Hooper predicts a bright future
Professional sport can be mentally draining. Social media has installed a direct line of scrutiny from strangers – an outside pressure that compounds around a major tournament like the World Cup.
‘‘You’re trying to be the best you can be and sometimes that doesn’t work out, and when it doesn’t: that’s hard to deal with,’’ Wallabies captain Michael Hooper said.
‘‘A lot of it’s dictated on your phone these days. Everyone’s different, so they’re going to read as much or as little when they want when it comes to press and internet comments. I think it’s important, especially for young players, to be educated on how to deal with that,’’ he said.
Mental health is becoming a priority among sporting codes, as they become more aware of the impact on athletes that often feel compelled to keep their struggles to themselves. Hooper believes the focus on mental health in professional sport had improved substantially in recent years. ‘‘Players are getting a lot better at actually talking to each other about it,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s certainly something that’s paramount, how people are feeling. There’s so much going on, you see so much stuff that’s constantly bombarding you about your job, day in and day out.’’ He said it was ‘‘no surprise’’ that we are seeing more athletes take mental health breaks, such as cricketers Will Pucovski and Nic Maddinson, and that ‘‘it’s good that people have been so accepting.’’ Speaking from Hawaii on a holiday with his partner, Hooper said that taking time completely away from the game was key. ‘‘It allows you to fully immerse yourself in the stuff that you do in-season. When you really put a huge amount of effort into anything, you need time to get away. ‘‘There’s no footy up here, it’s all NFL in this part of the world.’’
The Wallabies captain can never truly escape, however, and said despite a disappointing Rugby World Cup result, the future remains bright for Australian rugby.
‘‘There’s plenty more that we as a team want to be,’’ he said. When Hooper returns to Australia he has other pastimes planned until Waratahs preseason begins.
A self-confessed ‘‘weekend warrior’’, he said one of his favourite downtime activities is riding motorcycles with his father.
‘‘I grew up with my dad always having a Harley in the garage,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s been a passion of his ever since he was growing up and it’s rubbed off on me.’’
Hooper’s Waratahs and
Wallabies teams have both brought in new coaches, and he’s confident that a fresh start will yield positive returns.
‘‘There’s some great guys coming through for NSW and the Wallabies, and below that as well,’’ he said.
‘‘To see a new wave coming through now is definitely exciting. There’s a lot of hunger in Australian rugby to do well.’’