Player Story
Ryan Campbell, Andrea Kitahata turning tragedy into a commitment to mental health
- Gotham FC team-mates Ryan Campbell and Andrea Kitahata are using their platforms to advocate for better mental health support
- Both players were team-mates of Stanford Cardinal goalkeeper Katie Meyer, whose death in 2022 profoundly affected the college football community
- On World Mental Health Day, they reflect on why athletes need to know they are valued beyond their performances
The following article and video contains mention of suicide, which some readers may find distressing.
For Gotham FC team-mates Andrea Kitahata and Ryan Campbell, mental health advocacy is deeply personal.
The pair were team-mates at Stanford University when goalkeeper Katie Meyer died in March 2022. The loss reverberated throughout college football in USA and beyond, prompting difficult conversations about the pressures facing student-athletes and the importance of accessible mental health support.
Years later, those conversations continue to shape both players. As they establish themselves in the NWSL, Kitahata and Campbell are determined to use their platforms to encourage athletes to speak openly, seek support when they need it and remember that their value extends far beyond results on the pitch.
"It shifted my whole perspective," said Campbell, currently on loan at Lexington SC.
Campbell began her Stanford career behind first-choice goalkeeper Meyer, learning alongside the player who would become both a team-mate and a close friend.
"Dealing with something like that at such a young age became a larger concept that I wanted to bring to the forefront of my life."
Campbell was Gotham’s nominee for the Lauren Holiday Impact Award in 2025 – an annual accolade that celebrates an NWSL player's outstanding service and character off the pitch – recognising her work with Katie's Save, a mental health advocacy group founded in honour of her Stanford team-mate.
"I want to help younger girls, older girls – people of any age who are struggling with their mental health – make that a priority. It reminded me that it’s all bigger than what we do."
Campbell believes elite athletes have a unique opportunity to influence others by speaking honestly about wellbeing.
"There are so many young people looking at us as examples," she said. "That’s something I don't take lightly. As my career grows, I hope mental health becomes a huge part of what I talk about because I want people to know they are loved.
"When people feel their best mentally, I believe the physical results can follow."
Helping access support
Kitahata says losing a team-mate highlighted the unique challenges many athletes experience while balancing sporting ambitions with the pressures of everyday life.
"That was something that shook not only the Stanford community, but the broader football community and the wider world of women’s sport," said Kitahata.
"It really brought to light a lot of the unique struggles that professional athletes and student athletes face."
Rather than allowing that experience to define her, California-native Kitahata has channelled it into advocacy.
She worked with the California Department of Health Care Services on the development of a free, comprehensive mental health app for young people, reflecting her belief that better access to support can make a meaningful difference.
"It’s something I feel very passionate about," she said. "It's about taking care of athletes, but also human beings in general. We’re in a mental health crisis, and it's an important topic to bring into the open.
"As my platform continues to grow, I hope that’s something I can continue to push forward and make sure athletes feel like they can speak about these things and feel supported. Ultimately, that makes us all better on the field and off it."
Sharing the same experience has also strengthened the bond between the two Gotham team-mates.
"Ryan and I are often collaborating," Kitahata said. "This is something we’ve shared in a tragic, but also connective way. It’s something we can continue to push here at Gotham as well."
The players’ message reflects a growing movement across football, where footballers are increasingly using their voices to encourage conversations around mental wellbeing and challenge the idea that strength means struggling in silence.
Research shows that up to 38 percent of footballers suffer from mental health symptoms during their career.
FIFPRO, with the help of various mental health experts, created a toolkit for its member unions to help educate players about symptoms, stressors, stereotypes and how to empathise.