Ahead Of The Game

The rate of male suicide is drastically high, in the UK alone 3 out of 4 suicides a day are committed by men; an extremely worrying statistic. In such a crisis it is imperative to spread awareness and provide support to men who are struggling with their mental health.

Ahead of the Game was created in partnership with Movember in direct response to this crisis. Ahead of the Game is one of Movember’s most successful projects and is delivered by The Harlequins Foundation in Rugby clubs & schools within the heartlands.

Although participating in sports such as rugby can positively impact a person's mental health and well-being, Ahead of the Game takes it one step further by giving men a platform to have open conversations about their feelings and difficult situations they may find themselves in. Ahead of the Game also educates those in the player's community about the importance of mental health, these individuals can then provide support to young men in their lives.

Friends, teammates, parents and coaches will all learn about what signs they can look out for and how they can support someone who may need it. This ensures that there's a wide support network creating a snowball effect within their communities further spreading the importance of mental health awareness.

Ahead of the Game covers four of the essential skills, speaking, listening, staying positive and teamwork. These skills are not only important skills to help combat our mental health crisis, but also are essential transferable skills that everyone needs to succeed in life.