Sint-Truiden (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Ann Hendrix of Asster says that exercise improves mental health. Their indoor soccer team, coached by Wolke Jansens and Jo Coppens, promotes teamwork and supports players’ mental well-being.

Research indicates that exercising can enhance cognitive abilities, reduce feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety, and improve sleep quality. Ann Hendrix, director of patient care at Asster, emphasizes that “a healthy mind in a healthy body” is a true statement. To promote this, the psychiatric hospital offers psychomotor therapy, which incorporates movement into treatment. This approach has led to the arrangement of an indoor soccer team that includes both admitted patients and outpatient clients. They regularly compete against teams from other care institutions and successfully brought home a cup last year to Sint-Truiden.

How do Coaches support players’ mental health in football?

On 9th October, the cup winners were coached by Wolke Jansens and Jo Coppens, each leading a team. They talked about how being a professional footballer can be hard mentally. During a motivational speech, Coppens told the players that mistakes can happen during a match, but they should focus on what’s ahead. He reminded them that their teammates are there to help each other. “This is a team sport. We will support and encourage one another, but most importantly, we need to have fun that’s what matters most.”

“Making mistakes is fine, everyone does it, and no one does it on purpose,” Wolke tells his team. He thinks there isn’t enough attention on the mental health of football players. “People see us as strong, but we still need help, especially young players. They deal with fame, money, fans, and the media, which can be too much. I wish we had a mental coach at our club, but young players can talk to Jo. He has a lot of experience and helps keep the team motivated. A player like him is important for STVV.”