Swatta kicking wellbeing goals

SPORTING clubs, community groups and businesses of all sizes were reminded last week that mental health issues can arise anywhere, anytime.

Former North Melbourne and Sydney Swans champion Wayne Schwass addressed an audience at The Bendigo Club last Wednesday about the importance of speaking up when dealing with emotional wellbeing challenges.

“I think it’s a really important conversation around the important of looking after your wellbeing proactively, and how you can do that,” he said.

“I’ll give people a range of tactics and techniques they can take away and use to prioritise their mental health if they haven’t already.”

Schwass, who played 282 games for the Kangaroos and Swans, went public with his battle with depression in 2006 despite being diagnosed eight years prior.

The 1996 premiership player was a pioneer for athletes being open when they’re finding things difficult.

“We now have clubs and an industry that supports players when they put their hand up, and they’ll support them by allowing them to take the necessary time off,” he said.

“That never happened when I was playing, it didn’t happen 10 years ago.

“We still have a long way to go because for every player, male or female, that puts their hand up to say their dealing with mental health conditions, the reality is there’s a lot more that haven’t spoken up.”

Through his health and wellness organisation PukaUp, Schwass encourages everyone, not just elite athletes, to treat their emotional health like they do their physical health.

“I would really hope that people walk out of here tonight with the understanding that they have wellbeing and what they can do to look after it,” he said.

“We don’t wait to get sick physically before we look after our physical health, so it’s the same principle, don’t wait until you become unwell emotionally before you start to think about what you do, do things today so you stay healthy.”