Movember helps Ireland to get Ahead of the Game

On Sunday, 14th July at the All-Ireland semi-finals football, Donegal took on Galway in front of 67,000 people at Croke Park.

Right before throw in, 15 Movember Ahead of the Game facilitators and volunteers from the Curry GAA Club in Sligo, carried a giant flag with the number '135', out onto the pitch.

That number is significant because for every death by suicide up to 135 people may be impacted. In Ireland, that translates into 60,000 people.

Ahead of the Game in Ireland

Movember Ahead of the Game (MAOTG) has had a significant impact in its first season, reaching over 175 clubs across all 32 counties of Ireland and engaging nearly 5,000 participants.

Delivered by 22 past and current inter-county GAA players in partnership with the GAA and GPA, this groundbreaking programme is focused on improving mental health literacy and providing essential skills to players, parents, coaches, and volunteers.

As part of the GAA Healthy Club initiative, MAOTG is offered free of charge to participating clubs, ensuring that this vital support is accessible to communities throughout Ireland.

The programme's workshops and activities are tailored to address the unique challenges faced by young athletes, fostering resilience, awareness, and positive mental health practices both on and off the field.

So what is Ahead of the Game?

Ahead of the Game teaches young players, parents and coaches how to build mental fitness and strengthen resilience to deal with challenges in sport and life. It's an evidence-based programme designed for delivery in a sports club setting, taught through interactive workshops. The sessions are delivered by members of the GPA (all of whom are present or past inter-county players).

Why it's needed

75% of mental health disorders will have emerged before the age of 24. According to research conducted by the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) and HUGG (Healing Untold Grief Groups), the weight of any one death by suicide may impact up to 135 people.

That’s why conversations about mental health and fitness early in life are important. Helping young people build the skills to look after their own wellbeing and support their teammates, is critical to lifelong mental resilience and mentally fit communities.

It's helping

Ahead of the Game has already had an extraordinary influence on participants...

• 91% said they have a better understanding of the importance of being mentally fit and healthy.
• 94% said they now know who to talk to and where to go for mental help support for themselves and for others.
• 91% said they felt more assured in recognising the signs of poor mental health in themselves.
• 93% said they feel more confident recognising the signs of poor mental health in others too.
• 93% said they now have confidence to talk with a friend going through a tough time with their mental health.

Sporting global leaders for mental health

The GAA and GPA join the likes of leading global professional codes like the AFL and Rugby League in making Ahead of the Game available to clubs and members. It puts the GAA and the GPA among the sporting leaders globally in actively supporting mental fitness as much as physical performance.

The future of Movember Ahead of the Game

Building on the success of its first season, MAOTG has ambitious plans for the future. In its second season, the programme aims to expand its reach to 300 clubs, supported by a strengthened team that includes 9 new facilitators. These new facilitators bring fresh lived experiences and additional county representation, complementing the existing group of experienced facilitators.

MAOTG is also increasing its focus on supporting coaches by equipping them with the skills necessary to ensure the mental well-being of their teams. This enhanced approach will help to further strengthen the programme's impact and effectiveness, continuing to promote mental health literacy and resilience within GAA communities across Ireland.

To learn more about the programme or how your club can get involved, visit here.

What the leaders say

President of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Jarlath Burns said:

'The response of our clubs to this emotional literacy programme is a testament to our volunteers' and the GAA's desire to develop people and not just players. This partnership and Movember's considerable investment is adding even further value to the Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs programme, which an independent 2023 evaluation demonstrated is delivering €50m worth of savings p.a. to the Irish health sector. I am excited to see where our continued collaboration with Movember brings us over the next four years.'

Tom Parsons, CEO, Gaelic Players Association said:

'The impact that the Movember Ahead of the Game programme has had in such a short period of time is hugely encouraging. It shows what can be achieved when three organisations such as ourselves, the GAA and Movember come together.We are very aware of the position of players within their communities as role models and to have 22 current and past players using that influence in such a meaningful way shows their willingness to give back. We also recognise the importance of early conversations about mental health and fitness, and we are delighted to be able to play a role in facilitating those conversations.'

Find out more about Movember’s Ahead of the Game