MENTAL FITNESS AMBASSADOR – LIZI SIMMS

This year I was fortunate to be selected as a Mental Fitness Ambassador, on behalf of the Australian Institute of Sport and the Black Dog Institute. My role sees me connecting with a variety of young people and athletes and I essentially deliver a program which highlights the importance of mental fitness, and equips the individual with a tool-kit of strategies to assist them in maintaining a positive well-being.

Within my presentation I share my journey of mental health and my elite sporting experiences, telling stories and adversities, and how I overcame them.

There are so many amazing resources available to help support young people and I am very grateful to be a part of something that aligns with my values so closely. The Black Dog Institute is Australia’s only medical research driven organisation dedicated to helping us all live mentally healthier lives through its efforts in research, clinical services and education programs.

Any school, sporting club, or organisation can sign up for a free 45-minute presentation where ambassadors such as myself, will come and present the program. I truly believe if I can touch one person, then my role is worthwhile. I have visited many schools including Barker College and Cranbrook and numerous sporting clubs and fundraising events - I even jumped out of a plane in an initiative called ‘Courage for a Cause’.

Our aim is to leave young people with some simple, yet effective strategies to help them reflect and recognise gratitude moments, develop their mindfulness skills and start thinking about their meaning and purpose in life. I also try to show young people how essential it is to look after your mental well-being, but more importantly, how easy it can be if we spend a short amount of time prioritizing it. This opportunity came about for me as a previous Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder and former national representative in Water Polo. The ambassadors are all elite athletes, or have been, and all have a story to tell. Much like our girls here at PLC Sydney, I was a high achiever with goals and ambitions. And with success comes pressure. Being dropped from teams, questioning if I am good enough, trying to figure out who I am if I’m not an athlete, managing personal and others expectations, and trying to ensure my self-worth wasn’t directly related to my successes in the water, was certainly a challenge. These feelings and experiences are similar to many young people in their own area of interest.

What I am so thankful for in today’s society is we at least acknowledge these challenges now. When I was a young athlete we had limited access to a sports psychologist when we weren’t performing and our confidence was low. Today, individuals have resources and services available when they are in a good place, when their confidence is high and they can manage their expectations, before mental ill-health surfaces.

Being a PDHPE teacher here at PLC Sydney, I am passionate about sport, well-being and health. What our girls have to face today in terms of social media, the Covid lockdown, and the pressure that is the HSC, more than ever it is essential we look after each other. Fortunately we are now seeing role models, celebrities, and successful individuals come out and share their mental health journey and this is positively impacting our young people.

If they can feel understood, and see people they are connected to admit they’ve overcome adversities, it gives them hope and confidence that they will be OK too. The PDHPE curriculum allows our girls a chance to learn about these important topics and I am thankful I get to support and educate students in their journey to become amazing individuals with courage and purpose.

I have been personally challenged as a mental fitness ambassadorbeing vulnerable and sharing my weaknesses and adversities. Yet the growth and healing which has taken place for me on this journey reiterates how being brave is an admirable and worthwhile trait and how important it is to take positive risks in our lives.