Matt Short, Movember Ambassador
28 November, 2023
For cricket lovers, November is a time of excitement. Seasons are underway and the international summer is almost upon us.
On top of this, there’s a large influx of moustaches (good and bad) roaming the streets, all in aid of men’s health through Movember.
Matt Short is one with a hairy upper lip, being named one of 20 ambassadors for Movember in 2023.
“It’s a pretty fun way to raise awareness for Men’s mental health,” says Matt.
Seeing some close mates go through tough times was plenty of motivation for Movember, but Matt also credited becoming one of the more experienced players around the Victorian camp as another reason to ‘grow the Mo’.
“It’s important for me as an older player now, which is weird to say... to make sure the younger players are comfortable voicing out what they’re feeling,” says Matt.
“As a younger person it can be hard to come into a new environment and be able to speak out. Hopefully I – and other leaders around the team – can help them express that.”
Leadership is something Matt is taking seriously at this stage of his career, wanting to look after the young brigade coming through for Victoria, and setting an example for other leaders in cricket.
Coping with the pressure of trying to perform, not getting selected, and injuries are a few tough aspects of the life of a professional cricketer, and Matt’s hoping the upper lip growth will help break down barriers that not only his teammates, but also his friends, family, and anyone else might have towards mental health conversations.
While Movember is fantastic and definitely puts a spotlight on men’s health.
“In a way it's sad that it has to wait until November for more voices to be heard but I'm hoping that it's not only this month but every day that I can try and raise awareness,” says Matt.
In the first couple of weeks of Movember, Matt was chuffed that already a couple of his mates had opened up about their feelings, crediting the concept for people stepping outside of their comfort zone, “actually going into more detail” rather than just leaving it at a ‘how are you’, being imperative in starting the conversation.
Raising money is obviously an integral part of Movember, however Matt stressed the importance of starting the conversation, hoping that raising awareness will push people out of their comfort zone to voice their feelings.
He also spoke on his belief that cricketers as a collective tend to shy away from expressing their feelings, and how detrimental that can be to not only performance but other aspects of life as well.
“If you’re ever feeling down, under pressure or, stressed out, I think the best thing is always to speak out.”
To donate towards Matt, head to his personal Movember page below:
