Grant Sheridan hopes a new mental health program adopted by the KIJHL moves hockey away from a past he regrets having been part of.

The Kelowna Chiefs general manager was at the league香蕉视频直播檚 meeting Sunday in Castlegar to pitch the initiative, which will establish peer-to-peer support ambassadors in locker rooms, as well as connections to community services for players, on all 20 teams in the league.

Sheridan said he thinks the program is a long time coming.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 a little bit old school and unfortunately I come from the suck-it-up era, which is wrong,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淏ut I香蕉视频直播檝e had, in the last six months alone, three kids come to me with what I香蕉视频直播檇 deem pretty serious issues,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淎 lot of these kids won香蕉视频直播檛 go to certain places because of age differential or fear. If three kids are prepared to come to me, there香蕉视频直播檚 a lot more out there.香蕉视频直播�

MindRight was created three years ago by Chiefs forward Myles Mattila, who doubles as a mental health advocate.

Mattila香蕉视频直播檚 work came about after a teammate confided in him that he was suffering. Mattila told his coach, who responded by cutting the player from the roster.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think [the coach] really understood how serious that circumstance was,香蕉视频直播� said Mattila. 香蕉视频直播淢y friend needed some help, he needed someone to talk to, he needed to seek out some supports.香蕉视频直播�

Mattila said the goal of the program will be to create a culture that encourages discussion in locker rooms. A MindRight phone app is also being planned, which will allow more reticent players to seek out services on their own.

香蕉视频直播淲hat we香蕉视频直播檙e trying to do is start this conversation and allow these hockey players to have a free and a safe environment to talk about mental health.香蕉视频直播�

The program is similar to Breakout, an initiative started by then Nelson Leafs assistant coach Sean Dooley in 2016, albeit bigger in scope.

Dooley, who has spoken previously about his struggles with addiction, thinks the peer-to-peer model will be successful in the locker room.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a little bit easier to talk to a friend or a peer than it would be to talk to someone in a position of authority, especially someone you are trying to impress,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淭he last thing you want is to lose your position on the team because they don香蕉视频直播檛 think you have what it takes mentally, and nine times out of 10 that香蕉视频直播檚 not the case.香蕉视频直播�

Sheridan said he thinks MindRight will be especially important in smaller municipalities where access to mental health services might be limited.

香蕉视频直播淓ven if we have a kid in Beaver Valley who has the same problems as a kid in Vancouver, he香蕉视频直播檚 got to be able to talk to somebody comfortably on his team, which would hopefully be staff or this ambassador,香蕉视频直播� said Sheridan.

香蕉视频直播淔rom there that ambassador can hook him up with Myles香蕉视频直播� If it香蕉视频直播檚 serious enough to get him to Myles, and Myles can get him to a life coach, he doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have to be in Beaver Valley. But we don香蕉视频直播檛 want to exclude that kid.香蕉视频直播�

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tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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