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Gotham FC battled Bay FC to a 1-1 draw in San Jose this past weekend, extending their strong late-season form. With postseason on the horizon, every point matters. But within Gotham’s locker room, players know that winning isn’t always the most important thing. Rookie goalkeeper, Ryan Campbell, has become a voice for something beyond soccer: mental health.
A former Stanford teammate of the late Katie Meyer who tragically took her own life, Campbell has been outspoken about turning personal loss into a platform for change. Throughout her work with the Katie’s Save Foundation, she’s helping ensure that conversations around well-being don’t get buried beneath scorelines. With September being Suicide Prevention Month, we spoke with Campbell about how she turned grief into a powerful form of advocacy.
Remembering Katie Meyer
Katie Meyer was not only Stanford’s goalkeeper. She was also a fiery leader filled with contagious passion and energy. Her tragic passing in 2022 had a ripple effect that sparked mental health conversations. When asked what she carries from Meyer both on and off the field, Campbell thinks of Meyer’s passion.
“I would just say passion. She was someone who had such a zest for life. When she was alive, I was like, ‘I need to bring a little more gusto to each day.’ So I think people now would describe me as that person... I think she is someone who didn't take a day for granted, which is why it was so alarming and shocking when she did pass away because she just seemed like someone who loves life and and loves inspiring others. I feel like for me, it's bringing her energy. You know, we called her big girl. So big on energy,” she says.
Campbell carries this passion every day, on and off the field.
“Soccer is a part of me, but it’s not all I am—and I never want it to be.”
Advocacy and Action
The Katie’s Save Foundation was created by Meyer’s parents, Gina and Steve, after her passing. Their mission is to expand access to mental health resources for students and young athletes, encourage open dialogue, and push for systemic changes like Katie Meyer’s Law so no one feels alone in moments of crisis.
As a former teammate and friend, Campbell saw it as a “no-brainer” to join forces with the foundation. Her advocacy centers on amplifying their message and using her platform as a professional athlete to reach more people. In the state of New Jersey, Campbell and Meyer’s parents spoke to a group of youth players at Gotham’s facilities.
“We basically held a mental health panel and voiced that it is okay to not be okay. Especially with young girls, you can see in their eyes sometimes it’s hard for them to speak up—but once one girl spoke, the others followed,” Campbell said. Campbell stresses that it’s not just about athletes or one age group. Mental health is universal. It’s just as important to attend to your mental needs as you do your physical needs.
“It's really important to me just to approach everyone in life with love and kindness and just a lot of patience because Katie's life is a testament to the fact that you never know. Her suicide just reminded me to go through life with more awareness and kindness,” she says.
“I always have Katie to thank… I feel like I am working with a little bit of super power.”
Redefining Success In Her Own Career
Campbell admits that deciding to go pro was difficult. She described her final years at Stanford as emotionally draining, as herself and teammates carried the weight of grief when Katie passed away. Campbell ultimately chose to continue her career, taking a fifth year at UCLA before joining Gotham FC.
“I placed a lot of weight on the decision to play professional soccer when I was in college… When Katie did die, I was kind of thrusted into the limelight. It was really difficult to let myself grieve on the one hand, but also realize that was my opportunity for my soccer career,” she described. Especially as a goalkeeper, she acknowledges that she can’t control adversity when it happens, but she can control how she responds to it. Campbell works hard to separate her identity from performance, a lesson sharpened by Katie’s struggles.
“Even if I’m not seeing success in tangible forms like my playing time, that’s not who I am. Soccer is a part of me, but it’s not all I am—and I never want it to be,” she says.
Therapy has played an integral role in balancing the pressures of competing at the highest level for Campbell. “As soon as I went to therapy it became something I relied on tremendously… sometimes people can see things you can’t in your own head or narrative,” she says.
Though Campbell described her decision to go pro as a leap of faith, she was able to let go of her fears and anxieties to chase her passion. By speaking openly about mental health and working alongside Katie’s Save, Campbell is making sure the next generation of young athletes have more resources than ever before. And through every step of her career, she carries Katie Meyer’s legacy with her.
“I always have Katie to thank… I feel like I am working with a little bit of super power—on all the things we can do together,” she says.
