Mark Mickan focused on West Adelaide, not Parkinson’s

West Adelaide coach Mark Mickan is still fully focused on his work despite having Parkinson’s disease.

West Adelaide coach Mark Mickan. Picture: Mark Brake

MARK Mickan’s hands were shaking aggressively as he spoke about a West Adelaide loss.

But under the baseball cap and behind the typically quiet words, it was the same Mark Mickan who has had such a positive impact on South Australian football.

He cannot hide the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. However, for the past eight months he has known he had the condition, he has remained motivated and has no intention of walking away as Bloods coach in the SANFL.

“I’ve never really been devastated by the news, I just know I have to adjust my lifestyle a bit,” Mickan said. “I have to be diligent with my drugs and take a positive outlook. I’m okay with it.

“The effects are absolutely minimal and if there are, they kick in later on in the condition and can be reduced by keeping the brain active and staying physically active.

Mark Mickan during a quarter-time break with his players.

“It is frustrating a bit. I try and put my hands in another position where the tremor might stop, I move them around. It is something over time I’m getting used to.

“I know it is going to be with me now.

“It has got to the stage where I don’t try and hide it and it is part of who I am now. For the past eight months I’ve been trying to win a game of footy and that is my focus at the moment.”

Just 12 months after taking the Bloods to premiership glory, Mickan visited his doctor after noticing “symptoms I was not sure what they were” before being referred to a neurologist.

The inaugural Adelaide Crows club champion in 1991, an All-Australian in 1988 and a member of the SA Football Hall of Fame, Mickan admitted it was a bit too much to comprehend at the time.

After the diagnosis, Mickan chatted with people who have had Parkinson’s disease for “a number of years” and received valuable advise.

It is so typical of the reserved former champion ruckman to be embarrassed by the attention.

“There is a world of people worse off than me, not just with Parkinson’s, but with other conditions far more debilitating,” he said. “I’m fine.”

West Adelaide coach Mark Mickan on match day.

Mickan said he is blessed to have had fantastic support from his family as well as a close friendship group. The Bloods have also fully backed his retention as coach, having accompanied Mickan to an appointment with the neurologist.

He told the playing group of his condition on Thursday night.

“Certain people in (Bloods) management have known about it for quite a long time and they have supported me really well,” Mickan said.

“I wanted to be transparent through the whole process and after coming with me to the neurologist they were satisfied there was no problem continuing my role.

“While I’m up to it, I’d like to continue and it will be something the club and I will discuss as the year progresses.

“There are a few little things. My hand writing has never been that flash, but it is a lot worse now.”