ending the Silence’ aims to break down stigmas around mental healthcare and provide young people with resources for maintaining their mental health. Roccaro shared her personal mental health journey and took questions from participants about how she has used her platform to draw more awareness, her mental health struggles as a professional athlete and how she supports her teammates on and off the field. Roccaro and NAMI Chicago will be recognized during the Red Stars’ [Appreciation Night] match September 21 where NAMI Chicago will receive a $5,000 donation from the league and Nationwide.
Club supporters will have the chance to vote for a player nominee as part of a fan vote beginning October 1. The nominee with the most fan votes at the end of the month will receive additional funds to donate to their community partner and an organization of their choice.
At the end of the season, one nominee chosen by a panel consisting of Lauren Holiday and representatives from Nationwide, the NWSL, NWSL Players Association and NWSL Media Association, will be named the winner of the 2024 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide and receive $30,000 to designate to a charitable organization of their choice. The winner of the award will be announced the week of the 2024 NWSL Championship, presented by Google Pixel. Additionally, all 14 player nominees will be honored as part of Championship Week celebrations.
For more information on Cari Roccaro, NAMI Chicago and the Lauren Holiday Impact Award, click here.
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