Partnership Between GTHL and Movember Aims to Improve Mental Health in Youth Sport

TORONTO– The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GHTL), in partnership with the Movember Foundation, is pleased to appoint the month of September as Mental Fitness Month across the GTHL.

The initiative will see resources regarding mental health distributed to players, parents and bench staff. Staff from the GTHL and Movember Foundation will be on site at Canlan York University from September 22 – 23, 2018 to celebrate the partnership and speak to the importance of maintaining good mental health.

“We want to be proactive in ensuring all our players stay healthy both physically and mentally throughout their lives,” said GTHL Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Scott Oakman. “September can be a stressful time for players in our League and we want to give them the resources they need to stay mentally fit.”

The GTHL and Movember teamed up last season to launch the inaugural Babsocks fundraising initiative. Teams sold Movember edition Babsocks to raise awareness and funds for mental health. The winning team was awarded a practice with Mike Babcock, head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. All together over $50,000 was raised by GTHL teams. The fundraising initiative will enter its second year during the 2018-19 season.

“At the Movember Foundation, one of our key areas of focus is going to where men are and promoting a strengths-based approach to mental health wellbeing,” says Owen Sharp, CEO, the Movember Foundation. “In Canada, this is undeniably within the hockey space. By giving young men the tools to be mentally fit and engaging them in environments through hockey, we can promote and focus on mental fitness along with physical fitness through sport.”

For more information and for resources on mental fitness, please visit www.gthlcanada.com/mental-fitness/

About the Movember Foundation

The Movember Foundation is the leading charity dedicated to changing the face of men’s health around the world. With a singular goal to stop men dying too young, the Foundation supports the following causes: prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. Since 2003, the support of more than 5 million participants has funded over 1,200 innovative projects across more than 20 countries. To donate or learn more, please visit Movember.com

About the Greater Toronto Hockey League

Founded in 1911, the GTHL is a non-profit organization and the largest minor hockey league in the world. The GTHL registers more than 40,000 annual participants in Mississauga, Toronto, Markham, and Vaughan.

For more information, contact:

Adrienne Middlebrook

Coordinator, Marketing and Communications

Greater Toronto Hockey League

416-636-6845 x.234 | amiddlebrook@gthlcanada.com

Cassie Tatone

Manager, Public Relations

The Movember Foundation

cassandra.tatone@movember.com