Youth Sports and Mental Health: A Super Bowl 60 Panel Discussion
February 4, 2026
GoodforMEdia Youth Leaders attended the Youth Sports and Mental Health: A Super Bowl 60 Panel Discussion, an event focused on promoting youth mental health and wellbeing through the platform of sports. The discussion brought together coaches, Stanford faculty and staff, parents, student-athletes, and professional athletes, including Steve Young, Jessica Mendoza, Andrew Luck, Solomon Thomas, Curtis Robinson, and more.
Several GoodforMEdia Youth Leaders attended and three participated as panelists.
Panel: National Game, Local Stressors
Katy, a high school tennis player, spoke on the “National Game, Local Stressors” panel. She shared practical tips for balancing athletic performance, academics, and social life, and discussed strategies for integrating mental health as a core part of overall health and athletic success.
Panel: Role of Positive Coaching
Kareem, a high school football and basketball player, joined the “Role of Positive Coaching” panel alongside coaches and parents. He discussed how his mental health and wellbeing impact his athletic performance, and how adults can better support young people both on and off the field.
Panel: Visibility, Social Media, and Youth Mental Health
Madison, a UCLA cheerleader, participated in the “Visibility, Social Media, and Youth Mental Health” panel alongside GoodforMEdia Co-Founder Vicki Harrison, MSW. Together, they explored performance pressure, the ways social media can be both an opportunity and a risk, and how adults and coaches can help buffer online stress for young people.
Thank you to HEARD Alliance, NFL Total Wellness, The Defensive Line Foundation, Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, Stanford School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford Children’s Health, Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, and Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health for creating space for these important conversations and making this event possible.