Maitua / Foran / Lafai - Athletes Are Humans

[spiritofaslan]

Just came across this Instagram page and it most definitely deserves a mention.

Athletes are humans too. It focuses on the human side of athletes and has quotes messages from them.

https://www.instagram.com/athletesarehumans/

Win or lose, please remember that athletes are humans too - just like the rest of us. They have feelings and deal with struggles & hardships too. Putting themselves out there [for our entertainment] can’t be easy. We don’t know what truly goes on beyond social media + off the court, field, ring etc. Remember that in your actions and words towards them. Don’t let the message get lost in a web of insults that fuel cycles of toxic wars online.

 

[spiritofaslan]

KIERAN FORAN



Kieran Foran has been extremely committed to turning his life around and becoming a better person and father. Alongside personal struggles, being ruled out with injury for much of his career was the root of his mental battles. He has overcome a tremendous amount and is now much happier and in a good space.

He credits his beautiful wife Karina for her love and support and being the lifeline to his rugby league career.

He has recently played his 200th NRL game which is an incredible milestone in itself, but is even more incredible for Kieran considering what he’s been through to get there.

“The place I’m in, I haven’t been this happy in a long, long time… Rugby League can mask what’s really going on in your life. If you can play football well enough on the weekend everyone assumes your life is great but the reality is, that’s not always the case. I wasn’t coping with the external pressure of what rugby league was doing to me. There were a lot of things in my life that were spiralling out of control. I needed to change my life - it was clear and simple. Only I could fix that.. It wasn’t until I was able to take ownership of my life that I was able to understand and be aware of the support and love that people had shown me through that time. For me, now, it’s about making smart decisions. Every day I wake up, I say to myself ‘today, be a better man and make better decisions.’ I believe I’m a good person that made some bad decision and poor choices. I’m thankful every day that I got a second shot, that I’ve got a second chance. It could have been very different for myself. I still reflect on 2016, I try not to go back there as often these days. It’s a great reminder for me when I look back on that year and how far I’ve come and how much my life has transformed. I’ll often say to my wife now, ‘I still remember the days I prayed for the things I have now’… She’s had a strong impact on me, not only as a footballer but as a person. When she met me she said I had lost what it meant to be a good human… I had become clouded in my view and the biggest impact she’s had on me is connecting me back to who I really am inside”

 

[spiritofaslan]

JAX LAFAI (wife of Tim Lafai)



Timoteo Lafai has come far and done incredibly well after he and his family moved to NZ then Aus after their home & crops were destroyed in a cyclone in Samoa when he was 4.

He didn’t have the things he is able to give his kids now but he is grateful for the hard decisions his parents made to give him and his siblings a better life.

He went on to make his NRL debut in 2011 and also represent Samoa.

The pressure of being an athlete has affected his mental health - leading him to seek help. For every strong man, there’s an even stronger woman who stands by him and supports him through the highs & the lows - for Tim, it’s his lovely wife @jaxlafai.

She praises her husbands bravery for seeking help and hopes that it will help someone who may be going through a tough time.

“Timmy has struggled with mental health for a while now.. I am so thankful that he was willing to seek help as it truly saved his life.. He has put so much work in behind the scenes and has stayed so patient during all the uncertainty. I ask fans to be kind and think before you speak about players. You don’t understand the damage that your words can do to these boys. At the end of the day, they are humans with feelings, emotions and a whole lot of pressure on their backs being in the spotlight…He is a loving husband and a wonderful & patient father to our beautiful babies. I am so proud of him for seeking help despite knowing this would cause him personal pain and media scrutiny. He did that because he put his family first. It hurts us all to see the media community attack him when he was at his most vulnerable. Perhaps that’s why it has taken so long for him to confront his mental wellbeing and reach out for support… I’m hoping that Timmy seeking help with his mental health can show other players & boys that it ain’t weak to speak. He can finally enjoy footy again!” [Tim says his upbringing made him who he is today.] “When you come from humble beginnings, it makes me appreciate the little things. To be humble. It all makes sense now that I am a parent. Wanting to give them the best life & opportunities. I appreciate being able to play. I am blessed to have this career. This sport”..

 

[spiritofaslan]

RENI MAITUA



Reni Maitua has certainly achieved a great deal throughout his sporting career and exemplifies what it is to overcome adversity.

He has had his fair share of ups and downs including his publicised battle with depression.

He acknowledges his mistakes but sees the positive in being able to inspire and educate others through his own life experiences.

“ Rugby League is a bit of a macho sport so I kept everything to myself because you don’t want to show signs of weakness and at the time I thought that was the best thing for me. We’re not taught in school how to deal with emotion. It’s not something you’re taught and there were things outside of sport that I was dealing with, then there was the pressure of the game, being a captain of the club, trying to be a leader. There were just so many elements, I was trying to be someone that I wasn’t and I didn’t know how to deal with that.. When I was at my worst, it was like being locked up inside of a small room that I could not escape. It’s not until that door’s opened that you see the bigger picture, that you begin to understand “Hang on a sec, there’s way more - way, way, more - to life”. For people who don’t have depression, it’s really hard for them to understand. Some people will never understand it, unfortunately, until it affects them directly, either personally or through someone they know. Now it’s about how I can affect people’s live in a positive way, and moving forward… Be your own man, don’t be a sheep. Be a team player, but be your own person, because there’s too many influences now. It’s hard for kids these days with social media, and how much access people have to athletes, it’s crazy. I came through a period where social media was just starting, I’m happy that I’m not coming through as an athlete now, because I find it’s a lot harder for kids these days.. I get that journalists have a job to do…but these athletes having feelings - they having families, they have the same emotions as anyone else - so sometimes I feel like journalists need to put that in to perspective before they write something about an athlete and their performance.”

All the very best Reni, thank you for sharing your journey

 

[spiritofaslan]

I get that journalists have a job to do…but these athletes having feelings - they having families, they have the same emotions as anyone else - so sometimes I feel like journalists need to put that in to perspective before they write something about an athlete and their performance.”

100% bang on ... and there are certain supporter forums that should remember this, as despite a single thread, mental health is something they don't give a shit about... instead letting things fester, and situations become toxic.