Tackle Your Feelings is a national mental health literacy program created in collaboration between the AFL Coaches Association, AFL Players’ Association and Zurich Insurance, with support from the Z Zurich Foundation. The initiative aims to build confidence and skills among sporting communities to understand, recognise and respond appropriately to signs of mental ill-health.
Through this strategic partnership, Netball Queensland will facilitate and host 30 in-person workshops annually, reaching a minimum of 600 participants including coaches, committee members, umpires, support staff and players competing at Under 16 level and above.
The program rollout follows a systematic approach, beginning with Netball Queensland staff who experienced the workshop first-hand at Nissan Arena in mid-February.
The initiative will extend to HART Premier Netball League players, pathway athletes including Firebirds Futures and Queensland Firebirds Futures Academy members and state team participants, before opening to associations and clubs through an Expression of Interest process targeting early adopters in metropolitan areas and regional communities.
“Sport has an important role to play in supporting mental health and wellbeing within the community and Netball Queensland is thrilled to be able to partner with the AFL Coaches Association, AFL Players Association and Zurich Insurance to deliver the Tackle Your Feelings program to the netball community,” Netball Queensland Chief Operating Officer Glenn Dennis said.
“The program is practical, concise and easy to digest for athletes and staff alike and we really believe it will have impact from inception.”
Tackle Your Feelings’ Head of Community Impact, Dan Mahony, said the partnership with Netball Queensland was an important step in the program’s objective of broadening its impact in the netball community in Queensland.
“Netball is firmly embedded in Queensland communities and Tackle Your Feelings is excited to partner with Netball Queensland to deliver meaningful mental health education directly to the people who make the sport what it is,” Mahony said.
“Netball Queensland's commitment to creating inclusive, supportive environments, where everyone feels they belong, strongly complements our mission to empower individuals and communities. Together, we can help players, coaches, and volunteers build the confidence to look after themselves and the people around them.”
Beyond workshop delivery, Netball Queensland will lead collaborative content creation with TYF to develop co-branded digital and print collateral, including email campaigns, social media assets and case studies to raise program awareness and reduce stigma around mental health conversations in sporting environments.
This partnership represents a significant commitment to supporting the holistic wellbeing of Queensland's netball community, recognizing that community sport serves as more than physical activity - it's a vital space for connection, support, and personal development.
For more information about the Tackle Your Feelings program, visit www.tackleyourfeelings.org.au/about-our-program/.
