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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 a little bit old school and unfortunately I come from the suck-it-up era, which is wrong,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淏ut I害羞草研究所檝e had, in the last six months alone, three kids come to me with what I害羞草研究所檇 deem pretty serious issues,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淎 lot of these kids won害羞草研究所檛 go to certain places because of age differential or fear. If three kids are prepared to come to me, there害羞草研究所檚 a lot more out there.害羞草研究所�

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

Mattila害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 think [the coach] really understood how serious that circumstance was,害羞草研究所� said Mattila. 害羞草研究所淢y friend needed some help, he needed someone to talk to, he needed to seek out some supports.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲hat we害羞草研究所檙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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭he last thing you want is to lose your position on the team because they don害羞草研究所檛 think you have what it takes mentally, and nine times out of 10 that害羞草研究所檚 not the case.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淓ven if we have a kid in Beaver Valley who has the same problems as a kid in Vancouver, he害羞草研究所檚 got to be able to talk to somebody comfortably on his team, which would hopefully be staff or this ambassador,害羞草研究所� said Sheridan.

害羞草研究所淔rom there that ambassador can hook him up with Myles害羞草研究所� If it害羞草研究所檚 serious enough to get him to Myles, and Myles can get him to a life coach, he doesn害羞草研究所檛 have to be in Beaver Valley. But we don害羞草研究所檛 want to exclude that kid.害羞草研究所�

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tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
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