This coming Thursday 10^th September 2020, is R U OK? Day and in addition to the community campaign (There’s more to say after R U OK?), this year there is a specific campaign running for coaches.

Hey Sport, R U OK? is a campaign designed to help facilitate the embedding of an R U OK? Culture within sport, from grassroots to National Sporting Organisations. Various resources and tips have been developed to assist coaches in recognising the signs that an someone might be struggling and provide tips to guide them on what to say and do in the event one of their athletes is not okay. 

For more information and to download your Hey Sport, R U OK? toolkit please head to: https://www.ruok.org.au/sport

On the website you will also find a pre-recorded lunch and learn webinar hosted by Hockeyroo and R U OK? Ambassador Rachael Lynch and the Chair of R U OK?'s Conversation Think Tank Kamal Sarma. In the webinar they share tips on how to build an R U OK? Culture in your sporting community so you can be the coach that changes lives.

Coach wellbeing is also a vital part of high performance sport. Diving Australia have recently launched a wellbeing page on the Diving Australia Website, which includes various resources that coaches can utilise for their own wellbeing.  Some of these resources can also be used by support staff, technical officials and administrators.  

We encourage all coaches and support staff to pick up the phone and connect in with each other on Thursday and ask the question R U OK?. This year has been a difficult year for everyone and it is important that coaches and staff continue to take care of their own mental health and wellbeing and continue to connect in with loved ones.

If you require additional support, please refer to the posters on the Resources page of our website which includes contact information of various mental health support services, including the AIS Mental Health Referral Network (available to all categorised athletes, HP coaches and HP alumni that have represented Australian at a senior level). 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions and please feel free to share this information with other coaches within your community.