Ports Football Club has been shortlisted for the 2022 SportWest Awards as a finalist for the Healthway Healthy Club Award.

 The SportWest Awards are Western Australia’s premier sports awards and will be presented on Thursday, 23 February 2023 at Optus Stadium.

 Throughout the 2022 season, Ports Football Club played an active role in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing for its players, support staff, parents, and carers by engaging with the West Australian Football Commission, Healthway, The Regional Men’s Health Initiative, Tackle Your Feelings Program and Happiness Co.  Locally Ports Football Club linked in with local agencies who continued to promote the Heathway messages. 

As host of several promotional rounds including Belt Up, Talk to a Mate® and Think Mental Health, it enabled Ports to embed the positive mental health message within the community.  Also including the ‘Go for 2 and 5’ health message for younger players ensured all age groups could actively participate in creating a healthier club. 

The Tackle Your Feelings program is a free mental health program for community AFL clubs.  The objective of the program is to raise awareness of mental health and ill-health, reduce stigma and change behaviours around mental health.

The Belt Up, Talk to a Mate® and Think Mental Health rounds provides the opportunity to engage with agencies such as the Esperance Police, Esperance LifeSPAN, Centrecare, Hope Community Services and Escare. Owen Catto from The Regional Men’s Health Initiative emphasised the Talk to a Mate® message through its Warrior Education sessions.

In April 2022 Ports Football Club engaged Wellbeing Coordinator Chris Cassam, and this initiative has now been adopted not only by local clubs but is also being looked at across WA.

“Ports Football club are extremely honoured to be nominated for this award as they are working hard to create a positive and family friendly club that supports everyone’s health and wellbeing,” Mr Cassam said.

“Recognising the importance of understanding mental health enables support for all players and supporters.”

Ports Football Club also received approval from Healthway to add the Think Mental Health logo to their newly designed club merchandise (photo below). Chris Cassam said “Having the logo on our merchandise helps to breakdown the stigma, raises awareness, and supports good mental health for our players, support staff, parents, carers and the local community."

Healthway CEO Ralph Addis congratulated the club on being shortlisted for the Healthway Healthy Club Award.

“Ports Football Club has been instrumental in creating long term change and awareness around positive mental health in local football clubs,” he said.

“Regional sporting clubs often function as important community hubs, so play a pivotal role in promoting the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing.

“Healthway will continue to work with the West Australian Football Commission this year to strengthen local mental health services and educate and build mental health support capacity within the country football community.”

For more information on the Healthway partnership or to book an engagement for your club, please email dmurphy@wafc.com.au. Or to book a Regional Men’s Health Initiative session, please fill in this form.