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Enrolling by Invitation

NCT Number: NCT07339228

Meet Me on the Pitch: Developing and Testing a Community-Based Sports and Behavioral Health Intervention for Youth

This study evaluates Meet Me on the Pitch (MMotP), a community-based intervention that integrates sports, schools, and behavioral health with the goal of improving the behavioral health, well-being and academic performance of youth. MMotP is a novel approach that builds on evidence-based practices by using sports as a means to foster social-emotional development and address barriers to academic, health, and social services. The study assesses feasibility, acceptability, and short-term outcomes through a randomized controlled trial comparing MMotP to standard sports programming. The intervention will be implemented by the non-profit organization Soccer Without Borders and evaluated by the University of California, San Francisco.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental Health Adolescent Health Behavior Help-Seeking Behavior Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well Being Psychological Well-Being Social Behavior

Age range

14 year–21 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Soccer Without Borders - Bay Area, Oakland, California, United States

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About this study

Meet Me on the Pitch (MMotP) is an innovative community-based intervention designed to improve the behavioral health, well-being and academic performance of youth (ages 14-21). The six-session intervention combines soccer-based activities with behavioral health education using the DNA-V model, a youth-focused adaptation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). By training trusted community members, specifically soccer coaches, to deliver a tailored behavioral health intervention, MMotP addresses barriers to academic, health, and social services while fostering social-emotional development.

This study evaluates MMotP through a parallel randomized controlled trial. Youth participants will be randomized within their soccer teams to either the supplemental MMotP intervention or just standard sports programming. The study will assess changes in primary outcomes, including mental health (psychological flexibility and self-efficacy) and academic support-seeking behaviors, as well as secondary outcomes related to social connection, school engagement, and access to services. Youth will complete surveys at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months to measure these outcomes.

MMotP will be implemented by Soccer Without Borders in the San Francisco Bay Area and Colorado and evaluated by the University of California, San Francisco. This study is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Youth ages 14-21 participating in Soccer Without Borders programming
  • Regular attendance at team soccer practice
  • Ability to speak English or Spanish

Exclusion criteria

  • Youth who do not participate in Soccer Without Borders activities
  • Youth who do not attend soccer practice regularly
  • Youth who do not speak English or Spanish
  • Youth who have already received the MMotP program

Treatment and study plan

Meet Me on the Pitch (MMotP)

Behavioral

Meet Me on the Pitch is a six-session behavioral health intervention delivered by trained Soccer Without Borders coaches to small groups of youth, ages 14-21. Sessions are held weekly at school sites, typically after school. The six one-hour sessions follow a consistent structure that includes a brief preview of the day's session and a review of the prior session; three learning goals; and worksheets and play-based activities to facilitate learning and reinforce key concepts. In Session 1, participants explore identities and identify values to help guide action in future sessions. In Session 2, participants establish a personal or academic goal, identify barriers and facilitators, and set an actionable step to support their goal by the following session. In Session 3, coaches introduce the DNA-V model and help participants develop psychological skills to reach their goals. In Session 4- 6, participants use the DNA-V Discussion Tool and plan additional short-term actionable steps to con

Primary outcomes

  1. Psychological Flexibility

    Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up

    Self-reported response to the Avoidance & Fusion Questionnaire (AFQ-Y8), using 8-item version adapted for youth. Each item is scored on a 4-point Likert scale from 1 (Not at All True) to 4 (Very Much True). Responses are summed for a total score.

  2. Self-Efficacy

    Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up

    Self-reported response to the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), using 10-item version adapted for youth. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (Never) to 5 (Very Often). Responses are summed for a total score.

  3. Help-seeking for Academic Needs

    Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up

    Self-reported response to four UCSF-developed items: awareness of adult at school for academic support (Yes/No/Not Sure), need for academic support in past month (Yes/No/Not Sure), sought academic support in past month (Yes/No), and willingness to seek academic support in future (Definitely No/Probably No/Probably Yes/Definitely Yes).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Social Connection

    Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up

    Self-reported response to California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) Co-Regulation Supports Scale (Home Adult and Peer) and Community Supports Scale. Each item is scored on a 4-point Likert scale from 1 (Not at All True) to 4 (Very Much True). Responses are average for a mean score.

  2. School Engagement

    Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up

    Self-reported school attendance in the past month. Self-reported recent academic grades. Self-reported response to California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) Internal Assets - Educational Goals Scale. Each item is scored on a 4-point Likert scale from 1 (Not at All True) to 4 (Very Much True). Responses are average for a mean score.

  3. Help-seeking for Health and Social Service Needs

    Time frame: Baseline, 3-month follow-up, 6-month follow-up

    Self-reported response to UCSF-developed items: awareness of support (Yes/No/Not Sure), need for support in past month (Yes/No/Not Sure), sought support in past month (Yes/No), and willingness to seek support in future (Definitely No/Probably No/Probably Yes/Definitely Yes).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of California, San Francisco

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
  • Soccer Without Borders

Registry information

Acronym: MMotP

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Jan 14, 2026
Registry last updated
Mar 3, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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