Minnesota United FC is among the first MLS teams to prioritize the mental health of academy players

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota United FC is building the future of its program through an academy-affiliated team of young, promising players – many of them teenagers.

The MNUFC Academy is one of the first in MLS to ensure players are both physically and mentally ready for the professional league through a partnership with Allina Health called “Change to Chill.”

Ramon Lujano-Salto is one of the players from the U18 Academy who will benefit from this program. He says he needs the help as goalkeeper, which is one of the most demanding positions on the field.

“When I play, I can be a little bit of a hothead,” Lujano-Salto said. “After conceding a goal, which is of course inevitable in football, I sometimes find it difficult to calm down and move on to the next action.”

The Change to Chill program is an online resource that Lujano-Salto uses to help him manage his emotions on the field. He says he learned breathing techniques to calm himself down.

“This is, I would say, life-changing for me and all the kids younger than me,” Lujano-Salto said.

Sydney Hobart, community health improvement consultant at Allina Health, says these student-athletes are learning to recognize when they need help, which is half the battle.

“What things cause me stress? When I have that awareness, I can better understand, 'Okay, this is how I might interact with something when it happens,'” Hobart said.

Learning these skills could change the landscape of future professional teams.

“This is kind of unprecedented territory,” said MNUFC defender Zarek Valentin. “I don’t know of any club in the country that offers programs like this.”

As Valentin prepares for retirement, he says strong mental skills are just as important as physical ones, which will improve the overall well-being of players in the league going forward.

“As a young player I didn't have access to it because mental health was so stigmatized, but now being able to have those conversations and realize that it's okay to not necessarily be okay sometimes is something really important stuff,” said Valentin.