Tackle Your Feelings: Empowering VAFA Clubs to Prioritise Mental Health

The Tackle Your Feelings (TYF) program continues to make a significant impact across the VAFA community, offering free, 90-minute sessions led by qualified psychologists. These sessions are designed to improve mental health awareness by helping players, coaches, umpires, and volunteers recognise the signs of poor mental health, both in themselves and within their football clubs & community. 

In 2024 alone, TYF reached over 900 players and coaches across the VAFA, and we’re aiming to match or exceed that engagement in 2025. The response has already been strong this year, with seven clubs hosting sessions involving over 270 coaches and players, and ten more clubs locked in for upcoming sessions. An additional eight clubs are currently in discussions with the VAFA to organise their own TYF session in the weeks ahead. 

Building on the success of TYF, the VAFA proudly launched the VAFA’s Player Assistance Program (PAP) in mid-2024.  

This initiative, made possible through our partnership with Coverage International, provides all registered VAFA players and umpires with access to three free counselling sessions with a psychologist. VAFA’s PAP complements the TYF program by offering an ongoing pathway to mental health support. 

These initiatives are a testament to the VAFA’s commitment to fostering wellbeing at every level of the game. If your club hasn’t yet taken part, now is the perfect time to get involved. 

Interested in hosting a Tackle Your Feelings session at your club? 
Reach out to Pranav Menon at [email protected] to find out how your club can benefit. 

Together, let’s take action on mental health in our football community.