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New junior hockey league program addresses substance abuse, bullying and mental health

Milton Menace and 23 other teams part of OJHL
MiltonToday Staff
2019-10-04 Soo Greyhounds Stock BC (1)
File photo. Brad Coccimiglio/Village Media

NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
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The OJHL Foundation in conjunction with the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s (OJHL) member clubs have launched the Second Assist Program for all players in the 24-team league, the OJHL announced Oct. 16.

The new series of life skills seminars will include a focus on the Hockey Canada Code of Conduct and the implications of substance abuse, bullying, harassment and healthy relationships and their impact on performance and a player’s reputation. Players and team staff sessions, which will be led by a community psychologist and mental health professionals, will be held in every OJHL home arena this season.

The Coping Centre in Cambridge, Ont. and Rebecca Pister PHD developed the First and Second Assist programs for the OJHL. Pister is a professor at Wilfrid Laurier University who specializes in youth engagement, community psychology and mental health promotion.

“The Second Assist Program brings in content that the players have identified as being important to learn about and focuses on how these issues impact them and their game,” said Pister.  “We always want to make sure the information resonates with them as people and as players. Talking about how even casual use of substances like alcohol can impact training goals and gains has been found to be an effective way to prevent or reduce substance use among athletes. On the other side, talking about the importance of healthy relationships, both on and off the ice, can help improve team dynamics as well as the many other important relationships these players have. That's important because healthy relationships are the number one predictor of overall well-being across the lifespan.”

The new Second Assist is focused on substance abuse, a topic suggested by players in the 24-team league. The new program also deals with bullying, harassment and the creation of healthy relationships.

Under the program, all players will watch educational videos and hear stories from other players. The program is very interactive and touches on topics critical to Hockey Canada’s Code of Conduct.

“Feedback from prior training indicates that our players want the presentations to include more engagement and to keep the quizzes similar to the First Assist,” said Rick Morocco, the OJHL’s Vice President of Business Operations and the Executive Director of the OJHL Foundation. “To maintain positive interaction, we are going to try working in groups of players around case study examples related to the key topics of the Second Assist Program, including the quiz questions. There will also be ample time for a Q&A segment.  The program is a continuation of the league’s commitment to the experience and support provided to our players.”

The OJHL Foundation operationalized in 2017 and launched its first program in 2018. The First Assist program is a comprehensive seminar designed to provide players with information about mental health and life skills to help them take that information and apply it to their own daily lives. The program focuses on mental wellness, positive youth development and resilience-building utilizing discussion-based learning and skill development. The skills shared are needed to improve mental well-being and bounce back in times of distress

The Legacy Foundation is the main sponsor of the OJHL Foundation and is back for a third year of valuable support.