Pre-game session tackles mental health

WINCHLESEA and Thomson Football Netball Clubs experienced a unique pre-game event on Saturday as mental health took centre stage.

Before the first bounce, players were treated to an event supporting the mental health of football and netball communities in the Geelong, Barwon and Surf Coast regions.

Presented by Tackle Your Feelings, Read the Play and Leisure Networks, the initiative involved a Q&A with Geelong Cats players Zach Guthrie and Mark O’Connor.

As part of the 15-minute conversation, the pair talked all things football, life balance and the importance of maintaining strong mental health.

 

Senior coaches for both teams were also involved in the session, sharing some of their own personal insights and prioritising wellbeing.

Tackle Your Feelings partnerships and communications lead Ben Guthrie said the organisation is looking forward to continuing to service clubs in the region.

“The opportunity to underline the importance of uniting together to support community mental health in the Geelong, Barwon and Surf Coast regions was significant for our program,” he said.

“There are so many valuable mental health programs out there and it’s vital that clubs in our community understand who they can reach out to for support.”

The event rounded out a week of mental health education for the clubs, which also included a Tackle Your Feelings Workshop and Read the Play session.

The three organisations thanked the Geelong District Football Netball Association and AFL Barwon for their support of the programs.