At 17, Dylan Bagnall is juggling more than most teens. He is training toward a dream of playing professional rugby league, studying electrotechnology, and living independently in Sydney to attend Endeavour Sports High.

But it was a different kind of challenge, in Year 10 at Kiama High, that left a lasting mark on him.

“I would have picked the program over sport any day,” Dylan says of the Building Young Men program, which he joined alongside classmates.

“The connection, the respect, the stories, it stuck with me.”

Delivered in partnership with The Man Walk and supported by Sam Matters Inc, the program offers boys something increasingly rare.

A place to slow down, open up, and connect with one another across backgrounds, strengths and struggles.

“It wasn’t just for the sporty kids,” Dylan explains. “There was a boy who didn’t say much at the start, kind of kept to himself. By the end, he was opening up. We all belonged.”

While Dylan missed the program’s final wilderness camp because he was trialling for the Canberra Raiders, he says the bonds he built and the lessons he learned still

shape his mindset.

“People live differently. They have different stories. That stuck with me,” he says. “It changed how I think.”

Now living in a granny flat, cooking his own meals and managing his own schedule, Dylan says the experience gave him something that sport alone could not - grounded confidence and perspective.

“I want to play league, but I’m also doing a course in electrotechnology, and later I want to go into business or real estate. I am interested in and having conversations with people.”

Asked if there is someone from the program he would still call for help, Dylan does not hesitate.

“Yeah, He is that kind of bloke. If I ever needed anything, I know I could call him.”

“Programs like this help you grow. They give you confidence you belong. That you are valued, and you can make a difference.”

Each year Gerringong Golf Club hosts the Sam Matters Cup in honour of the talented local footballer and golfer who took his own life five years ago.

The Sam Matters Cup will be held on September 12. Call Gerringong Golf Club Pro Shop on 4234 3333 to book.

All money raised will go to The Saving Sammy Foundation which will again fund the mental health mentoring program, now in its fourth year, to support Year 10 students at Kiama High School during a critical stage of their development.

Anyone seeking support can phone Lifeline to speak to a Crisis Supporter on 13 11 14, text 0477 131 114, or chat online at www.lifeline.org.au (all services are available 24/7).