Writing in his autobiography, Nelson Mandela perfectly summed up the impact that sport can have on communities: “It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope.”
Nowhere in rugby league are those wise words emphasised more than in the success Rugby League Cares continues to have in its delivery of a life-changing mental wellbeing programme for young people, Ahead of the Game.
The charity first began delivering this amazing Movember initiative before the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, when the programme was rolled out to players, coaches, and match officials involved in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions as part of the tournament’s Mental Fitness Charter.
RL Cares also began delivery to junior players, their coaches, parents and carers during the Covid19-delayed tournament, by the end of which almost 30,000 people had attended workshops.
Delivered by a highly-skilled team of retired professional players, including Keith Senior, Bob Beswick, Robbie Hunter-Paul, Shaun Lunt, Johnny Lawless, Damian Gibson and Kevin Larroyer, the workshops helped players, parents, coaches and volunteers understand mental health and build mental fitness.
As a direct consequence of their participation, when faced with challenges in sport and life, young players now know who they can talk to right away, and that their community has their back.
So successful was the delivery that Movember appointed RL Cares as the programme’s official Implementation Partner in England and Wales, a move that will lead to a further 90,000 young people taking part in Ahead of the Game over the next 18 months.
The charity’s staff have been busy upskilling officials at a wide range of sports clubs across the UK and beyond over the last two years through Movember’s Train the Trainer programme, passing on the skills and techniques needed to deliver the programme locally.
From Premier League football clubs and Premiership rugby union teams to county cricket clubs, Ahead of the Game is now impacting on the lives of thousands of youngsters thanks to the commitment of RL Cares.
That involvement has also enabled RL Cares to secure funding to more deeply embed the programme within rugby league communities via eight professional club charitable foundations: Hull FC, Leeds Rhinos, Wakefield Trinity, Featherstone Rovers, Castleford Tigers, Warrington Wolves, Sheffield Eagles and Wigan Warriors.
The Ahead of the Game partnership with Movember is managed for RL Cares by former Leeds, Bradford and Great Britain player Paul Medley, who joined the charity in 2024 after 10 years working at the Rugby Football League as National Player Development Manager.
“We have a great relationship with Movember and it’s a real pleasure to be working with them on a daily basis,” said Medley.
“Both organisations share the same values and the same commitment to enhancing the lives, the health and the outlook of the young people in our communities.
“There’s no secret to the success of Ahead of the Game: it just works. And works well.
“The programme is now being delivered by 23 sports clubs across the UK. As well as training their staff, we also project manage on Movember’s behalf, helping clubs reach their targets and making sure their delivery is on course and effective.”
A recent focus of the programme has been on early intervention: RL Cares and Movember have devised bespoke hour-long workshops for young players aged between 12 and 18, coaches and families looking into the tell-tale signs that someone might be struggling with their mental wellbeing and discussing the most effective and safe techniques to address the situation.
“Everyone recognises that the teenage years between 12 and 18 are an important period in a youngster’s growth and development, so our aim is to engage with them as early as possible,” said Medley.
“Like Movember, we have bold ambitions for the future of Ahead of the Game, but that future will ultimately be shaped by funding. Movember’s annual campaign raises a considerable amount but the only way we can give every young person across England and Wales access to the programme is by scaling up with Government support.
“Thankfully, the success of Movember Ahead of the Game and its effectiveness in tackling the important issue of mental health in young people is acknowledged in Westminster and conversations are taking place at the highest level.
“We know from the feedback we receive from the youngsters who have taken part in Ahead of the Game through their local community or professional club how impactful the programme is, and we’re very proud of what we’re achieving.
“It’s also great to see kids at top level football clubs experiencing the same health benefits: this is yet another example of rugby league leading the way and we feel privileged to be playing such an important part in this success.”