Oakland Roots is thrilled to highlight the work of Mental Health and Sport Performance Coach, Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CSW. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Oakland Roots want to share the value that Bonta Sumii brings as a member of the Technical Team and a fundamental part of the Oakland Roots’ Nurtured Roots program. Bonta Sumii joined Oakland Roots staff at the beginning of the 2021 USL Championship season, becoming one of few professional sports teams with a m

Antonio Brown has a history of concussions which can lead to CTE. One symptom of CTE is “erratic behavior.” Calling a “tantrum,” an “incident,” a meltdown shows a lack of understanding and knowledge. Video via Youtube The Sporting Maniac Brown and other @NFL players are playing undiagnosed. Living life with chronic headaches, changes in mood- including depression and agitation, and not realizing these are all symptoms of CTE. Junior Seau died of suicide after coping with CTE

As I reflect on this last season with the Oakland Roots Sports Club of the United Soccer League (USL), I am filled with gratitude and appreciation!! A purpose driven club that prioritizes athlete mental health!! It has been my privilege to get the opportunity to know and support the players, on and off the field. They are an incredible bunch of guys!! They are humans who have lives, just like you and me, and I am humbled by all that they are called to manage and be responsibl

Last night I read about Kyle Beach and watched his video interview on ESPN SportsCenter. I really appreciate him and support him 100%, for being able to come forward, as a male professional athlete, about being sexually assaulted by his male coach. Kyle is helping so many people that he’ll never even meet, by doing so. Photo via Achetron As tragic as his story is, sexual assault in sports, at all levels, is nothing new. When the power dynamic between a person in authority in