Broadbeach spearhead mental health movement in Gold Coast cricket community

Weeks after the death of a beloved Gold Coast cricket member, the cricket community are throwing their efforts behind a movement to open up conversations about men’s mental health on and off the field.

Broadbeach Cricket players Zach Hayes,Cam Gallagher, Connor Rowley and Captain Trent Keep at work with their cricket gear to promote the club's mental health program that has begun since the death of Gold Coast cricket member Trent Walters by suicide. The blokes are tradies by day and also cricketers hoping to normalise chatting about men's mental health. Picture Glenn Hampson

Weeks after the suicide of a beloved Gold Coast cricket member, the cricket community are throwing their efforts behind a movement to open up conversations about men’s mental health.

Players and members across the league were devastated by the sudden passing of Trent Walters, Queensland Cricket manager for the Gold Coast, who tragically took his own life in October.

But the tragedy has brought about a movement more urgent than ever to reshape the way local coaches and players view mental health, beginning with a mental health program hosted by Livin on November 23.

Broadbeach co-captain and former Dolphins coach Trent Keep, along with vice president Luke Presley, has been a major force behind the movement after opening up about his own mental health struggles.

Broadbeach Cricket players Zach Hayes,Cam Gallagher, Connor Rowley and Captain Trent Keep at work with their cricket gear to promote the club's mental health program that has begun since the death of Gold Coast cricket member Trent Walters by suicide. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Keep revealed he struggled with anxiety during his high performance cricket days in the Tasmania Premier League, where he chased dreams of playing Sheffield Shield, before coming to the Dolphins where he was part of the club’s transformation to become arguably Queensland Premier Cricket’s strong current side.

“If we trained as hard on (our mental health) as we do as athletes or cricketers, or worked as much on mental health as we do getting better at our jobs, I think the world would be in a greater place,” Keep said.

“It’s not just as simple as saying ‘Are you okay?’ and dismissing the response, which tends to happen.

“It’s also about having a few people in the cricket club that are equipped with the skills to then deal with the trauma.

“If you’re asking for people to open up to you, then you need to be equipped with what can come out of their mouth, which can be quite daunting for some people.”

If you need someone to talk to phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78.

The Broadbeach cricketers are tradies by day and hoping to normalise chatting about men's mental health both on and off the field. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Keep moved to the Gold Coast while doing concussion rehab and soon realised clubs needed to become a safer space for those struggling.

“All clubs, whether it’s cricket, netball, softball, whatever the sport is, I just don’t think they’re aware of how important they can be in some people’s connectedness in life,” he said.

“Sometimes it can be someone’s reason to put the next foot forward.

“We wanted to make a safe place and we felt it was important to bring Livin on board to make sure it was done in a professional manner.”

Keep said chats were beginning to happen outside of cricket too, with his own workmates feeling more and more comfortable to ask ‘how’s it going?’

“The guys that we work with here, we’re now having conversations about mental health on worksites, which I think if you had of asked for that ten years ago, you probably would have been laughed out of the room.”

Livin’s program aims to equip people with not only the courage to speak up, but the skills to truly support someone else.

“People just don’t have the skills sometimes, depending on the generation, to handle what’s going to come out of someone’s mouth. Sometimes it can be quite confronting.

“As much as it’s about the here and now with the person who’s struggling, it’s about if we have enough people in the cricket club that they feel comfortable going to, and do they know how best to handle that incident or that person’s troubles?

“Sometimes that conversation can be as difficult as it is the person opening up.

“This is just one small bit in hopefully saving a life.”

The program, which will be held at the club next Wednesday, will be open to all members of the public whether involved in cricket or not.

And Broadbeach aren’t the only club to join the movement, with Palm Beach hosting their own program with Livin last Thursday.

Palm Beach captain Zane Beattie said the night was prompted by the death of Walters, which had devastated the group.

“We thought it was a timely reminder about the importance of mental health and getting out playing group,” Beattie said.

“We had Livin in about two years ago so we thought it was time to get them in again.”