A new Australian study maps the on‑the‑ground realities of bringing mental health promotion into local sports clubs—highlighting what works, and the friction points to fix. Morris et al. 2025

What’s new
Researchers from the University of Wollongong interviewed 31 project leads from 24 sports clubs and organisationsthat received grants through New South Wales’ Mental Health Sports Fund. Together, these initiatives reached an estimated 10,000+ participants across the state. Morris et al. 2025 Morris et al. 2025

How the programs were run
Grants (about A$2.8 million in total) supported club‑led projects over roughly 12 months. Clubs spanned regional, metropolitan, and statewide programs, with many serving priority groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTQI+ communities, youth, people with disabilities, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Morris et al. 2025

What worked

• The right people and partnerships. Strong project leads, committed volunteers/staff, and links to outside partners helped programs take root.
• Club buy‑in. When leaders backed the effort, activities rolled out more smoothly.
• Using clubs as a health setting. Familiar, social environments made it easier to talk about mental health.
• Seed funding. Grants enabled training, resources, and coordinated activities. Morris et al. 2025

What clubs actually did
Most initiatives blended actions such as building wellness and resilience, raising mental‑health awareness, keeping people engaged in sport, fostering supportive team culture, and connecting members to outside help. In surveys, over 90% of projects reported working on wellness/resilience and participation, and nearly 9 in 10 focused on awareness. Morris et al. 2025

Where programs struggled

• Short timelines were the most common barrier, squeezing planning and delivery.
• Volunteer capacity—not enough hands—slowed implementation.
• Stigma around mental health still discouraged some participation.
• Seasonality and scheduling (different sports, different seasons) complicated programming calendars. Morris et al. 2025 Morris et al. 2025

Why it matters
Local sport is a powerful place to promote mental health—low‑barrier, community‑based, and trusted. The study’s takeaway for clubs and funders: set realistic timeframes, back volunteers and key personnel, build partnerships early, and pair programs with anti‑stigma efforts. National mental health guidelines for community sport are in development, which could give clubs a shared playbook for what to do next. Morris et al. 2025 Morris et al. 2025

Source: Morris D, Gordon R, Vella S, Reilly N. “Barriers and Enablers to Implementing Community Sports‑Based Mental Health Promotion Initiatives: A Qualitative Study,” Health Promotion Journal of Australia (2025). Open‑access article funded by NSW Ministry of Health.

Editor’s note: This article is for information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.