Country footy clubs are banding together for a grassroots cause with plenty of heart. More importantly, they are picking up the banner to address the mental health crisis facing their communities. Railways head trainer Grant Russell, pictured above with a player, is a passionate mental health awareness advocate. He’s on the front lines of inspiring a culture shift around well-being with players and their households. Unfortunately, this movement is born from personal tragedies. Having lost his twin brother, Troy, and a close friend to suicide, Russell feels passionately about providing the tools and resources necessary to remind others that communication is vital when someone is in need.
Russell says it’s incredibly important for everyone to be involved in honest, realistic conversations around mental health. Perhaps most important, he urges friends to look out for each other, insisting that no one should suffer in silence, fighting their demons alone. Just saying that it’s OK to talk goes a long way, said Russell, but even more important is the need for you to listen, highlighting the necessity of active support in these conversations.
The Impact of Suicide on Communities
In the wake of the loss of Dawson James, suicide has once again left an indelible impact on the Geraldton community. Sporting teams have felt its deadly ripple effect far too often. Russell reflects on his experiences, saying, “Sadly I’ve lost a couple of close mates to suicide, I’ve lost other people within the football club.” He’s trying to set a tone of transparency. In this environment, players should feel at ease commiserating about their battles and speaking openly about their mental health.
Anthony Jupp, another guru of this incipient movement, sometimes jokingly called “idea farmers,” lamented the deep-seated “she’ll be right” attitude country people have. He expressed concern that this attitude may no longer be sufficient in addressing mental health issues: “It’s the whole ‘she’ll be right’ sort of attitude, which is not probably good enough nowadays.” That’s why Jupp feels like just creating a space for discussion can make a big difference to people suffering in silence.
Carrissa Bellottie, a member of the community outreach team, echoed these sentiments by stating the value of mental health rounds in country football. She continued, “We’re ready to roll up our sleeves to work closely with the community and key stakeholders, including the AFL, to combat this issue and educate the community about this critical concern. With each new addition, this group effort shows a serious commitment to tackling the mental health challenges we face in this country.
Promoting Awareness Through Action
To increase awareness of mental health and its importance, Russell encouraged players and umpires to wear blue arm bands during games. These bands are an important national symbol of solidarity. They encourage all of us to go beyond the headlines and have deeper conversations about mental health. “There were a number of people that asked me, ‘Grant, why is there one on one point post only?’ and I said, ‘That’s the point,’” he explained, emphasizing the importance of reaching out and connecting with others.
Russell’s efforts are starting to catch on as people everywhere start realizing the necessity of speaking up about mental health. He encourages anyone who is struggling to reach out for help: “Please reach out because no-one will think less of you. If anything they’ll think more of you for having the gumption to stand up and say, ‘I’m not feeling right.’” This note strikes a chord with everyone, especially those who are sometimes afraid to tell the world what they’re struggling with.
In addition to creating awareness, Russell wants to bring conversations into football clubs themselves. He’s putting down the bar, so to speak, saying that if they can bring someone into the club to talk to the entire club membership, that’s an accomplishment. Even if it just reaches one or two people, then that would be ideal. There’s a reason for this approach, and that is to bring awareness. It aims to provide a safe space where people can talk candidly about their challenges.
Building a Supportive Community
The movement led by Russell and supported by local figures like Jupp and Bellottie represents a significant shift towards prioritizing mental health in rural areas. As they work together to establish open lines of communication, it is clear that these efforts are beginning to bear fruit. Russell underscores the need for communities to come together: “It shouldn’t have taken that to kick us where it hurts to get ourselves aware and really talking about what the issues are,” he said.
These collective actions from clubs and community members help to break down the stigma behind having these conversations around mental health. These clubs foster a space where people can come together and share their vulnerabilities. Most importantly, they hope to create a space for healing and help, free from shame and stigma.
