Crows AFLW champion Chelsea Randall can’t grow her own moustache, so she’s roped in her coach and others to do it for her

Crows AFLW club champion Chelsea Randall has assembled a motley crew of men from every Australian state and territory to grow a “mo” this Movember. Now, she reveals the personal reason behind it all.

There are very few things Crows club champion Chelsea Randall can’t do but growing a moustache is one of them.

So she has assembled a “motley crew” of men from across Australia — including her new AFLW coach Matthew Clarke — to grow moustaches on her behalf and raise money for men’s health this “Movember”.

And she’s revealed the very personal reason behind it: her father Brett’s battle with depression and anxiety.

“Dad has suffered from depression a couple of times throughout his journey in life and most recently has been battling anxiety,” she said.

“That was my main push and reasoning behind creating a bit more awareness because I’ve seen how important it is for men to be able to speak up and be able to share those conversations and how important they can be.”

Adelaide Crows AFLW footballer Chelsea Randall. Picture: AAP/Emma Brasier

Randall, 27, said the first time her father battled depression was 20-odd years ago when she was very young but because of the stigma at the time he didn’t really understand what he was going through.

“A couple of years after that, he had depression again and realised luckily enough that he should seek help through doctors and counselling support,” she said.

“Most recently, when he had anxiety, he went to a mindfulness seminar and that was a turning point in opening up and having conversations … and trying to fill his world with more positive thoughts.”

Randall’s father has been instrumental in encouraging her football career.

“I grew up in a footy family,” she once wrote.

“I watched my brother play football and was taken by the game. My mum was the team manager, my dad a boundary umpire, my gran and grandpa formed the loudest cheer squad.”

Movember is an annual event where participants grow moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide.

Randall has been a Movember ambassador the last two years and with the absence of facial hair, will instead run a total of 60km this month.

“Why I’m so passionate about it is that I have inspiring role models in my life who have been through some difficult times,” she said.

“And I’m there to support the men who have supported me throughout my life as well.”

“It’s a significant time for men and women to start having those conversations to stop men dying too young and that’s not just about mental health, but testicular cancer and prostate cancer as well.”

Randall has a man in every Australian state and territory around Australia including her father in hometown Western Australia, Clarke in SA and her first every junior football coach who now lives in Queensland.

She joked that her new coach’s moustache was starting to look rather seedy.

“It’s looking good, isn’t it,” she said with a laugh.

To support Randall’s Movember fundraising efforts head to: https://au.movember.com/mospace/13563246

Originally published as Crows AFLW champion Chelsea Randall can’t grow her own moustache, so she’s roped in her coach and others to do it for her