By Tara Murray
A Keilor man is one of the driving forces behind a new foundation aiming to fill the gaps in the provision of mental health and wellbeing support for footballers.
The FIFTHQTR Foundation was created by former VFL and AFL players, industry stakeholders, medical practitioners and members of the grassroots community whose shared experiences identified that more can and should be done to support past players.
Keilor’s Peter Venables said the foundation was there to help those in the sporting community that might fall through the cracks.
“The main thing about FIFTHQTR is starting a conversation,” he said. “We’re here to help.
“We want to add value and fill the gaps. From an AFL perspective there are gaps, we want to help the AFL and AFLPA to fill those gaps.
“We also want to take it down and help local community clubs as well.”
Former Carlton player Ken Hunter was the first AFL-VFL player to speak out about his battle with severe depression.
He has long advocated for more mental health and wellbeing support for past players and the football community, which started him on the journey of FIFTHQTR along with former teammate Ken Sheldon.
While Sheldon stepped away when he moved from Melbourne, the foundation has continued to grow.
Venables met Hunter at a function and they went for coffee and found they were on a similar path of wanting to provide support.
Venables’ involvement in the foundation stems from him not wanting other parents and families to go through what he did.
His son Daniel Venables, a West Coast Eagles premiership player, was the first player to be medically retired from football with ongoing brain injury symptoms.
“There were seven brain bleeds, he had a car accident live on TV,” Venables said. “Seven brain bleeds is a massive injury, one can kill you.
“It’s been a journey and a half for us as a family. The lack of knowledge and access to knowledge, a lack of understanding and support.
“People didn’t know a lot.
“Daniel was playing with the wealthiest club in Australia and if we’re struggling to deal with this and lack of ongoing support, how can a local club handle this?
“The lack of support parents are having at a local level, that was my motivation.”
The foundation isn’t just focused on concussion. It also looks at mental health, alcoholism and gambling, among other things.
It has six focuses: past players, community, advocacy, research, their medical centre and partners; parents; and families.
Venables said the majority of local clubs are run by volunteers who don’t have all the information available.
As a former president of the Keilor Cricket Club and former junior coach at the Keilor footy club, he understands how difficult it can be for local clubs.
“They are selfless people… they often need information and that is where FIFTHQTR can help, to supply that information and to assist and provide that support and fill in gaps.
“We are coming from the players’ perspective, the parents’ perspective, we’re coming from the people that are living it.”
Last year, the foundation trialled a community day at the Keilor Sporting Club, bringing resources to the club to focus on mental health and well being.
At a recent function, former Essendon player and coach James Hird and Brian Cousins, the father of troubled former Eagle Ben, were guest speakers.
FIFTHQTR is calling on the AFL to support a past players round and would like this to be implemented at a local level.
Venables said interest in the foundation’s work was growing across the country.
The foundation has built relationships with medical professionals including at the Epworth Hospital.
“Our message is there is so much that can be added to mental health in local sporting groups and that is the gap,” Venables said.
“Everything we learn from a higher level down to a community level and pass it on.
“We are looking at the big picture. We are just starting.
“We are non-paid with the community at its core.”
