Clubs motivated to address the issue of mental health

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

An innovative approach to tackling the subject of mental health has resulted in six sports clubs coming together to hold a discussion evening which will focus on cultivating a positive mindset while also looking at motivation techniques embraced by successful role models, such  as Connacht Rugby’s Pat Lam.

Lam will be the special guest at the event in the Oranmore Lodge Hotel next Thursday (November 26) at 8pm and the organisers are hoping that by the Samoan chatting about his vast experience of motivating players to achieve their best, it can offer an insight into how to nurture a positive mindset.

According to chief organiser, community activist Joe Murphy, the feedback they have received from people, particularly young people, is that they are more likely to come to these events if the focus is not so much on the downside of mental health.

“They want to know how do you develop motivation? So, the way to get people in is to have those who, maybe, have gone through it all or seen it or coached people through the hard times – people like the Pat Lams who captained Samoa and are role models. That is the idea behind it,” says Murphy.

He says that by and large, many sportspeople want to be set on a road that will enable them to produce their peak performance while others, who may be struggling with problems on or off the field, may simply just be seeking some sort of reassurance.

The clubs involved in this venture are Clarinbridge GAA, Colga FC, Oranmore/Maree GAA, Maree/Oranmore FC, Clarinbridge Camogie and Craughwell Athletic Club, while SCCUL Enterprises and Mental Health Ireland have also rowed in behind the project.

“The spark for this was a discussion evening in Gort earlier in the year when they had Console in to talk about the whole area of mental health,” explains Murphy. “They asked every parish, every area, to do something around helping members to develop a kind of resilience and develop a positive mindset.

“I said after coming back from that it was important to do something. The more I talked to young people the more I realised the way to go was to take a strengths-based approach. Young people don’t go into talks on mental health but they will go and listen to Pat on motivating yourself as a player and a team.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.