Queensland Cricket: Mental Health Partnership Extends

The partnership offers mental health education and support to Queensland Premier Cricket clubs and affiliates.

All Boys Under 17 and Girls Under 16 participants attended an Outside the Locker Room mental health education session at their Queensland Premier Cricket club in season 2023-24, and the arrangement will continue for a second season.

The partnership services apply to all KFC Queensland Premier Cricket competition clubs as well as the Queensland Cricket Umpires’ & Scorers’ Association.

OTLR is a registered charity founded by ex-AFL player Jake Edwards. They work with players and students across the country to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

With the generous support of the Taverners Queensland, QC and OTLR will offer programs at a fully subsidised rate until June 2025.

Through the partnership, all Queensland Premier Cricket clubs and Queensland Cricket Umpires’ & Scorers’ Association will receive two mental health education sessions and 12 months of dedicated support from OTLR’s welfare team. This includes access to OTLR’s mobile app.

The arrangement is also available to all players that participate in the Taverners Queensland Boys Under 17 and Girls Under 16 competitions.

The Chair of Taverners Queensland Peter Evans said the partnership with Outside The Locker Room would continue to provide immediate and tangible benefits for the wider cricket family.

“We can see this will make a difference and it is pleasure for our organisation to be in a position to help. We have a long-standing commitment to youth cricket in Queensland and this will complement our backing,” he said.

Queensland Cricket Head of Elite Cricket Operations, Nick Stuart, thanked Outside The Locker Room and Taverners Queensland for their support.

“This reflects the vision of all three organisations to improve the mental health and wellbeing of local communities,’’ he said.

“We’re delighted to announce this initiative will continue for a second season and look forward to building on the success of the first year with the Premier clubs and our Umpires and officials. If this can help just one person involved in cricket, then it has been a success,’’ he said.

Todd Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of Outside The Locker Room, congratulated Taverners Queensland and Queensland Cricket on the decision to improve education around mental health.

“This partnership can assist with changing the game for mental health in sport,’’ he said.

“Teams and clubs can provide their players and supporters with the skills to help improve their collective and individual mental health and wellbeing within our communities,’’ he said.

“We welcome the support of Taverners Queensland for such an important initiative and congratulate Queensland Cricket on their commitment to making a difference for players, officials and volunteers,’’ Morgan said.