Travis & his mental health

[Troppo]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-22/travis-cloke-taking-break-from-afl-due-to-mental-health/8644012

I was concerned to read this today ... and regardless of the varying opinions that Nicksters may have about the Cloke laddie, no one likes to see a champion athlete laid low like this.

We had a similar situation very recently with one of our own and, hopefully as with that outcome, we'll see Travis back on the paddock sooner than later.

Mental health and top performers irrespective of what sport is involved has always been the 'elephant in the room' and hopefully we are now able to address the manifold issues that stress and expectations exert on people and hold out some hope for improvement for today's players and tomorrow's recruits ...

Good luck Trav ...

[Mugwump]

Why modern footballers choose to make private matters like this public is a mystery almost as great as the fact that "mental health issues" have suddenly become so commonplace, when they were unheard of in this competition until recently. Anyway, good luck to an old hero.

[Culprit]

I deal with people on a daily basis with bigger mental issues than those facing AFL footballers. Let's hope Travis sorts out whatever is going on.

[stui magpie]

Hope he sorts it out.

back in the old days, he'd be told to harden up or get over it, or wouldn't have said anything.

I can clearly see that the pendulum will swing to far on this disclosing of mental health issues, but it will self correct and if people who suffer feel freed to be open and seek help rather than bottling things up, that's a good thing

[Troppo]

[5 from the wing on debut]

[Mugwump]

^ Honesty is no doubt a fine thing, in its place, but being honest with those who are close to you is not he same thing as telling the entire world that you have a mental health problem. I wonder how that may play out across th rest of their lives. I also think there is a risk that we medicalise the kind of sadness or regret to while we are all susceptible, and send the wrong messages to children about what real mental health problems look like.

Anyway, whatever the wider issues, I hope he fells better soon.

[mudlark]

I fear his dismissal from Collingwood and the commentary that followed him out the door would have had a significant affect on him.I doubt he really wanted to leave and the poor form and inability to hold his place in a team that was missing 2or 3 of their key forwards ,would surely have contributed to his condition.His last game in the wet against the Swans?? was an absolute shocker that had social media buzzing and it would have been impossible to ignore. I like Trav and I really hope he can come back soon ,but I have grave doubts that he will make it back into the seniors at Footscray. This may well be career ending.

[woodys_world69]

[Member 7167]

First let me state that I mean this with the greatest of respect to Travis.

I have always thought of Travis as a genuinely nice guy but I also sensed that he was not tough mentally. His father is obviously very dominate and living in this type of environment can have a profound effort on the development of young men. I resented the fact that when he was negotiating his last contract with the Pies that we were "bent over". In retrospect I feel that this was more the influence of his father than anyone else and if you reflect on old man Clokes career it certainly is not a stretch.

Unfortunately Travis could not overcome his major weakness being his accuracy in front of goal. This I believe is a reflection on his mental discipline and toughness. In a nut shell, despite the best of intensions he was not able to deliver on his extended contract despite his wish to do so.

I think Travis is a genuinely nice bloke and I certainly wish him well. He has some great qualities as a human being and in the overall scheme of things this is what matters most. Kicking a football is a career choice and is a long way down the list

[Monco Matt]

Mental health issues or just trying to come to terms with his football mortality? The end of a footballers career happens to them all Trav, your time as a useful footballer expired a couple of years ago and you have been fortunate to squeeze out a couple more years chewing the fat basking in the sun. If you cannot get a game in Collingwoods forward line and now the Dogs forward line given their issues with Boyd and Redpath this season then you are probably just having trouble accepting it is over.

I look forward to the day when Collingwood hires you as our forward coach or goal kicking coach, it sounds like something we would do!

[mooretreloar]

Mental health issues have nothing to do with whether someone is mentally strong or not. In fact, people with mental health issues are in more cases than not, more mentally strong than those that don't have mental health issues, because of what they have to deal with as a result of their mental health issue.

Mental health issues are medical, like cancer, heart attack, diabetes, etc are, in nature and are caused by chemical imbalances.

Some people are pre disposed to mental health issues due to their genetic make up. Others encounter issues in their life, which through what they go through in dealing with these issues results in a chemical imbalance.

It is a sign of ignorance and a lack of understanding for people to say just suck it up and get over it, with respect to mental health issues. You wouldn't say that to someone with cancer. Cancer is a medical issue and so is a mental health issue.

Jeff Kennett and Beyond Blue have done a fantastic job in increasing the awareness of the causes of mental health issues, but by some of the comments on this site with respect to Travis and Alex, there is still a lot of people that don't understand that mental health issues are medical in nature.

I wish Travis all the best and I hope he gets better very soon.

[Piesnchess]

I don't think his domineering Demir Father would be helping the whole scenario, puts too much pressure on him. Clokey should retire, he was never going to make it at the premiership doggies.

[thesoretoothsayer]

I remember watching Trav a couple of years ago in one of those games where things just weren't going right for him.
Despite this he never stopped presenting, chasing and tackling.
The chasing was futile as he was too slow but he did it anyway.
The tackling was, as always, fierce.
I always felt he did his best for Collingwood.

I hope he gets all the support he needs at the Doggies.
I hope Collingwood supporters remember the great service he gave to the club and show their support as well.

[Magpietothemax]