Key Takeaways
- The NWSL has formed a Health Advisory Council focused on holistic player health across the full athlete pathway, from youth participation to elite performance
- CVS Health, the league’s Official Health and Wellness Partner, holds a dedicated seat on the Council through its Chief Medical Officer
- The Council includes eight members spanning sports medicine, clinical psychology, sports science and former elite players
- First-year priorities include injury prevention, research partnerships and a comprehensive women’s health framework
- The initiative complements existing clinical care and medical governance structures already operating across the league
A New Layer of Health Infrastructure for Women’s Professional Soccer
The NWSL announced the formation of its Health Advisory Council on March 10, a strategic body designed to guide the league’s approach to player health and wellbeing. The Council brings together medical professionals, researchers, sports scientists and former elite athletes to advise on health strategy across the league’s 16 clubs.
The group is not replacing existing medical infrastructure. Instead, it will complement the clinical care, medical and research governance structures already in place, functioning as an advisory layer focused on long-term strategy, innovation and education.
“The health and wellbeing of our players is foundational to the strength and sustainability of our sport,” said NWSL VP of Sporting Sarah Gregorius. “Our goal is to continue building an environment where players and performance staffs have access to the best possible resources, knowledge and support to perform at their highest level.”
Who Sits on the Council
The eight inaugural members reflect a deliberate mix of clinical expertise, academic research and lived experience in professional women’s soccer.
Among them: Dr. Kathryn Ackerman, Director of the Women’s Health, Sports & Performance Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School; Dr. Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke, a former U.S. Women’s National Team and NWSL player who is now a family physician; and Dr. Mariah Bullock, a clinical and sport psychologist and former NWSL player.
Dr. Cindy Chang, the NWSL’s Chief Medical Officer and Professor Emerita at UC San Francisco, also sits on the Council, alongside sports science consultant Jo Clubb and Dr. Margie Davenport, Christenson Professor in Active Healthy Living at the University of Alberta.
CVS Health Takes a Seat at the Table
CVS Health, which recently became an Official Health and Wellness Partner of the NWSL, holds a dedicated Council seat through its Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips. The company will collaborate with Council members and league leadership to advise on wellness initiatives and support research-driven health resources for players.
The partnership structure gives a major healthcare company direct input into how the league thinks about player wellness, while reinforcing CVS Health’s growing investment in women’s sports.
Youth-to-Elite Pipeline in Focus
One of the more notable elements of the Council’s mandate is its scope beyond the professional level. The advisory group’s work will cover the full athlete pathway, from youth participation through elite performance. That framing positions the NWSL’s health strategy as something broader than just managing current rosters.
First-year priorities include advancing injury prevention and performance programs, building research partnerships and developing a comprehensive framework for women’s health and player wellbeing. Council members will also serve as public-facing advocates through educational opportunities and strategic collaborations.
What This Adds to the Women’s Sports Health Conversation
The creation of this Council comes at a time when women’s professional sports leagues are under increasing pressure to invest in player health infrastructure that matches the pace of commercial growth. For the NWSL, the move adds a formalized, expert-led body to help guide decisions that affect both on-field performance and long-term player welfare.
Council members will meet consistently throughout the year, with a focus on translating research and expertise into actionable league-wide initiatives.
Source: NWSL, March 10, 2026
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