Mateship and mental health ingredients for hockey men

Following the release of the latest Hockey Australia video, one of the figures who played in the game featured in the ad has shared some insights into the key themes it promotes.

The new 30 second promotional video shows vision from the Preliminary Final of the Perth Metro grass grade over 40 competition between Wesley South Perth (WASP) Hockey Club and Harlies Hockey Club.

With a spot in the grand final on the line, there was everything to play for. Then throw in a film crew and it had all the makings to be a classic, the players not disappointing as the match was decided by a penalty shootout.

Among the seriousness and competitiveness on the pitch, the match itself and the players taking part conveyed many themes and positives that hockey has not only for men over 40 but everyone.

Justin Grey is one of the captains of the WASP team that featured in the new ad. Having started playing hockey in his early teens, Justin has been playing at WASPs since he was 18.

“I started playing hockey at the age of 13. It was hockey or football and I had a mate at school whose dad had played hockey and said we should try it so we did…and the rest is history,” Justin recalls.

Sense of community

So what has kept and continues to keep him there? The answer is a common one across much of society whether it is through sport or other areas of life – a sense of community.

Being part of a tribe, a team and having a sense of belonging. Something that, according to Justin, is ultimately underlined by ‘mateship’.

“When you’re young you want to play with your mates, you’ve got that competitive nature and you’re not concerned about your fitness because you’re so active at that age,” said Justin.

“As you get older – and I never played Premier League or anything like that – it was about fitness but also about escapism and mateship. Plus I enjoy the game…it’s a challenging game to play and it really tests your skills and hand eye coordination.”

“We train on a Thursday night which gives you some escapism from the working week. In our team we have executives, small business owners and tradespeople among others, so it is a bit of a release and hockey puts everyone on a level playing field regardless of your background or vocation.”

“Then on the weekends it is about having fun, catching up with mates, having a chat and a few drinks afterwards.”

Mental Health

As he reflects, Justin can pinpoint something that has evolved over the last couple of years among the team that has given even greater meaning to the friendships they have forged through hockey.

The team holds dinners with their wives and partners on the first Saturday of every month and has created an environment where members of the team can have open dialogue to chat about life outside of hockey. A space people can be open and honest about anything going on in their lives.

This comradery and environment of feeling safe to open up about life’s challenges has done wonders for the group’s mental health.

According to Justin, it has brought them closer as a unit which he goes on to credit much of why they won the grand final and enjoyed the success they had this year.

“We had some guys who were going through some personal and work issues, and hockey actually became more of an open forum and a place people could open up without fear of judgement. You could let your guard down,” said Justin.

“I have played with a lot of the guys who won the grand final for the last ten years and we would never have talked about things that have been talked about.

“The mental health element has been rewarding. It has given us a platform outside of feeling isolated to come and talk, but also have fun, have a few beers, keep fit and play a sport we all love.”

“The stereotypical bravado has dissipated slightly as you get older. From my perspective, this is our time to let our hair down without judgement.

“That has led to the success of our team this year. I wholeheartedly put it down to building a culture of trust, openness and fairness. What that has done is open up other avenues outside of hockey.”

“Everything is left at the door when you arrive at hockey. You come down, play with your mates and talk about stuff away from the day to day.”

Never too late to start

Another significant element highlighted by the WASPs team in the ad is that you do not have to have grown up playing hockey to get involved and it’s never too late to pick up a hockey stick.

“We had two guys join our team this year who had never played hockey in their life,” said Justin.

“Two of them were looking for something different and a release away from the rigours of day to day life.

“We saw them improve throughout the year and they really enjoyed it.”

Buzz and enjoyment

Regarding the filming of the ad itself, Justin says it gave the guys a buzz and he light-heartedly admitted some celebrated more than they would have otherwise with the camera there.

“Some of the things I remember most was the excitement on the guys’ faces when we won but also the nervousness on some of them as well. Some of them hadn’t been in a grand final in over 15 years,” said Justin.

“Sometimes old guys get a little but robust and chirpy, but what I probably loved about the game most was at the end we all walked off, shook hands and had a beer together. The team we beat congratulated us and said they would come and watch us in the grand final…and they did.”

“There is a big bloke wearing glasses and a cap that jumps at the end and he was pretty excited.

“One of the guys was also interviewed with his daughter as well. He was one of the guys who had never played before, so to be recognised as a hockey player was something important and special for him.”

“Afterwards when we were all together he said, ‘I just want to thank everyone for letting me play this year because I’ve had a really good time, made some good mates and the highlight has been that I got to have a little hit with my daughter who has just started playing hockey’.”

“As a game, the best thing about hockey is it’s 60 minutes running your arse off, then coming off, having a beer and a chat.

“I think that’s what makes it so good. It’s a three hour window on a Saturday to do what you want to do…have fun, keep fit, have some good candid conversations and be yourself.”

If this sounds like something you are interested in getting involved in, contact your local hockey club today and experience it for yourself.

Hockey Australia thanks the players and coaches from WASPs and Harlies Hockey Club for allowing the filming during their Preliminary Final.