Matt O’Riley visits Heads Up group
Albion midfielder Matt O’Riley visited young people at a Heads Up session in Brighton.
Heads Up, a programme which uses football to help support young people’s mental health, was being highlighted as part of the Premier League’s More Than A Game initiative.
His visit was filmed by BBC Sport and broadcast on Match of the Day following Albion’s 1-0 win at the Etihad against Manchester City last October.
The Denmark international met with young players at the session and spoke about the importance of caring for mental health.
“People might not know this but players do struggle a lot in terms of mental wellbeing because we are constantly under the pressure of needing to perform,” he said.
“I completely get it’s not easy to talk, it’s something I’ve got a lot better at, but at the same time I think you need to do it in a space where you feel comfortable.”
Matt joined in with the Heads Up session and spoke to many of the young people there, and saw a lot of positives from the project.
“Everyone here feels really included which is great,” he said, “I saw a lot of laughter here.
“For some young people life outside the classroom can bring many of its own challenges. Football has such an important role in terms of helping people with their mental wellbeing.
“Heads Up brings loads of different people from all sorts of backgrounds and gives them a chance to play football freely, non-judgementally, and just enjoy themselves.
“Find someone that you can open up to – a friend, a family member, someone neutral – because getting something off your chest can go a long way.”
Heads Up is supported by the Premier League and PFA Players’ Fund.
Find out how you can get involved here.
