Members of our MAN v FAT Soccer league in Sunset Park, New York, are about to hit the streets to raise funds for a hugely worthy cause.
A group of players will participate in the Out Of The Darkness walk to raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which takes place on October 5th.
Their fundraising has been led by Sunset Park member Scott Henkle, who has a long standing association with the organisation. He told us more.
1) Tell us a bit more about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention?
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death.
Since its inception in 1987, AFSP has mobilized and connected tens of thousands of people who have lost someone to suicide; reached thousands of individuals who are at risk for suicide and those who love and care for them; and attracted the participation of members of the scientific and clinical communities, who conduct groundbreaking research on suicide and its prevention with AFSP’s support.
AFSP also provides community education programs on suicide prevention and has a public policy arm that advocates for legislation and policies at the federal, state and local levels that advance the goal of preventing suicide.
2) What is your own association with the organisation and what does that involve?
I have been a volunteer since 2021, starting on the Brooklyn Out of the Darkness Committee in planning and executing on that fundraising event. Since 2023, I’ve also been the chair of the Paws for Prevention Committee taking the lead in creating and holding our spring fundraising dog walk.
We have held successful Paws for Prevention events on the Coney Island Boardwalk in 2024 and 2025 and are beginning the planning stages of our 2026 events.
3) How important is male mental health as a health issue in the US and how can programs like MAN v FAT help support this?
The sad fact is that men account for the vast majority of suicides each year. When we talk about the prevalence of suicide in any group its important to acknowledge contributing factors to their higher suicide rate and protective factors that can be present to help prevent an individual from attempting suicide.
The contributors to men having higher rates include men being more likely to be in a single relationship status, higher predisposition to substance use and gender norms that promote stoicism, toughness and self-reliance that discourage men from seeking help. MAN v FAT helps men in regards to two protective factors: strengthening connections to family and peers and participation in meaningful activities.
In my time in MAN v FAT, I have built connections to those here in the program with me at Sunset Park and see others building those connections with each other. I’ve personally seen how the supportive atmosphere of our club has encouraged our members to be open with each other in our physical and mental struggles in weight loss and dieting.
Those connections are important in suicide prevention because if we can encourage men to be open when they’re struggling in this area they can be more open when they’re struggling with mental health. This allows them to recognize on their own when they might need help and allows those of us around to spot when someone might need more support.
In my early experience, I have found the MAN v FAT to be a supportive community of guys on the same journey to lose weight and improve fitness. Everyone encourages each other on and off the field to be better than the week before, whether it’s commiserating setbacks, sharing tips for getting better on the field or sharing what works in their diet and exercise regimen.
The competitive nature of the program and the (albeit light in the scheme of things) financial investment motivate me to take my diet more seriously as I don’t want to let the team down on the scales or feel like I’m wasting money by not trying to lose weight to win at the scales and achieve my goals.
5) How much has getting back into physical activity and losing weight supported your own wellbeing so far?
Getting into playing in the MAN v FAT indoor soccer league has supported my own wellbeing by giving me a structure and motivation to improve and stick to my diet and to begin exercising more even on the other six days in the week we don’t meet.
6) What would you say to any other guys locally thinking of joining?
I would encourage them to give it a try. It’s a great, supportive program and you don’t need any prior soccer experience to get started as the rules are simple and the teams will support you as you pick it up along the way.
Want to join Scott at Sunset Park?
You can find out more about MAN v FAT Soccer on our website. And, if you’d like to know more about AFSP, please take a look at their own website too.
