Teamwork, Sweat, and Sanity: What Football Taught Me (Again) About Mental Health

This past weekend marked my third consecutive year playing in a football tournament, something I would have laughed at the thought of doing not too long ago.

Much isn’t said loudly enough about the impact of exercise on mental health and overall well-being. Despite every fibre of my body reminding me that I am not twenty anymore and my brain suggesting I was dreaming to think I could still compete, I played. And I am glad I did.

Because what happens after a weekend like that is not just sore muscles. It is clarity. It is energy. It is perspective. Getting your head out of the grind, surrounding yourself with a different group of people, moving your body, and doing something completely outside the usual work routine all drives a more motivated, more focused, and happier version of yourself when Monday rolls around. Win, lose, or draw, the reset is real.

The Parallels Between the Pitch and the Workplace

I could draw so many analogies from the weekend that mirror everyday work and leadership lessons.

When you are out there on the pitch, the fundamentals of teamwork come into sharp focus: playing your role, trusting your teammates, and sticking to the plan. You listen to the gaffer (coach), give and receive respect, and realise pretty quickly that it is not about you. You are part of something bigger.

That moment of self-realisation, that your role matters because it supports everyone else’s, is something we often lose sight of in business. We get caught up in our own deliverables, our own KPIs, our own goals. But real success, the kind that lasts, comes from collective execution. Everyone doing their part, in the moment, for the greater goal.

Winning, Losing, and Laughing It Off

For the record, our Sunshine Coast team took home the title again, repeat winners after some tough matches against Canberra in the semis and the Gold Coast in the grand final. But honestly, the scoreboard was not what made it worthwhile.

The real winners were the players who backed themselves to show up, who gave it a crack, who laughed at their mistakes and celebrated the small moments. The ones who stayed after the final whistle to share a beer and a story. That is community. That is connection.

And that is the same energy that makes great teams at work, people who support one another, pick each other up after a loss, and celebrate together when things go right.

The Takeaway

You do not need to win a tournament to feel like you have achieved something. Just getting out there, saying yes, moving, playing, and connecting is enough.

For me, these weekends are a reminder that exercise is not just about fitness; it is about a mental reset. It is about stepping away from the noise, finding balance, and bringing that renewed focus and energy back to everything else you do.

So if you have been meaning to get back into a sport, or pick up something you loved years ago, do it. Not for the competition, but for the clarity.

Your mind (and your team) will thank you for it.

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