HBL footballer is kicking goals for spinal cord injuries

COVID-19 may have stopped marathons around the world, however it did not stop a young Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault footballer from putting on his running shoes in the name of charity.

New recruit Joel Latham has committed to running 200km in the month of September. He is participating in the Be a Hero campaign to raise money for people with spinal cord injuries.

The former WAFL player works for a not-for-profit group called NeuroMoves, where he helps people recover from serious injuries. So far he has raised almost $800 to go towards buying new equipment for his patients.

“There are so many beautiful stories of people recovering and learning to walk again after being told they would never ever walk again,” Latham said.

“I wouldn’t still be in it if I didn’t believe I was making a difference.”

However, Latham is not just respected off the field, but is also a miracle story on-field.

He played in the WAFL for a decade before undergoing a painful knee reconstruction in 2017.

He was a prominent player for Subiaco, but missed most of 2018 and 2019.

Latham decided to try to get back into footy and followed his roommate Sean Bradley to HBL.

“It helped knowing someone and there is a lot of energy and passion at the club,” he said.

“They are a really young group, you can tell the colts team got blooded early and they are paying dividends now.”

Latham said they were pushing for another premiership this year.