Auckland Aces encouraging men’s health discussion with Movember fundraising efforts

The Auckland Aces are doing their bit to support Movember. Photo / Supplied

Like thousands of other men throughout the month of November, the Auckland Aces are doing their bit to raise funds for Movember.

Movember’s efforts are geared specifically towards men’s health. That comes in many forms, notably in mental health, as well as awareness for prostate and testicular cancers, which are both silent killers for Kiwi males.

Throughout the month of November, the Aces players and staff will all grow moustaches while simultaneously raising both money and awareness for Movember.

And naturally within the confines of the team, there’s already back and forth between whose moustache is the best.

“A few lads had a bit of a headstart, they shaved everything but the moustache on November 1,” batter William O’Donnell told the Herald.

“Adi Ashok is rocking a pretty seedy one, Louis Delport is going for the ‘ginger Wolverine’ look, he might have a late flourish.

“If I’m honest, I need to tidy up the rest of my stubble to make the mo’ pop. There’s a few lads getting in behind it.

“A few might keep it post-November, but we’ll have to ask the better halves if that’s possible.”

The Aces will be taking the field four times in November, once in the Ford Trophy and three times in the Plunket Shield.

A tentative target of $3000 has been set by the team, but obviously any amount in excess of that would be greatly welcomed, after similar efforts by the team in recent years.

“It’s been a cause that guys have got behind previously,” O’Donnell continued. “The likes of Lockie Ferguson and Robbie O’Donnell - when he was around - jumped on board and tried to get it out there.

“We’re a men’s cricket team, and cricket’s a tough sport that guys don’t like to talk about disappointments.

“[It’s about] just getting everyone to be open, accepting and talking about tough stuff. Being open and vulnerable is tough, but there’s a good group of people around us, trying to give that message that it is okay to open up.”

As a sport, cricket tends to overlap with health issues more than most, notably mental health due to its individualist nature within a team environment.

Adithya Ashok is one of the team sporting facial hair right now. Photo / Supplied

Being one of the senior players in the side, Louis Delport has experienced the ups and downs of professional sport as much as anyone.

And with the chance to raise awareness, the 36-year-old is encouraging men to be open on health issues - be they mental or physical - that are otherwise left unsaid.

“As I’ve gotten older, you start realising the importance and the value of getting this stuff out in the open,” said Delport. “If you’d asked me 10 years ago, I’d have been a closed book on it.

“But where I’m sitting at the moment, it’s pretty important to have people in your life that you can have those kind of relationships with, in terms of being honest and open about it.

“It takes a lot of vulnerability to be able to do that. It’s really important for guys to be able to connect like that.”

It won’t just be the Aces involved, either. Former captain Robbie O’Donnell, William’s brother, has also committed to the cause, after he traded Auckland for Northern Districts at the start of the season.

After the Aces’ five-wicket win in the Ford Trophy in Hamilton at the start of the month, both brothers have donated their respective match fees to the cause, and are encouraging others to do what they can as well.

“A lot of guys are putting up a percentage of their match fees that we get to be able to do a pretty awesome job - play a bit of cricket and get paid for it,” William explained.

“We’re putting a bit of money towards a great cause that we all support.”

Click here for the Auckland Aces’ Movember fundraiser