Healthier Together: Regence BlueShield, Seattle Sounders partner to improve youth health

Regence BlueShield and the Seattle Sounders have joined forces to bring health, fitness and a sense of well-being to youth in the Puget Sound region.

The new multi-year agreement makes Regence the Official Health Plan Partner of the Sounders.

The health insurer and club are committed to ensuring that children have an opportunity to thrive in both body and mind, regardless of their background or income.

"We know that fitness and leisure play into not only your physical well-being, but also your mental well-being," said Dr. Nicole Saint Clair, Executive Medical Director for Regence. "It’s essential to us at Regence and the Sounders to extend our hands to kids who need it the most right now."

The partnership includes youth clinics and new playfields aimed to increase access to health and wellness programs, including physical and mental health curriculum, to kids in underserved communities.

The partnership brings together two incoming major employers in Renton. The Sounders last year announced they are moving to Renton with a new headquarters and training facility set to open in 2024, and Regence BlueShield will be moving to Renton later this year.

The youth clinics and new playfields will initially focus on youth in Renton but will eventually expand to other cities in the Seattle area. 

At a recent "Behind the Shield" youth clinic in Renton, kids from grade school to high school received free, high-quality soccer training in a positive environment with an emphasis on total wellness.

Regence partnered with RAVE Foundation, the charitable partner of the Seattle Sounders, to help empower children to nurture their physical and mental well-being, learn to care for their bodies and also build strong, resilient communities to foster the spirit of determination.

At the clinic "we’re helping kids build their resilience and build their bodies and their minds in their communities," said Ashley Fosberg, Vice President of Philanthropy for Sounders FC and Executive Director of RAVE Foundation. "Kids are learning how to care for themselves in a physical way, how to build their community around them, and how to build some grit. And we’re using soccer as the tool."

The Regence-Sounders partnership will also be visible to fans at Sounders matches at Lumen Field.

"We’re thrilled to bring this partnership to life," said Dr. Saint Clair of Regence. "On game days, you’ll witness pop-up clinics and events that celebrate the vitality of our community. Regence, with over a century of history in Washington, has always championed health, equity, and affordability. Now, we’re taking that commitment to the next level."