“It’s ok to not be ok” – Championship star on why his team are working with local Mental Health group to get men talking

Championship side York have partnered with ‘Menfulness’ to help male members of the community deal with and talk about their mental health.

The Knights have announced weekly talking sessions that will commence from December 7th at their LNER Community Stadium.

Men’s mental health is an incredibly important subject among society yet many men struggle to speak about it.

Everyone experiences mental health, be it positive or negative and so sharing those thoughts and talking problems through shouldn’t be something that’s scary, weak or embarrassing. It’s something incredibly brave and important.

Sadly the suicide rate amongst young men is rising year on year with suicide being the leading killer amongst men under the age of 45. 

It isn’t just young men who suffer as well, the demographic with the largest suicide rate are men aged 45-49 so even if talking is key that men.

The Knights shared their initiative via a tweet and in the attached video 23-year-old Australian talent Brendan O’Hagan speaking on why he’s an ambassador for Menfulness.

🤝 Menfulness Meets ⚔️

York Knights RLFC continues its partnership with @YMenfulness to provide weekly talking sessions for men.

The next Menfulness meeting is on Monday 5th December at 7pm at The LNER Community Stadium (Jorvik Lounge). #DontManUpSpeakUp | #WeAreYork⚔️

— York RLFC Knights (@YorkRLFC) December 2, 2022

“Coming over to England in 2020, obviously it was the pandemic period so it was quite tough. I was in a house with only a few people and I didn’t really know many people when I first came over,” O’Hagan explained.

“I sustained an injury quite early and had quite an injury list that first year and on Instagram I came across the page of Menfulness and it was a York group as well

“I just thought what a great thing it was and a lot of guys probably need that as well.”

O’Hagan also explained how the stigma of mental health in sportsmen is also existent but he was steadfast in his belief that even if it’s just one chat with a mate talking about mental health can help massively.

“People think that we’re (professional sportsmen) kind of untouchable so for me to step out and speak and say it is ok to feel not ok, and to reach out and get the help that was probably the main drive for me (on becoming an ambassador).”

For more information on this initiative you can check the following site here:

https://www.yorkrlfc.com/post/menfulness-x-york-rlfc