Together On And Off The Pitch
Charlie, England
Goal Click and the Premier League Charitable Fund (PLCF) collaborated on a campaign to showcase the powerful impact of the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association (PL PFA) Community Fund.
Six individuals from Aston Villa Foundation, Palace for Life Foundation and Wolves Foundation have documented the activities made possible by the PL PFA Community Fund and the impact the programme has made on their personal lives. Charlie is involved with the Aston Villa Foundation TeamWork programme, which focuses on providing a space and resources to improve mental health and wellbeing.
My name is Charlie. I am 23 years old and I have been attending the weekly TeamWork sessions with the Aston Villa Foundation for a few years. TeamWork hosts sessions for people struggling with their mental health. My dad was looking at ways for me to get back into football after I stopped playing due to my mental health, and he found TeamWork.
We normally have a warm-up that is delivered by our coach Josh to make sure that we are ready for the session. Then we go into small-sided games which lasts up to 45 minutes. I particularly enjoy the games and creating chances for the team.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
In the photos, I showed my support dog and the people I play football with at TeamWork. The photos were taken on my way to the TeamWork session and also during the session at the Aston Villa Academy Building. I tried to show my journey to the sessions and the distance I have to travel on the train, but that it is worth it.
The main coaches that support the sessions are Luke, Chloe, and Josh. They are all really supportive, and Luke always goes out of his way to check up on me. They really make me feel like I am part of something.
I think football is very important as when you are playing football all of your problems go away for that one or two hours.
What impact has TeamWork and Aston Villa had on you? How does taking part in TeamWork make you feel?
Taking part in TeamWork has definitely helped my confidence and has given me a reason to get out of the house every Wednesday. I like how it makes me feel. For those couple of hours, I feel like I am not alone, as everyone who is playing is going through the same issues in life. It has made me feel that I belong. Everyone who goes to TeamWork is in the same boat and are having the same struggles.
I really enjoy the tournaments that they set up against other mental health football teams. We recently played in a tournament at the Wolves Foundation. It was a great day even though we did not make it out of our group to reach the final! Luke was very supportive when helping us prepare for the matches and it was really nice to wear the Aston Villa kit. The coaches were supportive as we were struggling a bit in some games, but they kept us positive and told us to keep fighting.
How has TeamWork improved your mental and physical wellbeing?
My teammates and I gather before the sessions when we are getting ready and check in on each other. Everybody that attends the session is struggling with mental health, so we can all relate to one another. We also sit and chat after sessions when we are getting our things together.
It has definitely improved my confidence. A few months ago I would not have been able to get a train by myself to Aston, but now it is part of my routine. I was really struggling with leaving the house due to my anxiety, but now I am comfortable going out and getting the train. I feel much more confident leaving the house because of the positive self-talk and positive reinforcement that Teamwork taught me. I have also been looking into signing up to a college course that would hopefully enable me to become a football coach.
Through TeamWork, I have learned that there are people in a similar situation to me and that I am not alone. There are always people to talk to if I need them which helps me a lot. I am able to remind myself that there are other people in the same situation as me who get through the day, too.
I would encourage anyone thinking about joining a TeamWork session to try to fight the nerves and come along to the session. Initially it might seem scary but it is definitely worth it in the long run. I was really nervous when I first started and now the sessions are a massive part of my weekly routine.
I hope the TeamWork sessions keep on going as I feel they are really helping people like me and are creating a very safe space to play the game we love.
