NEWS RELEASE
Saskatoon Blades and CMHA Saskatoon team up to raise awareness about mental health during home game
[February 3, Saskatoon] – The Saskatoon Blades and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Saskatoon Branch are teaming up to raise awareness about the importance of mental health during an upcoming Saskatoon Blades home game.
The Saskatoon Blades game on February 3 at 7 pm will feature:
• A CMHA-run kiosk where fans can learn more about mental health supports in Saskatoon
• Videos featuring Saskatoon Blades players talking about the importance of mental health
• Public address announcements about mental health
The awareness campaign is part of the ongoing commitment by the Saskatoon Blades and CMHA Saskatoon to implement Talk Today. Talk Today provides mental health support to players and raises awareness about mental health and suicide prevention throughout communities across the WHL.
A key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide prevention. Every team has received mental health training specific to suicide prevention. Each team is also now linked to a CMHA Mental Health Coach, who provides support and mental health resources to individuals in need.
“Junior hockey comes with a lot of pressure, and prioritizing mental health is just as important as physical health. It can be hard to ask for help, so initiatives such as the Talk Today program that encourage players to support each other can make a real difference. The Blades continue to demonstrate that the strongest teams are the ones that support each other as people, not just players. said Kyle Anderson, Mental Health Coach of CMHA Saskatoon.
“The CMHA Talk Today program is great because it provides a safe space to talk about mental health in a way that’s engaging and effective. Any opportunity to get our players to reflect on the topic and use what they learned from the program helps themselves and the team” said Joshua Hoetmer, Mental Performance Coach of the Saskatoon Blades.
Tickets for the game are still available, starting from $28.00.
For ticket information, head to the Saskatoon Blades website:chl.ca/whl-blades/
Read more about Talk Today: talktoday.ca