Saskatoon, January 31st – The Saskatoon Blades have partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association, Saskatoon Branch for a mental health awareness game January 31st, 7 pm when the Saskatoon Blades take on the Regina Pats at Sasktel Centre.
The game day experience will have several features to promote the importance of mental health, including:
- A CMHA Saskatoon-run kiosk on the concourse where fans can learn more about mental health and the organization’s community-based services
- A ceremonial puck drop
- Public service announcements about mental health and CMHA Saskatoon
This mental health awareness game is part of the Saskatoon Blades ongoing partnership with CMHA Saskatoon and its Talk Today program.
“This is such an important game for us as the Saskatoon Blades to show people you are not alone, and show people there is support out there when it comes to your mental health” said Trevor Wong, captain of the Saskatoon Blades.
The key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide prevention. Each team is also linked to a CMHA mental health coach, who provides support and mental health resources to individuals in need.
Mental health coach Kyle Anderson states “It can be easy to lose sight of the unique stressors these players face, such as living away from home for the first time and the pressure to perform on the ice, which can have a significant impact on one’s mental wellbeing.”
This season, Talk Today is celebrating a major milestone – its 10th season of supporting junior hockey. Since its launch in 2014, Talk Today has provided an important opportunity to address the mental health needs of hockey players and other athletes across Canada. From 2014 through the 2022-23 season, nearly 8,600 individuals have received mental health and suicide awareness training through the program.
“By hosting this event, the Saskatoon Blades and CMHA Saskatoon are helping to eliminate the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health issues and encouraging discussion within the sports community about mental health, said Faith Bodnar, Executive Director of CMHA Saskatoon.
Tickets for the game are still available. For ticket information, head to chl.ca/whl-blades/
For more information on the Talk Today program, visit www.talktoday.ca.