Mind Your Sports Mates

Sport is a key aspect of Australian culture, recognised as an activity that brings people together and promotes health and community. However, physically active people are likely to sustain some type of injury, an accepted risk of being an athlete. While we hear about broken bones and torn ligaments, one health area is kept in the shadows of the sporting world: mental health problems.

Coaches, umpires, physical education teachers, trainers, sports administrators, parents and others involved in facilitating sports and recreation activities are important gatekeepers to watch out for young sports people who may be experiencing mental health issues. More importantly, perhaps, is the ability for peers to have a degree of awareness around what signs to look out for. One of the biggest influencing factors when it comes to mental health problems is being able to find support from the people around you. Thus, for young people to encourage help-seeking behaviour within the frame of ‘minding your sports mates’ adds another layer of de-stigmatising mental health problems.

Lifeline’s Mind Your Sports Mates is a 45-minute facilitated discussion with 15-24-year-olds in a sporting environment about de-stigmatising mental health problems, recognising some of the signs and symptoms that a sports mate may be struggling with a mental health issue or having suicidal thoughts, and encouraging help-seeking.