Matty's Mental Health Message

Style's Mental Health Editor, Brad Gartland, chats to Matty Ashton, Rochdale-born professional Rugby League player for the Warrington Wolves and England Knights. Matty provides an invaluable insight into life as an athlete and highlights the importance of looking after our mental health.

Why did I choose to interview a professional rugby league player about mental health? Athletes don’t go through any struggles, do they?

Growing up, I made the following key misconceptions: I thought my dad was invincible; I believed he could handle anything out in front of him, and I thought he could handle it all on his own. Why did I think this? My dad always acted so positive, so why would he ever have a negative thought? He was also a rugby player. Whenever he suffered a knock, he got back up and carried on and that’s how I thought he dealt with things mentally.

His passing taught me that you should never take anyone’s mental state for granted and that athletes are humans too - something that this article can hopefully address.

Watching sport, from grassroot to professional level and seeing an athlete in their best physical shape, can lead us to believe that they’re also in their best mental state too. Just because someone is at the top of their career, it doesn’t mean that they haven’t got any struggles. In fact, it’s extremely important that these people are aware how much help there is out there. We’re all human after all.

Matty Ashton is a professional Rugby League player for the Warrington Wolves and England Knights. Before joining Warrington in the Super League, Matty was named Championship Young Player of the Year and was the leading try scorer in the Championship in 2019 with 23 tries in 22 games.

As well as being in top physical condition, Matty is eager to express how important it is to look after his mental health, what

support systems are in place for athletes such as himself, and shares some advice for you, the reader – as you never know when you may need it.

Matty has also raised over £1,500 for Andy’s Man Club, a male mental health charity, by completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks along with friends in December 2020 (pictured below).

In this interview, Matty gives his honest opinion to questions that will continue to break down the barriers between historical macho stereotypes and mental health...

Have you had any personal struggles with rugby?

Experiencing a serious injury in my first professional season (early 2020) made me feel like I went five steps back. After putting so much work to get where I was, then to be told I may not be playing rugby for a few months was hard news to take. Fortunately for me, not long after (March 2020), the rugby season took a break for covid which meant I didn’t miss out on as much game time. It was a struggle most days to build the motivation to carry out rehab from home, but with the great help of the Warrington Wolves sports staff ringing me every day, showing support, and providing guidance, this really helped me through this time. I’m very grateful for their support.

What other struggles can athletes face?

Being in the spotlight can be hard for many athletes. If you don’t play as well as you’d have liked, it’s completely understandable if athletes come away from social media to avoid seeing any negative comments. Athletes can also struggle to ask for help. We are often seen as tough individuals, so we often feel like we should deal with everything on our own which can be dangerous. It’s very important that we understand how much support there is for us and I urge everyone to reach out if they’re struggling.

How do you look after your own mental health?

I like to take my dog on big walks around 2-3 times a week. I feel this puts my mind at rest and it gives me that break I need to focus on myself. I also like to go into the steam room and sauna as this clears my mind and helps me feel physically refreshed which is really important to me.

We all have our own reasons for taking up sport. What does rugby mean to you?

I loved rugby since I was a child and it’s always been a hobby of mine. It’s not just about the memories you make on the field, it’s also about the mates you make for life off the field too. I am one of the lucky ones as I’m a full time rugby player and I’m honestly living my dream since I was a child.

What help is out there for people struggling with mental health in rugby?

Rugby League Cares is a great organisation that has so many initiatives, such as ‘offload’, ‘ahead of the game’, and ‘know your players’. ‘Offload’ is delivered in partnership with many clubs providing an environment of support for players and communities – sessions are open to any men (aged 16+) and you don’t have to be involved in rugby to take part in the offload sessions. State of Mind is a charity that raises awareness of the issues surrounding mental health and wellbeing, delivering it’s messages across rugby league and union, as well as other sports. Each club has welfare managers to offer any support and to put you in contact with the right people too. At Warrington, we greet each other and shake everyone’s hand each day to show a sign of support and to create an inclusive and welcoming environment. It makes me feel comfortable knowing that there is help out there if I need it.

With a retirement age of ~32 years, it’s understandable that athletes can struggle with life after sport. Is there any help for players coping with retirement?

It’s understandable that players can experience difficulties when they retire, especially if you’ve devoted your life to sport. I believe it’s important to also work on something outside of your sport too, so when you do retire, you already have other things to focus on.

What would you say to the reader if they’re struggling?

There is always support out there and don’t be afraid to reach out. No matter our job title or house size it’s important to realise that we are all human, we all have our struggles, and we all need to realise how much help there is for us. If you’ve got anything on your mind at all, please talk about it.

Brad Gartland - Style Mental Health Editor

ANDY’S MAN CLUB - www.andysmanclub.co.uk

This is a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental place where men can come and talk about their problems, every Monday (excluding bank holidays) at 7pm. There are now two locations in Rochdale: Mayfield Sports Centre, OL11 3BY and Crown Oil Arena (Spotland Stadium) OL15 5DR.

SAMARITANS (116 123) www.samaritans.org

A 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at: jo@samaritans.org.

WOMEN’S WELLBEING CLUB - womenswellbeingclub.co.uk

This is a peer-to-peer community support group run for women by volunteers. Our meetings start at between 6pm and 7pm at various venues across the country. Find out if there is a club near you.

SHOUT 85258

This is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. To start a conversation, text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258 - their trained Shout Volunteers are here for you, day or night.

ROCHDALE AND DISTRICT MIND - 01706 752338

Mind provide help and support directly to those who need it most. There's a network of around 125 local Minds across England and Wales that offer specialised support and care based on the needs of the communities they support.

RUGBY LEAGUE CARES - www.rugbyleaguecares.org

Their mission is to enhance and enrich people’s lives through the power and positive influence of Rugby League. They work hard to ensure the sport’s most important stakeholders, its playing community, get the most out of their involvement in the game, both during their careers and postretirement. Email: info@rlcares.org.uk