Collaboration aimed at strengthening efforts to empower girls and women through sports and helping them overcome common obstacles to continued sports participation
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Oct. 13, 2025) – Bay FC and Sutter Health, a leading Northern California not-for-profit healthcare system and Bay FC’s Front of Kit sponsor and Official Medical Provider, celebrated their “B You” initiative with a Youth Soccer Jamboree at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley’s Alviso Clubhouse in San Jose earlier today. Over 100 female athletes aged 8-14 participated in an afternoon of soccer skills, learning from Sutter Health clinicians, and training alongside Bay FC Co-Founder Leslie Osborne and Bay FC players Penelope Hocking, Leah Freeman, Caroline Conti, and Melissa Lowder.
Now in its second year, “B You” is an innovative program designed to empower girls and women through sports, health education, and leadership training. The initiative aims to help young girls overcome common obstacles to continuing sports participation by supporting programs focused on mental health, injury prevention and recovery, girls’ health, and body positivity. These efforts include local soccer clinics, donations to support successful community programs, a social content series, and educational initiatives.
Today’s Youth Soccer Jamboree was also part of the Bay FC’s broader Bay It Forward community impact initiative, which was launched earlier this season to make a lasting impact across the Bay Area. As Bay FC’s flagship community impact program, Bay It Forward is dedicated to expanding access to sport and empowering the next generation of community leaders.
“Investing in young athletes is a collaborative effort that requires parents, coaches, mentors, and medical professionals working together to overcome barriers that too often discourage girls from participating in sports,” said Bay FC Executive Vice President of Communications, Community Impact, and Public Affairs Lisa Goodwin Scharff. “The ‘B You’ initiative is an innovative and comprehensive initiative that connects communities with high-quality programs, care, and coaching that will lead to meaningful differences in the lives of girls and women across the Bay Area.”
“Sutter Health is proud to continue and expand our ‘B You’ initiative in partnership with Bay FC,” said Jennifer Bollinger, Chief Consumer and Brand Officer at Sutter. “The lingering effects of the pandemic continue to impact young female athletes—from reduced participation in sports to challenges with physical and mental health, and academic performance. That’s why we’re deepening our collaboration with Bay FC to provide these athletes with elite soccer training and essential wellness resources. Together, we’re committed to empowering and inspiring them to grow stronger—both on and off the field.”
Bay FC and Sutter Health have partnered to expand their investment in the “B You” initiative this season with additional events and activations to further empower girls and women through sports, health education, and leadership training.
Beyond the Youth Soccer Jamboree, the “B You” initiative has also engaged women, young girls, and families in new ways, including:
- Moms’ Clinic: Teaming up with Women’s Coaching Alliance, local moms participated in a clinic in August centered around learning the basics of soccer, boosting their skills, and building the confidence to practice the game with their kids at home.
- Continued Education: Recent “B You” events featured co-branded take-home items aligned with the program’s four key themes—such as exercise loop bands for injury prevention, educational pamphlets, co-branded video content, player engagement activities, and wellness insights from Sutter experts.
- Community Investment: Bay FC and Sutter will donate $20,000 to local nonprofit organizations Women’s Coaching Alliance and Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley to support their continued work across the Bay Area to increase the number of female coaches in the community.
- Player Engagement: Bay FC’s “B You” social content series offers leadership and access for young female athletes to learn from their favorite professional athletes. The third of four installments was released earlier this month and can be found here, touching on how Bay FC players address female health. The last feature will be released by the end of the season.
About Bay Football Club
Bay Football Club (Bay FC) is the new women’s professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area and the 14th team to join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Bay FC was established in April 2023 and co-founded by USWNT legends Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner in partnership with global investment firm Sixth Street and an investor group of leading tech, business and sports executives. Sixth Street’s investment is the largest institutional investment to date in a women’s professional sports franchise. Bay FC is changing the face of women’s soccer as we know it. Beginning play in the 2024 season, we are building a squad that will play the beautiful game with power, passion, energy, and creativity. Tickets are now on sale for Bay FC at https://bayfc.com and fans can follow Bay FC’s social channels (@wearebayfc) for the latest news, merchandise, and events.
About Sutter Health
Sutter Health is a not-for-profit healthcare system dedicated to providing comprehensive care throughout California. Committed to advancing innovative patient care, healthy outcomes and community partnerships, Sutter Health is pursuing a bold new plan to reach more people and make excellent healthcare more connected and accessible. Currently serving more than 3.6 million patients, thanks to our dedicated team of more than 60,000 employees and clinicians, and 14,000+ affiliated physicians and medical groups, with a unified focus on expanding care to serve more patients.
Sutter delivers exceptional and affordable care through its hospitals, medical groups, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care clinics, telehealth, home health, and hospice services. Dedicated to transforming healthcare, at Sutter Health, getting better never stops. Learn more about how Sutter Health is transforming healthcare at sutterhealth.org and vitals.sutterhealth.org.
