After calling time on his professional surfing career in 2022 in order to focus on helping thousands of people improve their mental health after his sister lost two friends to suicide, Cooper Chapman has called on the WSL to do more to help prioritise athletes’ wellbeing.

The Narrabeen born shredder believes a number of the world’s best surfers are beginning to experience ‘burn out’ as their mental health is not being prioritised.

Having spent years surfing on the QS and Challenger Series, Cooper now spends his time running The Good Human Factory which has helped deliver interactive workshops around improving your mental health to over 35,000 students across more than 80 schools in Australia.

Cooper said he sympathises with professional surfers who are lacking support in what he described as an ‘incredibly difficult industry’.

“I went through a similar struggle, I wrapped my whole identity and worth in professional surfing which meant that when my results dropped, so did my morale. However, you shouldn’t let that determine your life.

“I think the WSL and other organisations can do more to support surfers. There have been a few suicides in our surfing community over the last few years and it shows that mental health does not discriminate. It doesn’t matter if you’re on top of the world or just a normal person, anyone’s mental health can suffer.

Cooper explained that he has previously offered to run free mental health workshops at WSL events. However, he said that offer was turned down. He praised the WSL for championing equality in recent years and believes there is a ‘beautiful space’ to do something similar with mental health.

 “I’d like to see the WSL have a full time wellbeing partner and offer surfers access to a psychologist. I know they are already doing some work on this, but I’d like them to invest in having different things around events, such as wellbeing workshops. There is so much more room for them to implement different things. Even just asking surfers how they could help to alleviate any pressures they may feel will go a long way.

Just like many other sports, mental health has been thrust into the limelight of professional surfing in recent years. In 2022 three-time world champion Gabriel Medina took the year off competing to focus on his mental health. More recently, last year’s world number one Filipe Toledo decided to cut his 2023/24 season during the first event at Pipeline in order to give himself some rest from competing. On the women’s side, Stephanie Gilmore has taken a year off to refresh.

“Filipe is the greatest example,” said Cooper. “There is significant pressure when you’re at the top and it comes with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. A lot of surfers are burning out because their mental health isn’t being prioritised.

“There’s certain surfers on tour who recognise that good mental health leads to good performances. You see Griff doing meditation and Jack Robbo doing breath work. Surfing is looked at as such a cool sport, so to have those guys promoting these practices is brilliant and it shows kids that it is not lame to meditate or practice gratitude.”

During Cooper’s final years trying to crack the CT, he surfed without a sponsor and was working as a tradie in order to fund his QS and Challenger Series campaigns. He said that the financial burden of being a professional surfer can be extremely taxing.

“It is a difficult dream, especially with the rising costs of everything and the lack of money in sponsorship deals these days. When you are not getting support from brands around you, you can feel pretty worthless.”

Cooper’s journey with mental health dates back to his time on the professional surfing circuit in 2018 when his younger sister, who was in high school at the time, lost two friends to suicide in a fortnight.

“It was at that point when I thought; I’m travelling, working as a surfer, living this extraordinary life and yet people in my local area are losing their lives. I learnt a lot in my journey as a surfer, seeking my own help, I was forward thinking about taking care of myself and then the incident with my sister happened and I thought how can I try and help in this type of situation.

“This was the catalyst for The Good Human Factory and for the last three years I’ve been doing interactive workshops for high school students, which look at my story, lessons I’ve learnt on mental health and advice from various experts I’ve spoken to on my podcast.

“I try to make it relatable to everyone. Not everyone can relate to depression or anxiety. Mental health is just the way you feel, how you show up in life, how you talk to yourself in your own head. The workshops are about trying to get people to feel better about themselves, doing actionable things to bring ourselves back up and helping equip people with as many tools as possible to live a fulfilled life.”

Moving forward, Cooper is hoping to continue delivering his workshops to as many people as humanly possible.

“I’m in a position I would never have expected to be in, in my life. I never thought I’d be a mental health advocate but in 2022 when I started getting busy with The Good Human Factory, I realised that this meant a lot more to me than trying to surf at a high level without sponsorship.

“The feedback I’ve had is so fulfilling and I hope I can continue to help students, people online or whoever experiences one of my workshops.”

Cooper’s five tips for better mental health

1. Practice Gratitude: Take a few moments at the end of each day focusing on the good things that happened. Research suggests that acknowledging positive aspects of your life can have significant benefits for mental well-being, including improved mood and reduced stress levels.
2. Daily Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your daily routine, such as meditation or focused breathing exercises. Mindfulness has been shown to enhance self-awareness and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by promoting a non-judgmental awareness of the present moment.
3. Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, especially during challenging times. Research indicates that self-compassion is associated with greater emotional resilience and well-being, as it fosters a sense of acceptance and support in the face of difficulties.
4. Extend Kindness to Others: Engage in acts of kindness towards others, as altruistic behaviour has been linked to improved mental health outcomes. Acts of kindness promote feelings of connection and fulfilment, contributing to a sense of purpose and belonging. It also releases serotonin and oxytocin in our brains which are the happiness chemicals.
5. Prioritise Social Connections: Foster meaningful relationships with friends, family, and community members. Social support plays a crucial role against stress and promoting overall mental health. Regular social interactions provide opportunities for emotional expression, validation, and support, thereby enhancing psychological well-being. Call up your mate and go for a surf with them when you’re feeling down.