Building on its work with Project Rampart, Under Armour will connect young athletes and coaches with free resources and support
Under Armour announced Protect This Mind, a mental wellness initiative building on the brand’s work with high school student-athletes through Project Rampart. With NFL professional football player Damar Hamlin serving as its athlete ambassador, the platform brings together free mental wellness resources, peer-to-peer support, and expert-backed training for coaches and educators to better help young athletes navigate the pressures of sport, school and everyday life.
Through its work with student-athletes in Baltimore, Oakland and Washington, D.C., Under Armour has heard a consistent need for more practical tools and trusted support for mental wellbeing. Protect This Mind responds to that feedback, reaching students through Project Rampart partner high schools and making resources available more broadly through a free online hub.
“Through our Project Rampart work, we have impacted over 50,000 student-athletes by providing access to equipment, apparel, upgraded facilities, leadership development and coach training,” said Lynn Quayle, Under Armour’s Sr. Lead, Global Community Impact and Volunteerism. “We consistently have heard from our Rampart student-athletes that they are looking for connection and guidance to better manage their mental wellbeing. The ultimate goal of Project Rampart is to ensure that these kids have what they need to be successful on and off the field, and Protect This Mind was built to support their mental game.”
Protect This Mind was developed in collaboration with Athletes for Hope, Born This Way Foundation, MEN’S X MENTAL, and Positive Coaching Alliance, with input from student-athletes.
The platform includes:
Free resources for students, coaches and educators. An online hub brings together practical mental wellness tools, athlete stories and educational resources. These include the Be There Certificate, a free online course created by Jack.org in partnership with Born This Way Foundation, and a dedicated coaches’ guide from Born This Way Foundation.
Peer-to-peer support. Beginning this year, Under Armour and MEN’S X MENTAL will pair members of the Project Rampart Student Athlete Leadership Council to help them connect around the challenges of balancing athletics, academics and personal wellbeing. The effort will expand to additional student-athlete communities over time.
More support for coaches. Under Armour plans to work with the Positive Coaching Alliance to expand coach education and introduce a Mental Rest Day Pledge, encouraging coaches to make time and space for athletes’ mental wellbeing and recovery.
The effort also extends to younger students. Through Athletes for Hope’s athlete-led CHAMPS Program, Under Armour will support mental wellness programming for elementary and middle school students, helping them build skills before they reach high school.
Damar Hamlin, who joins Under Armour’s football roster, will help amplify the initiative’s resources and encourage student athletes to seek support, care for themselves and support one another.
“We know that participating in sport can give young people so much—confidence, resilience and the drive to work hard—but it can also bring challenges and pressures that aren’t always visible,” said Hamlin. “I’m proud to join Under Armour and be part of Protect This Mind because I want to help the next generation navigate those challenges. It’s about letting young athletes know that it’s okay to ask for help, prioritize their wellbeing and lean on the people around them.”
Protect This Mind builds on Under Armour’s existing support for mental health education, including the Be There Certificate. As the work grows, the brand will involve Project Rampart student-athletes and athletes across its roster in shaping content, sharing experiences and encouraging conversations about mental wellbeing.
About Under Armour
Under Armour, Inc., based in Baltimore, Maryland, is a global performance brand committed to empowering athletes everywhere. Since 1996, the company has advanced how athletes train, compete, and recover through innovative apparel, footwear, and accessories. In partnership with elite athletes and game changers, Under Armour is shaping the future of sport and inspiring those who strive for more. Learn more at http://about.underarmour.com.
Partner Quotes:
Athletes for Hope
“Over the last several years, athletes have proven that they have a unique and powerful platform that has elevated the importance of mental health in our society,” said Jason Belinkie, CEO of Athletes for Hope. “However, many young athletes are still under intense pressure, and having the right resources and support systems can truly change their lives. We’re proud to partner with Under Armour on Protect This Mind to build a best-in-class initiative that provides an innovative and multi-faceted approach to support athletes’ mental health.”
Born This Way Foundation
“Whether a young person is in a classroom, at home, with friends, or on a team, they need people around them who know how to listen, notice when something has changed, and stay present when things get hard. These skills matter everywhere young people are, because sometimes the most meaningful thing we can offer is the feeling that they are seen, supported, and not alone,” said Alex Aide, Vice President of Programs and Impact at Born This Way Foundation. “We built the Be There Certificate because caring about someone and knowing how to support them are not always the same thing.”
MEN’S X MENTAL
“MEN’S X MENTAL was built on a simple belief: no athlete should ever feel like they have to navigate what they’re carrying alone,” said Teddy Sourlis, CEO & Founder of MEN’S X MENTAL. “Athletes spend so much of their lives surrounded by teammates, coaches & communities, yet some of the most difficult things they experience are still carried in silence. Protect This Mind gives us the opportunity to work alongside Under Armour & a group of incredible organizations to change that—not simply by starting more conversations, but by helping build a culture where athletes have trusted resources, meaningful peer-to-peer support & people around them who know how to show up when it matters. We’re incredibly proud to bring MXM’s athlete community, storytelling & lived experience into this initiative & help create something that meets young athletes where they are, reminds them that they are not alone, & empowers them to be there for one another.”
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA)
“At Positive Coaching Alliance, we know that coaches are frontline mentors who can profoundly impact a young athlete’s mental health and overall well-being,” said Jason Sacks, PCA’s CEO. “We are incredibly proud to partner with Under Armour and the Protect This Mind Coalition to champion this vital initiative. Through our network, we are proud to promote the coach pledge—equipping leaders with the resources to ensure every young person feels supported and safe on and off the field.”