Vixen MJ visits netball fans

BALLARAT Football Netball Club hosted two SALT Mental Health Workshops recently and was unknowingly entered in a draw conducted by Netball Victoria.

The Club was chosen by ballot to be the only regional club in the state to be the recipient of a Meet and Greet a Vixen event.

Melbourne Vixen player Mwai Kumwenda, referred to as MJ, met and spoke with over 100 Ballarat Storm and Swans netballers last week.

Cindy Sullivan, Storm Junior Netball Co-ordinator, said the Vixen kindly set up drills for the girls and gave them tips on shooting and defending.

“MJ answered a range of questions the girls asked, from how old was she when she first started playing, to how was her recovery going from her knee injury last year,” Ms Sullivan said.

“She was happy to have her photo taken with each age group and shared stories of her life in her home country Malawi in Africa.

“MJ told them she didn’t have shoes to wear on the dirt court, the players made the goal post from a tree and melted plastic bags into a round shape to use as a netball.”

The club was one of 25 to participate in the SALT Mental Health Workshops sponsored by Netball Victoria and WorkSafe.

The clinic is designed to raise awareness and open conversations around mental health.

Ms Sullivan said the Club is mindful of the need to inform their players about the benefits of caring for their teammate’s wellbeing.

“For instance, we encourage all the girls, that if a player isn’t at training, its ok to give them a call or send a text just make sure everything alright,” she said.