People First Radio – April 10, 2025People First Radio – April 10, 2025
People First Radio
Leaders from the Vancouver Island Raiders share candid stories about mental health, resilience, and leadership in football and business. Their panel chat focuses on connection, purpose, and the power of vulnerability in supporting men through pressure, loss, and recovery.
0:00•11 Apr 2025
From the Field to the Boardroom: Football Leaders Talk Mental Health and Resilience
Episode Overview
- Strong leadership under pressure relies on emotional control, clear goals, and a shared sense of purpose or "why".
- Connection and trust come before performance; tough conversations land better when relationships are already in place.
- Vulnerability, including sharing failures and low points, helps break stigma and builds real trust within teams.
- Mentorship and community support can fill painful gaps left by loss, especially for young men in sport.
- Sport and physical activity can be a life-saving outlet, but identity needs to reach beyond the game to stay healthy.
“Every day you go out there and it doesn't go your way. It's not a loss. It's a lesson.”
What remarkable journeys have people faced head-on against addiction and mental health struggles? This episode of People First Radio brings together voices from Canadian junior football to talk honestly about leadership, pressure, and men’s mental health. The show shares a live fireside chat from Nanaimo, where Andrew Harris, now president of the Vancouver Island Raiders and a four-time Grey Cup champion, opens up about some very dark chapters.
He talks about a season where he considered ending his life, and how finally seeing a sports psychologist helped him reconnect with the little kid who loved football: “Every day you go out there and it doesn't go your way. It's not a loss. It's a lesson.” Alongside him, Raiders head coach Sean Arabski speaks about losing his father at 14 and how the football community stepped in as family.
He stresses how mentorship and "big brother, little brother" relationships help young men realise that sport is something they do, not who they are. His focus on creating safe spaces – culture meetings, honest conversations, and an open-door policy – will resonate with anyone working with young people under pressure. Football consultant Warren McCarty brings a cross-border perspective, blending humour with hard truths about connection, burnout, and tough conversations.
He admits he once led by being “the boss and the asshole” and explains how shifting to connection and vulnerability transformed his leadership in both sport and business. Moderated by Canadian Home Builders Association Vancouver Island CEO Carrie Ann Cody, the chat leans into themes of purpose, “what’s your why?”, connection, and the hidden isolation many high performers carry. It’s aimed at coaches, business leaders, parents, and anyone curious how team sport and honest conversation can support mental resilience.
If you care about mental health, masculinity, and what real support looks like under pressure, this one might give you plenty to think about – and talk about.
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