Tyson Goldsack reveals why there’s more to life than footy

AFL players and clubs regularly give up their time for charitable causes without seeking recognition or praise, and it’s these acts of generosity that makes Tyson Goldsack and others proud they can make a difference.

Brain cancer sufferer Kyron McGuire sings the club song with his Collingwood heroes. Picture: Getty Images

It was one of those moments that helped remind us that life is far bigger than football.

A moment when a club opened its doors and arms to someone doing it tough.

A young boy tragically lost his parents in a car accident and needed something to help lift his spirits.

Being a Collingwood supporter the club offered for him to come down and spend the day with the players — watch training, eat lunch with the team and just generally be around the players he idolised.

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We had the opportunity to raise a young man up off the ground and it put things into perspective for us, too.

This example isn’t an outlier, it happens whenever possible for us and the other 17 AFL clubs.

I like that players go out of their way to do things they know are appreciated by the recipient and they do this with absolutely no need for recognition or praise.

Yet here I am writing a piece in the paper acknowledging them … bit of an oxymoron, but stick with me.

Young Pie fan and brain cancer sufferer Kyron McGuire gets chaired off the ground by favourite player Adam Treloar and Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury in Round 7. Picture: Getty Images

We aren’t alone at Collingwood in helping the community, just one of 18 clubs doing some fantastic things.

There are many different avenues that are taken when it comes to good-spirited efforts.

Charity appearances, personal visits, personal phone calls, personalised memorabilia (eg game boots, signed jerseys etc).

Some are because of the jumper we wear, others because they are the favourite player of the person in need of a cheer up.

To name a few at the Pies who do great work — and do it off their off own bat — we have Chris Mayne who has been working with the Starlight Children’s Foundation for years, and Jaidyn Stephenson has a close connection and helps with HeartKids having being through some tricky times with his heart.

We learned last year that Ben Crocker’s dad was suffering early onset dementia and Ben continues to work with Dementia Australia.

There are also guys who wish not to be mentioned, but continue to work behind the scenes.

Port Adelaide’s Justin Westhoff does fantastic work through a company that he co-founded called Forage Supply Co, which is a sustainable-food conscious company that focuses on saving the environment as well as donating plant-based meals to the homeless in Adelaide.

The impact of taking part in these activities helps many players.

Collingwood’s Ben Crocker taking part in the Melbourne Memory Walk and Jog at Westerfolds Park, Templestowe, for Dementia Australia with Sam Mitchell and Nicola Stevens. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

They realise that losing two games on the trot, as bad as it can feel at the time, actually isn’t the end of the world, and that tomorrow does come and things can turnaround.

It’s gives young players in particular a chance to understand the impact they can have on kids and aspiring footballers.

As a young bloke looking at playing AFL, there wouldn’t be a single thought of the amount of satisfaction that you could get out of doing things like the above mentioned.

But after a decade of being involved in the league, its these moments that make you proud to be part of something that truly is more than just a game.

GOAL ASSISTS

AFL players who help others and/or have ambassadorial roles with charity/support groups.

ESSENDON: Jake Stringer (Challenge); Dyson Heppell (Scleroderma); Zach Merrett (MS Foundation); Michael Hurley (MAD Foundation - helping disabled and disadvantaged children).

GEELONG: Harry Taylor (Healthy Heroes); Jamaine Jones (Barwon Child Youth & Family); Scott Selwood (Barwon Health Foundation); Joel & Scott Selwood (Be Dragons intellectually disabled footy team).

ST KILDA: Josh Bruce and Ed Phillips (Challenge); Nick Coffield (Pat Cronin Foundation); Paddy McCartin (JDRF and Beyond Type 1 diabetes research).

MELBOURNE: Neville Jetta (mentors Parade College students).

CARLTON: Charlie Curnow and Zac Fisher (Helping Hoops); Patrick Kerr (Koala Kids); Levi Casboult (Muscular Dystrophy Australia); Kade Simpson (Down Syndrome Victoria).

NORTH MELBOURNE: Ben Brown (Our Watch - domestic violence, The Huddle social cohesion for multicultural communities and Lenda Hand to Hugo special needs children.)