Wellbeing:
Looking after our community

Meet our Wellbeing Team

Meet our Wellbeing Team

Led by Dragon and Loundy, our wonderful Westie Wellbeing Team are here to support the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of all players and volunteers at West Brunswick.

Whether you’re experiencing a crisis or just aren’t feeling 100%, the team are here to point you in the right direction for resources or professional support, or just be there to listen.

If you’re injured, they can also suggest options to seek treatment, and can help support you through the mental and emotional challenges that can often come with physical injury.

Henry is also the club’s player insurance liaison. If you’re injured playing, training or volunteering for the club and are out-of-pocket for treatment expenses, you may be entitled to a reimbursement. If that’s you, please get in touch with Henry about lodging a claim.

Meet our Club Wellbeing Committee

To seek guidance or support from our Wellbeing Team, give them a call, text, or grab them at training!

  • Henry Paez

    (he/him)

    Club Wellbeing Manager
    WBAFC Injury Liaison

    Henry has been at the club since some of you were still in primary school, has been on the wellbeing team for the last four years, and is Mental Health First Aid qualified.

    If you get injured at footy, Henry is the man to speak to about making an injury insurance claim.

  • Ali Lound

    (she/her)

    Club Wellbeing Manager

    This is Loundy’s tenth season of footy, fourth season with West and second as part of the wellbeing team.

    She works as a Physiotherapist, is qualified in mental health first aid and has extensive personal experience in navigating footy injuries.

  • Alex Sherman

    (she/her)

    Wellbeing Committee

    This is Shermo’s eighth year at West, and she has been on the wellbeing committee the past few years.

    Dietitian by day, loves keeping people hydrated, and is Mental Health First Aid qualified.

  • Mitch Graham

    (he/him)

    Wellbeing Committee

    This is Mitch’s seventh year at the club, having played five seasons before a short hiatus to live in Perth and then returning last year.

    This is his first year on the wellbeing team and he currently works in the mental health space.

VAFA Player Assistance Program:

Providing all current registered players with up to three free counselling services with a qualified practitioner.

All currently registered players will be able to access up to three counselling sessions delivered by a qualified practitioner across four different streams:

  • Player Assist (general mental health and wellbeing support)

  • Conflict Assist

  • Nutrition and Lifestyle Assist

  • Money Assist

For anyone whose workplace has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), this program operates in much the same way.

All information collected through the program is 100% confidential (neither the VAFA nor the club will know you’ve accessed it).

If you feel you need professional support in any of the above four areas, we encourage you to access the Player Assistance Program via the link.

WBAFC X TYF

In 2023 we teamed up with Tackle Your Feelings to provide free mental health training - delivered by a local psychologist - to not only our coaches and committee, but also to our playing group.

The aim of the TYF program is to provide the tools to Understand, Recognise and Respond to signs of mental ill-health, and to be able to support our club people.

  • WBAFC TYF WORKSHOP 1

    Our Executive and committee members, coaches, and player leaders attended our first TYF workshop this year after training in the Pavilion.

    Find out about the program

  • VAFA X TYF ROUND

    Fitzroy vs. WBAFC was the featured match in the premier women’s comp during TYF Round. Taylah Watson was named Best on Ground for WBAFC by the Fitzroy coaches, and was presented with the TYF Round mendal by Tackle Your Feelings ambassador and currunt Hawthron AFLW player Kaitlyn Ashmore at Brunswick Street Oval.

    VAFA x TYF

  • SPECIAL GUEST ELLIE BLACKBURN

    We were lucky enough to have special guest Ellie Blackburn attend our player workshop in July. The three-time AFLW All-Australian, four-time Club Champion, 2018 Premiership Captain, and current Western Bulldogs AFLW Captain is a TYF Ambassador.

    Ellie's TYF Story