As much as they are popular figures, top athletes aren’t all that different from you and me. They deal with the same fears, concerns and worries that consume all of us. And often in their case, the pressure to succeed, to deliver the goods when called upon, can prove overwhelming, considering there are generally thousands watching them inside the stadium on match day, and millions more tuning in via television.
For Canadian national team netminder Stephanie Labbé, there certainly was plenty of adulation. It was her penalty saves that won Canada the gold medal at the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.
“It’s one thing to talk about it, but to actually show things and bring that up, it’s pretty awesome,” Labbé told Canadian Press.
She’s been talking about plenty. Labbé is the featured subject in the new documentary release Shut Out. The film details the Canadian goalkeeper’s struggles with mental health during her career and how what you are seeing on the outside from a professional athlete isn’t always the same as what’s going on inside that person’s psyche. She’s been very open about her struggles with major depressive disorder.
“For me, seeing behind this iconic figure is just the everydayness we’re all facing,” said Australian director Cassie De Colling, the filmmaker behind Shut Out.
Pressures Mounted On Goalkeeper
Even as she was succeeding in the No. 1 shirt for Canada, behind the scenes, the pressure was mounting inside Labbé, forever threatening to come to a boil.
She struggled with always being on the road, away from family and loved ones. Injuries left her frequently battling to maintain her position as Canada’s first choice goalkeeper. And the only way she could earn a living in her chosen profession was to leave her native country and go abroad. Labbé played in Sweden, the United States and France.
“Creating a life outside of sport was really, really challenging,” she said. “I always felt that I was on the move.”
The film was nearly a year in the making. Along with the voice of Labbé, DeColling also reached out to Labbé’s partner, Canadian Olympic cyclist Georgia Simmerling, her family, her friends and her former Canadian teammates to delve into what made the country’s top goalkeeper tick.
There are home videos going back to her childhood, mixed in with footage of some of her greatest moments on the pitch. Labbé is a two-time Olympic medal winner.
“Winning the Olympics isn’t enough to cure mental health,” Labbé said. “I wanted people to see I am human. I do have troubles and things don’t always come easy.
“You don’t become an Olympic medalist overnight and even after you do become an Olympian it doesn’t make everything go away and you have this perfect life.”
Labbé Enjoyed Stellar Career
After playing college soccer at Connecticut, where she was named Big East Goaltender of the Year, Labbé would turn pro with Pitea IF in Sweden. Over her career she’d also played with Swedish clubs Linkopings FC, FC Rosengard and KIF Orebo.
In North America, Labbé played with the Washington Spirits and North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League. In 2017, she took a medical leave of absence from the Spirit. “The decision was not an easy one, but after much deliberation we have concluded that this is what’s best for me at this time,” Labbé said in a short social media post at the time. A year later, the team relinquished their rights to the Canadian goalkeeper.
Without a team in 2018, Labbé sought to play for the Calgary Foothills men’s team in League1 Alberta, but was prohibited from playing by the league executive. In 2019, she would help the Courage to the NWSL title.
She finished her playing career with legendary French club Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, announcing her retirement at season’s end.
Hoping To Help Others
Labbé’s objective in making this film is to help take the stigma of mental illness away, feeling that if someone as prominent and successful as her can openly discuss their mental health struggles, it should make it easier for others to come forward and discuss their personal battles.
“I know how being vulnerable is powerful,” she said. “I really do think vulnerability is strength. And so being able to, like actually see [Shut Out] confirms that in a way.
“I think that’s the amazing thing about this is that different people are going to connect to it in different ways and in different moments of it. And I think the biggest thing is, I just hope that it has an impact on people in a positive way.”
Seeking To Make Proactive Change
Hoping to help other Canadian players avoid or overcome the pitfalls that befell her, today Labbé is heavily involved in Project 8. The objective of Project 8 is to create an opportunity for every Canadian to engage with the promise of sport through the establishment of a women’s professional soccer league founded on the principles of inclusion, community, and identity. The goal is to validate the perception of Canada as a global leader in sport and gender equality.
“Players are going to be able to play for so much longer [with a Canadian league] because they’re going to feel like they can actually start a family and create a home where they are,” Labbé said.
