Making a Difference
because We care
Goodwood Saints is a community footy club. As an inclusive and socially responsible club, we have a number of community initiatives and place a strong emphasis on serving our community.
We have worked very hard to establish our position within our community and the football fraternity, and we continually strive to maintain and improve in every way.
our recognition
Runner up for the 2021 Good Sports Club of the Year (National).
SA Sports Award – Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation Well Being Award 2021.
South Australian Citizen of the Year 2021 - Craig Scott
City of Unley Citizen of the Year 2021- Craig Scott
GoodSports Junior Club of the year (National winner), 202
Goodsports Club of the Year (SA winner), 2021
Sport SA Awards – Active Inclusion Award for our continued efforts involving our Inclusive side for players with integration difficulties and disabilities, 2019
Clubs SA Awards for Excellence, Finalist in the Best Club in the Community – Charitable, Volunteer of the Year, Club of the Year categories, 2019
Clubs SA Lifetime Volunteer Award – Colin Nelson with 72 years of committed service to our club, 2019
Clubs SA – Best Community Spirit Award, 2018
City of Unley Australia Day Awards – Best Community Event, 2017
Good Sports – Club of the Year for South Australia, 2017
Paul Barnden – Pride of Australia winner C7s (SANFL Inclusive) Manager, 2017
what we do
Goodwood Saints – Part of the community
The Goodwood Saints Football Club has worked extremely hard to establish its current position within our community and the football fraternity, and continually strives to maintain and improve in every way. As such, we have always placed a strong emphasis on serving our community and our ability to highlight the below causes. This allows us to communicate our stance on being an inclusive and socially responsible club.
Saints “Healthy Minds” Program
Mind Care Coaching
Linking players with a MindCare Coach who are trained in mental health to provide low intensity treatment for different mental health conditions, - depression, suicidal ideation, substance dependence, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, schizoaffective disorder and more.
Psychologist Referral
Players may be referred Dr Denise Keenan, Psychologist at Cognition or a number of other specialists that are specific to the related issue.
Mental Health Awareness Training
A three hour awareness training for coaches and team managers run by Natalie Bottroff – NB&A Group - discussion/conversation re mental health awareness including group work and videos, including:
Risk Factors
Depression (including overview of suicide)
Anxiety
Substance Abuse
The Conversation not the Judgement
The Resilience Project
The Resilience Project delivers an emotionally engaging program to our senior players, providing practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness.
Through this presentation, club support, the TRP App, and Wellbeing Journals, The Resilience Project share the benefits of Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness, and easy ways to practise these in everyday life. They also incorporate Emotional Literacy, Connection and Physical Health education and activities as they are foundational contributors to positive mental health.
Bolton Brothers
The Bolton Brothers deliver mental health services that are designed not just for men, but with men, to ensure they are relevant, accessible, timely and effective.
Strong. Resilient. Brave
A follow-up program to the Fuel Well, Move Well presented in 2019 to our female footballers by Dr Paula Stacey-Thomas and Lisa Scarfo. The information session, which included a booklet, was presented virtually to our female footballers during COVID and was about helping families find a healthy approach to footy and life. It centred around four pillars - Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well and Recover Well. https://youtu.be/aybty1JCkFQ
Headspace, U16s boys and girls
Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds, along with assistance in promoting young peoples’ wellbeing. This covers four core areas: mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services. Once again Headspace spoke with our U/16 boys and girls teams using an interactive teaching style that engages the players and helps them address some the issues that face young people today.
Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation
The Goodwood Saints FC wear the purple & blue arm band during a selected match each year to raise funds and awareness of mental health in our society. This is linked to our mental health program and involved educational presentations.
Growing with Gratitude Sports
Growing with Gratitude Sports builds and protects young athlete’s mental health. The program teaches skills through sport based on gratitude, kindness, empathy, mindfulness and serving others, resulting in greater resilience and happiness. They help to do this during training sessions and matches. Furthermore, the program teaches athletes skills to overcome adversity and challenges, while demonstrating how to be good citizens – exactly what our club strives to achieve.
Mental Health First Aid Course
Goodwood Saints has trained 13 participants who all attend a 16 hour training course. This course aims to provide coaches and team managers with the necessary skills to give initial assistance to an individual with a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. The course teaches participants how to provide initial support to young people and adults who are developing a mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis.
Saints “Outreach” Programs
Indigenous Match
The Goodwood Saints FC wear their Indigenous Jumper against the Port Districts Football Club annually. It’s the club’s opportunity to make a difference, to show how a football club can bring community issues to the fore and to influence people’s thinking. We have partnered with Maximum Energy, Hutt Street Centre and Concordia College in an effort to raise awareness of the gaps in education, employment, housing, health and wellbeing for indigenous people. In particular - the Kuarna people, the traditional owners of the land that we meet and play on. The club awards a $1200 scholarship each year to Concordia College for an Indigenous student to pay for uniform, books and excursions.
A group of senior players are currently developing an outreach trip to Pt Lincoln in the March long weekend 2021 to conduct Auskick and coaching clinics for Indigenous youth in Pt Lincoln and the surrounding areas.
Saints U17.5 Girls Fiji Football Project
The Fiji Football Project provides an opportunity for personal growth through a football-oriented development program. 15 girls and 6 support staff went to Fiji in 2019 for five days of service, coaching, and leadership opportunities. The girls made an outstanding contribution and commenced what is hoped to be an ongoing relationship with the Fijian community, and AFL Fiji post COVID.
The first ever International Women’s AFL game was held at Albert Park, Suva on Saturday.
Due to COVID-19 the Saints U17.5 girls will be travelling to Fiji over the June long weekend in 2022
Saints “Education” Programs
Kids Taught Life Support
U/14 boys and girls
Kids Taught Life Support is delivered by Registered Nurse Romy Ottens (past player Chris Otten’s wife) and teaches our players how to respond to emergency situations, CPR on adult, child and baby manikins, how to use a defib and how to place a person in the recovery position.
Alcohol & Drugs Sammy D Foundation
A harm minimisation approach to Alcohol and Other Drugs education. This interactive presentation explores the effects of various classes of substances, and the risks and indicators associated with substance use. The Sammy D Foundation will conduct violence prevention and positive parental role modelling education sessions to our U15 boys and girls - titled “Monkey See Monkey Do”.
Saints “Charities”
Breast Cancer Network Australia
The entire Goodwood Saints FC wear pink armbands to raise awareness and funds for the BCNA. Current player Simon Brooks lost his mother (Lynne Brooks) to Breast Cancer and has been the driving force behind this initiative.
Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation
The Goodwood Saints FC wear the purple & blue arm band in their Div 1 clash with the Tea Tree Gully FC. This match is traditionally played between the two clubs supporting BMHRF in memory of Bennett Sparrow who played for TTG and David Baker who was an assistant coach at the Saints from 95 – 98 – both committed suicide.
Red Shield Appeal
The Goodwood Saints senior players and supporters hit the streets in Millswood every year collecting donations on behalf of the Salvation Army – Unley, to assist in the fantastic work that the Salvation Army do for our community.
