NSW Premier Cricket: He cheated death, now Cam Williams is clearing heads

When distance runner and wellness advocate Cam Williams was put in a coma, he wasn’t expected to wake up let alone become the face of mental health at the Penrith Cricket Club.

Two years ago Cam Williams set off on a running race that he would never finish. It left him in a coma, and on the starting line of an entirely different race.

Now, following a miraculous recovery, Williams’ passion for breaking mental barriers has escalated in unison with the Penrith Cricket Club’s 80 cricketers who play in competitions run by NSW Premier Cricket.

Having implemented a digital platform to assess the wellbeing of each player before they hit the training paddock, Williams teases boundaries still evolving in professional sport.

Just as powerful, is the 26-year-old’s rapport among the group, healthy enough to approach topics often suppressed in male conversation.

Penrith Cricket Club welfare co-ordinator Cam Williams on the job at Howell Oval, Penrith, 6 November 2022. Picture Thomas Lisson.

But for the volunteer welfare co-ordinator who has beaten his own demons, how did his Penrith journey begin?

“I was never a cricket player, but my brother Brent was part of the Penrith first grade premiership team in 2018-19,” said Williams.

“The next year was pretty rough and I noticed the team wasn't happy and it impacted how they were performing – things like laughing after a loss. So I asked the first grade captain if I could try and implement a few things to help.

“Initially it was more about getting the boys to respect the club, and point out some of the behavioural issues. So that’s how I got my foot in the door.”

Then in 2020, after taking up long distance running to help offset his own battles with depression, it all came crashing down.

“One day I didn’t finish a race. It turned out I was severely dehydrated and had bleeding on my brain,” Williams explained. “I was in a coma for a week, and I wasn’t expected to wake up, or if I did, the doctors expected my brain would be damaged.”

Captain Ryan Gibson on the front foot for Penrith at the club’s Movember Day in Round 3 of the NSW Premier Cricket T20 competition at Howell Oval, 6 November 2022. Picture: Thomas Lisson

In the nine months it took to recover, the Penrith local remained involved with the Talk Talk charity he established in 2017 to create awareness for men's mental health. It still tugs his heart strings.

“I love the Penrith community and I just felt like I needed to do something for the youth, even though I don’t have a strong cricket background,” he said.

“It’s nothing big, but I can notice the change it has made, people talking among each other. And at the end of the day, that's exactly what I wanted to do.

“The entire experience has shaped me into the person I am today. And I think the cricket boys realise that. They’ve seen me come out the other side, so when they're faced with hardships at the club, I’m the first person they go to.”

Prior to training twice a week, each player completes a survey on their mobile phone ranking their sleep, fatigue and stress, and there’s an option to report matters that might be pressing on their mind.

“I have a laptop at training and the survey results get sent straight to me. I can pretty much rate them even before I’ve said a word to them,” said Williams.

“I have found the optional feedback is where I'm getting the most growth, because it is fully confidential.”

From aspiring teenage young guns to club stalwarts, every player is taken into account. For second grade batsman Brock Campbell, his bond with Williams extends well beyond the pitch.

Cam Williams, Penrith Cricket Club welfare co-ordinator, Howell Oval, Penrith, 6 November 2022. Picture Thomas Lisson.

“I fill out the survey before training and by the time I arrive, Cam already knows how I am feeling and if we need to talk,” said the 18-year-old who, for the most part, has grown up in the absence of a regular father figure.

“Cam is like an older brother to me, he's like the main figure in my life.

“If I’m feeling down, it’s good to know there is someone that will listen to me. He’s become part of my life, like a comfort zone when I'm struggling.”

Williams says the majority of concerns occur outside the club, but his job is to initiate conversation – an opportunity to open the gate.

“One of the second graders was dropped to thirds. It turned out he was having troubles at university,” said Williams. “So I advised him to have a week away from training and the coaches agreed, so it is a collaborative effort.”

Owen Cole bowling for Penrith in Round 3 of the NSW Premier Cricket T20 competition at Howell Oval, 6 November 2022. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Asked if the data always stacked up with on field performance, Williams replied with a grin.

“Prior to a match, the first graders complete an additional questionnaire. Which is funny because you’d think drinking the night before a match would be off the radar.

“But last week, my brother actually had about seven schooners the night before scoring 188 runs.”

It’s typical of the wide variety of coping mechanisms that keeps Williams on his toes.

“Some players come to training stressed, but cricket is their outlet. Then I‘ve got boys where stress is a demotivator, and they only go half pace. So I need to identify those boys and make sure they get the necessary level of support.

With Sydney’s west a hotspot for an expanding Indian population, overcoming cultural boundaries is one of the main challenges Williams faces in his quest to maintain rapport.

NSW pathways paceman Hunar Verma bowling for Penrith in Round 3 of the NSW Premier Cricket T20 competition at Howell Oval, 6 November 2022. Picture: Thomas Lisson

“Indians live for their cricket, I see the pressure parents put on their kids. It's hard to get a message across because they are so into cricket.

“But I feel like the school-aged players are less at risk, they are not missing school. It's more the players aged 20 to 25, the ones that struggle with a lapse in form and then don’t want to go to work.”

For Senthilnathan Govindarajan, the father of aspiring fifth grade opener Rupan Senthilnathan, the observations are real.

Having relocated with his young family from the southern Indian region of Tamilnadu in 2009, like many parents, Senthilnathan hoped his son would become a cricketer.

“This is a common trait among families, and it does create pressure for the children,” Senthilnathan said. “But now my son is older, he is more easy going about his performance than I am.

“I am still growing as a parent. I used to take it much more seriously. Initially I didn’t understand why Rupan didn’t always perform.”

As for the wellbeing aspect of the Penrith Cricket Club, the proud father is grateful.

“This is the first time I have seen a wellness coach in sport,” he said. “For Rupan to have access to a Big Brother type figure to talk about anything, not just cricket, is very pleasing.”

It’s music to Williams’ ears.

“I tell the parents and players that I really don't care about the player. I care about the person,” he said before concluding.

“It doesn't matter whether they play first or sixth grade. They’re a person at the club and they should be cared for.”