Cricketer Amelia Kerr on how family saved her amid mental health battle
A desire to 'protect the people I love most' initially led star WBBL cricketer Amelia Kerr to try to hide her 'unbearable sadness' from her family.
But after they surprised the young all-rounder with a lifesaving intervention that made her feel as if 'she was at her own funeral', their support became crucial to her ongoing management of anxiety and depression.
Kerr took her game to another level in 2024 to be crowned player of the tournament during New Zealand's maiden T20 World Cup title run, and the International Cricket Council's Women's Cricketer of the Year.
She was a prized pick-up for WBBL side the Sydney Sixers last season, after stints at the Brisbane Heat, and starred for the Mumbai Indians during their 2025 WPL title-winning season earlier this year.
But reaching these heights has been anything but easy for the 24-year-old, who began to bottle up her emotions in her late teens because she felt she should be grateful to be 'living out my childhood dream' playing for the White Ferns.
'I was also living with the belief that everything I did had to be perfect. I never gave myself a break,' Kerr told News Corp's Can We Talk? campaign, in partnership with Medibank.
'My thoughts started to consume me and my only escape, the only place where my mind was clear and I felt like I could breathe, was training.
'I would get up early, train all day, then go to the pool at night and do recovery, so all I needed to do was come home eat, shower and try to sleep.
'I tried to avoid my family because I didn't want them to see the pain I was in.'
Kerr said she believed that her loved ones couldn't fix her anguish, and therefore didn't want to burden them.
But in 2021, the floodgates opened after she was sent home from a White Ferns training camp.
Kerr said the decision angered her at the time, but she had since realised she 'had reached a crisis point' and needed 'serious help'.
Teammate and close friend Maddy Green flew back with Kerr to her hometown of Wellington, where her parents, sister (fellow White Ferns cricketer Jess), grandparents, aunties and uncles staged a second intervention.
A 10-minute, tear-filled speech by her dad, former Wellington player Robbie Kerr, was one of 'many powerful messages that night' that Kerr said gave her hope.
'I thought, 'My family need me here and I need to try get better for them',' she said.
'My family saved my life.
'They knew I was struggling, but they didn't quite know the degree.
'I was then taken to the crisis team at hospital (where) I spoke about how I was feeling. 'Everyone in that room was in tears.'
Weekly sessions with a psychiatrist, medication and close monitoring followed, allowing Kerr to 'feel safe for once'.
The talented bowler and batter also went public with her mental health battles when she pulled out of the White Ferns' 2021 tour of England.
While she was 'scared' to be so open, doing so 'was me standing up for something I am passionate about, so it can provide others with hope that things can get better'.
Kerr continues to manage her mental health through regular psychologist sessions, learning her 'warning signs' so she can ask for help before getting to a bad place, having a routine, practising gratitude and putting time towards activities that 'fill my cup' like exercise, being in nature, reading, playing guitar and being with loved ones.
She also created Treading Water – a series on her website, outoftherough.nz, in which 14 people share their stories of mental illness and recovery to 'help normalise those conversations'.
Importantly, Kerr and her family have built 'a relationship of trust' in which she feels comfortable to 'tell them how I feel, and for them to do the same'.
'The experiences we have shared have made us even closer and more grateful for life,' she said.
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News.com.au
20 minutes ago
- News.com.au
How Queensland toppled the mighty British and Irish Lions in 1971
With a pre-match steak from a local pub settling in their stomachs, hope in their eyes and will in their hearts, the 1971 Queensland rugby team played themselves into folklore by beating the British Lions 15-11 at Ballymore. Fifty-four years later Queensland will again play the Lions - on Wednesday at Suncorp Stadium. And each and every member of the current Reds side would do well to take the leaf out of the books from the class of '71 whose deeds against the odds reached sporting miracle status. Back in 1971 the Barry Honan-captained state side arrived at Ballymore for the midweek match after mustering for lunch at the Belfast Hotel where they ingested a steak, potato, salad and also a rousing pre-game speech from coach Bob Templeton. 'Tempo said they (the Lions) are expecting to beat us handsomely, but that this was a fantastic opportunity,'' skipped Honan recalled. 'He said you can play season long for your club and Queensland, but these one-off games, if we won, would be something people would remember for the rest of their lives.'' Queensland fullback Lloyd Graham, a field goal hero after his staggering 55m goal from an angle helped his side win, said while it was backs to the wall stuff, coach Templeton gave the team hope. 'Tempo said we are up against some pretty heavy stuff. But he virtually said if we all buckle down, we can make a game of this and possibly win,'' Graham said. 'We all looked at each other and thought 'that is ridiculous'. 'But by the time we got to Ballymore we had convinced ourselves that we were a chance. 'We couldn't wait to get on the field and see how good we could be. 'And we won it on defence. 'It was a funny thing. We were standing in the showers after the game and we could not believe what we had just done.'' Yet the day had started like any other for the players. Like any other Tom, Dick or Harry, the Queensland players had gone to their workplaces in the morning, unaware by day's end they would be sporting heroes. What a contrast it was for someone like skipper Honan. A schoolteacher, he took a maths class in the morning, but by day's end he was mobbed by a euphoric home crowd who had rushed onto the field to sweep the Queensland heroes away on an emotional magic carpet ride. 'We'd come from work that morning, had our big steak at the Belfast Hotel. We just arrived in individual cars and some of us, well, they tried to lock some of us out at the gate,'' Honan said, in reference to a gatekeeper not recognising one car load of players. The game was a pitched battle, which suited the Queensland forwards of the day just fine. Three penalty goals by winger Jeff McLean, a first half field goal by champion fullback Graham, and then a second, soaring 55m field goal in the second half by Graham was enough to give Queensland the win. It took tons of courage for Queensland to withstand the British battery, time and again, throughout the second half. A rallying Lions were coming to get Queensland in the second half and seemed certain to win, but they never did as the hometown heroes avoided capture due to their daring guts and desperation. After the match Lions captain John Dawes presented Barry Honan with the Lion that a British supporter had purchased in Singapore and handed to the Dawes so the side had a mascot for the tour. 'Up for grabs in the match was the Lion (mascot),'' Honan said. 'It was their official mascot and the idea was their captain John Dawes would present this Lion to the first team on tour to beat them on the tour of New Zealand or in their matches against Queensland and New South Wales. 'Well they did not know at the time that the Lion would last just one game after we had that historic victory.'' Graham believed the Queensland squad had been hardened by a long tour of New Zealand the year before. 'That was when we learnt a lot of things,'' he said. 'Our forwards toughened up. They realised how tough and how strong they had to be and how much defence we needed to do to improve. 'So it probably did not surprise me that we were capable of defending like we did that day against the Lions.'' In the Lions team were champions like Willie John McBride, Mike Gibson, David Duckham, Ian McLauchlan and captain Dawes. Queensland's win that day against the Lions, and then the Queenslanders 1980 victory over the All Blacks, are high tide moments in the code's history in this state. The living members of the Queensland side will be guest of the Australian Rugby Union at Wednesday's match. The Queensland team. Where are they now: 15. Lloyd Graham (GPS): A prodigious kicker, Graham has long retired from his work as an advertising executive and now lives in Brisbane's inner west. He was a big, strong fullback as a runner, but his kicking was out of this world. 'Against the Lions it did not surprise me to see the ball sailing back over my head after Lloydie kicked it,'' said Queensland captain Barry Honan. He kicked it a mile.'' 14. Jeff McLean (Brothers): Now deceased. McLean was 'the best winger in Australia at the time'' and the team goal kicker. 'He was internationally rated,'' Honan praised. 13. Alex Pope (Brothers): Still alive and living in Queensland, Pope was a tremendous defender, Although he had quick hands, it was his defence which stood out. Boy on boy, he was feared in defence. 12. Barry Honan (Brothers): Honan was the team's backline flagship, an Australian representative teammates looked up to. Lloyd Graham said of Honan: 'When I came into the team I said to myself 'stick around this bloke and he will make life easier for me'. Honan lives on the Sunshine Coast. 11. Richard Miller (University): Tall and athletic, Miller was a big winger for his era. He made the Brisbane U19 side after leaving school and improved with more experience. He lives locally in SEQ. 10. Geoff Richardson (Townsville): Living in Brisbane, dual international had no weaknesses in his game. He had played for NSW earlier in his career, but was in North Queensland when he was named for this match. He was simply a remarkable talent. 9. Mick Barry (Brothers): Now deceased, blindside specialist Barry 'was arguably the most underrated rugby player the country has ever seen,'' according to Honan. In his era were NSW champions John Hipwell and Ken Catchpole, so Barry played second fiddle. 'But in his own way he was every bit as good as them,'' Barry said. 'He won more games for Queensland and Brothers than anyone.'' 8. Keith Bell (University) A country boy from the Goondiwindi district, he was a Churchie boarder who played second row in the GPS First XV competition. He was a big, strong bloke, country tough who went on to play prop for Australia on a tour of the British Isles. He still lives on the Sunshine Coast. 7. Mick Flynn (Brothers) Tragically Mick Flynn died aged 23, but the Marist old boy was recognised as the finest flanker of his era. 'He had as much potential as any one around that time. He was a genuine athlete and a great loss. He would have played for Australia.'' 6. Rod Kelleher (Brothers) Kelleher currently lives in New Zealand. He was not a big bloke, but he had 'the heart of a Lion''. 'He was a bloke you learned to hate because he was always in your face tackling you,'' Graham recalled. Honan said Kelleher played above his weight and was a great teammate. 'He was a guts man with no fear,'' Honan said. 5. Stuart Gregory (University) Nick-named the Sandshoe, he lives around the corner from Graham in the inner west. A BBC old boy, he was an athlete who played many years for the Wallabies. He was not a big second rower, but he was a fine sportsman and a grand set piece performer. 4. Alan Skinner (Townsville) Whereabouts unknown, Skinner was named from the Queensland Country side. Like his second row mate Gregory, Skinner was no giant, but he was tall enough and a fine athlete with a high work rate. A former business executive, Skinner also represented NSW. 3. David Dunworth (Brothers) Now living on the Sunshine Coast, the Gregory Terrace old boy and former real estate agent had surprising speed for a big prop. 2. Mick Freney (Brothers) Freney was a noted improver the more his career unfolded. He was not a schoolboy prodigy - indeed he played Second XV at Nudgee - but the more he played, the better he got. 'To the point where he was good enough to play for Australia,'' Honan said. 1. Bruce Brown (University) An accountant, he was a front row tradesman notorious for his high work ethic. He was a veteran by the time the Lions match was played, having first represented Queensland in 1965. Reserves: Jules Guerassimoff (University) A breakaway still living locally, Guerassimoff was a magnificent competitor who was the elder statesman of the squad having first represented Queensland 10 years earlier. A Wallaby, he was a legend of his era, a hard worker who was a great mentor to younger players. Stan Pilecki (Wests) Now deceased, the ex-draftsman known as the 'Pole'' had broken into the Queensland side on the tour of New Zealand 12 months earlier. He was a front row giant, a man with hands the size of wicket keeper gloves who contributed in all forward phases. Honan described him as a player who would 'scare the life out of the opposition'' before a match even started. John Corness (Teachers-Norths) A farmer from New Zealand, Corness broke into representative football representing the Queensland Country side in 1968 and worked his way into the Queensland squad where he was a fine halfback. 'If Mick Barry was not around, he would have played a lot more for Queensland,'' praised Honan. David L'Estrange (Brothers) Still playing touch football, L'Estrange had lovely hands and good speed as a fullback and then as a centre. Nicknamed Lizard, he was a stylish player of his era who represented Queensland and Australia with distinction. He was also a noted defender. British Lions team: 15. R Hiller, 14. A Biggar, 13. J Dawes, 12. J Spencer, 11. D Duckman, 10. M. Gibson, 9 R Hopkins, 8. P Dixon, 7. F Slattery, 6. D Quinnell, 5. W McBridge, 4. G Brown, 3. F Lynch, 2. F Laidlaw, 1. J McLoughlin. Reserves: A Lewis, G Edwards, J Pullin, M Roberts
News.com.au
36 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Rod Butterss, daughter Ash open up on alcoholism battles
Former AFL club boss Rod Butterss and his daughter Ash both picked up a drink before they were teenagers, later facing devastating battles with alcoholism. But today, they share a different bond – beating addiction with each other's support. The ex-St Kilda Football Club president and his daughter, a holistic transformation coach, want to help others overcome barriers to tough conversations. The Melbourne duo have opened up about their roads to recovery for News Corp Australia's Can We Talk? campaign mental health awareness campaign, in partnership with Medibank. Ash, 37, is now five years sober and hosts a podcast to reduce the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse. 'There are hard days but I have different tools now, and I know that a drink would never be a good option,' she said. She stays 'content and at peace' by practising and teaching yoga, meditation and breathwork. But she wonders if her journey would've been different had she been able to confide in her parents as a teenager. While she and her dad have spoken candidly on her podcast, Behind the Smile, it was a different story growing up. 'I felt isolated and disconnected, and I really struggled … at 13 I was cutting myself,' she said. 'I had an eating disorder, I was drinking and taking drugs as a way to self-medicate. 'I tried to talk to my parents at the time – and this wasn't their fault – but I think that they parented from a place of fear. 'If they had the tools to have conversations and not shy away from the difficulties … things could've turned out differently.' Ash, whose first marriage fell apart, is now planning her second wedding. But she fears her future children could inherit her demons. 'It's incredible that my dad and I have broken the chain … but it's even made me wonder whether or not I want to have children,' she said. 'This disease runs in my family and the likelihood of my child suffering with mental health and potentially addiction is very high.' Addiction has cost Rod, 66, businesses, marriages, relationships, and the top job at St Kilda Football Club. But after a headline-grabbing battle with booze, cocaine and gambling, the entrepreneur became sober in 2010, with one relapse in 2020. 'We've gotta talk about these things because too many families suffer in silence,' he said. He admits he was largely absent when she was young, but watching Ash's recovery had been 'pure joy'. 'Alcoholism makes you very selfish, and there were occasions where we could have some very deep and meaningful conversations but most of the time I was self-absorbed and busy,' he said. 'As a young father I would just reel off things like 'toughen up son' … so for me it's been about learning to have intimate conversations in a non-judgmental manner, where your job as a parent is to make the other person feel safe.' In fact, Ash said if he had tried to force her to seek help before she was ready, it would have backfired. 'He's been amazing,' she said. 'Dad never pushed me, he's just always been there to champion me in a very hands-off way.' Today, Rod immerses himself in writing poetry, reading, mediation, beach walks and journaling, and is surrounded by a strong recovery community. 'I thought to myself the other day: 'You going okay Rod? You know, you're happy. Life's pretty good',' he said. Psychiatrist and former Australian of the Year Professor Patrick McGorry said research had found some people were genetically predisposed to alcohol dependence, but it was not a foregone conclusion. 'There's a lot of research showing a very strong genetic component for alcoholism and probably other forms of addiction as well,' he said. 'The actual mechanism underpinning that vulnerability is not well understood. If we knew that it would be easier to treat.' He said he would like to see the community view addiction in the same way as other mental health issues. 'With substance abuse, there's a tremendously judgmental attitude, and people say things like 'They made poor choices', or blame others for having an addiction,' he said. 'But addiction is just one type of mental health problem actually.'
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
British and Irish Lions suffer injury blow in 54-7 win over Western Force
Henry Pollock showcased his star potential, but scrum-half Tomos Williams was cut down by a hamstring injury as the British and Irish Lions posted a crushing 54-7 win over the Western Force in Perth. In their first match on Australian soil, the Lions ran in eight tries to one in front of 46,656 spectators on Saturday night to post the big win, but it came at a cost. Williams, a veteran of 65 Test caps with Wales, pinged his left hamstring while acrobatically diving in at the corner for his second try in the 47th minute. ABC Sport will have live blog coverage of the British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia this July and August. The 30-year-old looked despondent as he hobbled slowly off the field, with the Lions leading 26-7 at the time. The second half became a romp as the Lions flexed their muscles in a five-try blitz, but it was tough work in the first half as the Force came out firing. Wallabies winger Dylan Pietsch was near unstoppable in the first half, unleashing a series of dazzling line breaks to push his case for selection for the upcoming three-Test series. The Force dominated possession (60 per cent) and territory (67 per cent) in the first half, but it was the industrious work of Pollock that ensured the Lions still managed to take a 21-7 lead into half-time. Pollock, who at just 20 years of age is already being touted as a future superstar, produced a series of tackle-busting runs, one of which set up Williams for his first try. Lions coach Andy Farrell had labelled his team's 28-24 loss to Argentina in Dublin last week as unacceptable and it took just 96 seconds for his players to produce a strong response. The magical piece of play started and finished with skipper Dan Sheehan, who jumped in the air to catch a cross-kick and passed it off to teammate James Lowe before he even landed on the ground. Sheehan stayed in the play and received it back from Lowe to cross over for the opener. The Force hit back through Nic White courtesy of 19 phases of grit. The Lions did well to keep the Force at bay, and they went up 14-7 in the 17th minute when Pollock made a break and then offloaded while on the ground to set up Williams for a try. Pietsch's first-half efforts had the Lions on the back foot, but it was the tourists who landed another strike against the run of play when a quick tap from fly-half Finn Russell caught the Force napping. The ensuing try to fullback Elliot Daly gave the Lions a 21-7 lead in the 36th minute, but they were dealt a blow just seconds before half-time when Pollock was handed a yellow card for his team's accumulation of penalties. Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Lions swung the ball the length of the field for Williams to touch down seven minutes into the second half. The Lions piled on another four tries to ensure their tour of Australia got off to a comprehensive winning start. They will be back in action on Wednesday night when they take on the Queensland Reds at Brisbane's Lang Park. AAP
