MCC Club XI Mental Fitness Round
Round 3 | Sunday 8 November 2026
The MCC Club XI Competition will observe its annual Mental Fitness Round on Sunday 8 November 2026, encouraging all clubs, players, umpires and volunteers to reflect on the importance of looking after their mental health and supporting those around them.
The aim of the round is simple: to recognise that mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness.
As part of the round, we are also supporting Beyond Blue through the sale of blue cricket bat grips, generously supplied by Kookaburra, with 100% of proceeds going to Beyond Blue.
Players, umpires, officials and supporters can order grips or make a separate donation using the links below.
What we are asking clubs to do
Before the commencement of each Round 3 match, we ask all clubs to participate in a brief moment of reflection.
Captains, club officials and umpires are asked to help coordinate the following:
- Have both teams line up alongside the pitch, facing each other.
- Invite a captain, club official or umpire to say a few words about the importance of mental fitness, where someone is comfortable speaking.
- Observe one minute’s silence to remember those we have lost and reflect on the importance of mental health.
- Take a respectful photograph of the occasion, with participants’ consent, and share it with the competition.
Suggested message before play
The Mental Fitness Round is an opportunity for us as a competition to recognise the importance of looking after our mental fitness.
We all have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and our friends to work on our mental wellbeing and seek help when we need it.
By making mental fitness part of our everyday lives, we can build resilience for the times we need it most and better support those around us.
We encourage all players, umpires and club volunteers to participate and to continue these conversations beyond the round.
David Hooper Memorial Trophy
An important part of the Mental Fitness Round is the annual David Hooper Memorial Trophy, contested between Melbourne Cricket Club and Old Trinity.
David was a much-loved member of the cricket community who played with Old Geelong Cricket Club. He lived with schizophrenia and depression and, sadly, died by suicide in September 2016.
Ten years on, David is still sorely missed.
MCC and Old Trinity continue to honour David through this annual match, which has become the catalyst for extending the message of mental fitness across the wider MCC Club XI Competition.
The competition’s embrace of the Mental Fitness Round helps ensure David’s memory continues to be honoured while encouraging greater awareness, understanding and support for mental health within our cricket community.
Building mental fitness – practical advice for everyone
As part of the round, we have prepared an MCC Club XI Mental Fitness Round Guide, which we ask all clubs to share with their players, officials, volunteers and members.
The nine-page guide provides practical information on:
- Understanding mental health: Australian mental health statistics and why awareness matters.
- The fundamentals: Eating well, sleeping well and exercising regularly.
- Managing stress: Prioritising what matters, avoiding overcommitment, learning to say no and maintaining social connections.
- Mental exercises: Meditation, mindfulness, practising gratitude and learning to focus on positive experiences.
- Supporting others: Recognising when someone may be struggling, starting a conversation, listening without judgement and encouraging professional support.
- Finding help: Information and contact details for trusted Australian mental health services, including Lifeline, Beyond Blue, Medicare Mental Health and headspace.
We encourage everyone to read the guide, identify one or two habits they can incorporate into their daily lives and share the information with others.
Making mental fitness part of everyday life
The Mental Fitness Round is about more than a single weekend of cricket.
Our hope is that it encourages lasting changes in how we look after ourselves and each other, whether that means improving our everyday habits, checking in on a teammate, supporting a club volunteer or recognising when we need help ourselves.
Small actions, practised regularly, can make a meaningful difference.
Thank you to all MCC Club XI clubs, captains, umpires, officials and players for supporting this important initiative.
Together, we can build a cricket community where mental fitness is valued, conversations are encouraged and nobody feels they have to face life’s challenges alone.
