Sport
29 October, 2024
Cookie Cup raises men’s mental health awareness
The inaugural Cookie Cup was held on October 18-19 to commemorate Burpengary Jets player Ryan ‘Cookie’ Cook’s death by suicide last year.
The over-35s rugby league cup was created to raise awareness about men’s mental health and to remind everyone to reach out for help when they’re struggling.
Burpengary Jets president Brad Lord, a close friend of Cookie, described him as a great man who always checked in on everyone.
“He was a big part in the rugby league community. He coached a team he had no kids in, which is rare; he just stepped up,” Brad said.
“Cookie was the captain, and he always made sure the boys had someone to talk to if they were struggling,” he continued.
“It’s funny that he was that person to everyone, but when it came to him, he didn’t talk to anyone.”
Brad decided to start the Cookie Cup as a way to remember Ryan and advocate for men’s mental health.
“Cookie and I started playing footy against each other when he played for Deception Bay in the U6s team, and as the years went on and he finally came over to the Jets, we grew closer,” he said.
“He was such a good mate, and I knew him for about 34 years, so a group of us wanted to do this event to remember him.
"We held it on his birthday, but we also held it in October because the footy season is over and that’s when Ryan passed away.”
Cookie’s brother, Tim, is starting a fundraiser in his honor and sold merchandise at the Cookie Cup to raise money.
“The charity will be called Flamingo because he always wore flamingo shirts when he wasn’t playing footy, and we all wore them at the cup for him,” Brad said.
“We just want to do everything we can to promote men’s mental health.
"A few of us will also be doing Movember this year, and we are aiming to raise $20,000.”
Teams who played in the Cookie Cup included Banyo, Cookies XIII, Caboolture, Beerwah, and Old Boys.
The grand final match was between Banyo and Cookies XIII, with Banyo featuring several Deception Bay players.
“It was nice because it was Cookie’s mates playing each other, and Banyo ended up winning,” Brad said.
