Coaching junior footy kids to kick mental fitness goals

By day, Darren Willis is a chef, cooking up creations for the hungry masses. 

After hours, the youth footy coach cooks up ways to help the boys at Emu Plains Junior Rugby League Football Club with their on field performance - and their lives off the field too.

Darren has coached his under 17s team since they were 13 years old.

A great believer in the importance of mental fitness, he earned his senior and youth mental health first aid certification so he could mentor and support his young players.

When his team reached the under 14s, Darren organised a fundraising night so they could do a Gotcha4Life workshop.

By the time the boys reached the 16s, the impact had snowballed. Three teams, coaches and members of the wider Emu Plains community at the foot of the Blue Mountains participated in another workshop. 

This year, Darren’s under 17s team will take part in Tomorrow Man’s ‘More than the Game’ workshop. Run by experienced facilitator Josh Ward, the team will explore how they can better look after not only themselves, but also their friends and teammates on and off the field. It's all about building resilience and self-confidence, resulting in improved morale and cohesion, to strengthen the club’s culture, performance and teamship.”

“The boys were at an age where I thought it was important for them to have someone to talk to. Another reason I have done it is to show the club, hey, this is important and everyone should be doing the same thing. We should all be at least starting these conversations,” he said.

The effort Darren has put into championing mental fitness is changing the culture at the club.

Now in their fifth year as a team with Darren, the under 17 boys have become role models for the junior club’s younger players.

“The boys are at the forefront of showing initiative, being there for the younger ones, stepping up to show leadership - and I would say that is because of the sessions we have had over the last few years.”

“It’s been very positive for the coaching staff as well. It’s made us closer - if any of us are going through anything, we have got people to talk to as well. You can really see they have taken the info and session message on board for the boys, 

“It’s easy to be all talk and no action. People promise the world and deliver an atlas, whereas we have taken the action on board and run with it because we know it is important.”

What message does Darren give his team about mental fitness?

“It’s important to know everything doesn’t have to be a 10 out of 10. You can have a three or four out of 10 day sometimes and that’s OK. It’s not about being at the peak of your powers every single day - it’s about building it. And it’s ok to talk about it.”

That’s what Darren does when he’s not having a 10 out of 10 day.
 

“I talk to Matt, an old boss of mine who I look up to and he’s been a mentor as well. I can have the warts and all conversation with him - tears and snot on the phone. And he knows he can always ring me if he ever needs it too.”

“That’s the big key. It’s creating that village of people you care about and having trust in the village that no matter what is said, you are not going to be judged for it.

“I lost my dad a few years ago, I lost my grandfather last month, I lost my sister when I was 18. It’s important to have people to talk to about things, especially grief.

“It’s about having that scale. It can be a one, two or three for a couple of days, but if you get things off your chest and talk to people, it doesn’t become a bigger issue.

“Talk to people, and listen. That’s what I say to the boys. I have two ears. I’m listening. I’m half deaf, but I’ll hear most of it!”