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 leagueB次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a little bit old school and unfortunately I come from the suck-it-up era, which is wrong,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淏ut IB次元官网网址檝e had, in the last six months alone, three kids come to me with what IB次元官网网址檇 deem pretty serious issues,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of these kids wonB次元官网网址檛 go to certain places because of age differential or fear. If three kids are prepared to come to me, thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot more out there.B次元官网网址�

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

MattilaB次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think [the coach] really understood how serious that circumstance was,B次元官网网址� said Mattila. B次元官网网址淢y friend needed some help, he needed someone to talk to, he needed to seek out some supports.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙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.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 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,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淭he last thing you want is to lose your position on the team because they donB次元官网网址檛 think you have what it takes mentally, and nine times out of 10 thatB次元官网网址檚 not the case.B次元官网网址�

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

B次元官网网址淓ven if we have a kid in Beaver Valley who has the same problems as a kid in Vancouver, heB次元官网网址檚 got to be able to talk to somebody comfortably on his team, which would hopefully be staff or this ambassador,B次元官网网址� said Sheridan.

B次元官网网址淔rom there that ambassador can hook him up with MylesB次元官网网址� If itB次元官网网址檚 serious enough to get him to Myles, and Myles can get him to a life coach, he doesnB次元官网网址檛 have to be in Beaver Valley. But we donB次元官网网址檛 want to exclude that kid.B次元官网网址�

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tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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