Hockey is built on connection.
It’s the teammate who taps your pads after a tough shift. The coach who notices when something seems off. The parent who asks about more than the score. The official who keeps showing up, even when the game gets intense.
During Mental Health Week, the Greater Toronto Hockey League is reminding our hockey community — players, parents, coaches, officials, volunteers, and families — that mental health is part of the game, too.
This year’s Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) Mental Health Week theme, “Come Together, Canada: Stronger connections, better mental health,” highlights the important role connection and belonging play in supporting overall well-being. In hockey, those connections are everywhere: in dressing rooms, on benches, in the stands, on the ice, and in the conversations that happen on the drive home.
The GTHL’s commitment to participant well-being goes beyond what happens on the ice. Through its Strategic Plan, the League has identified safety, belonging, inclusion, respect, player experience, and holistic development as key priorities. Supporting mental health is an important part of creating an environment where every participant feels welcome, valued, and supported.
Mental health expands beyond when someone is struggling. It’s something we can all take care of every day — by checking in, listening, managing pressure, asking for help, and creating environments where people feel safe.
For Players: You’re more than your performance.
Hockey can be exciting, challenging, and rewarding. It can also come with pressure — making a team, earning ice time, handling mistakes, managing expectations, or balancing school, friendships, and family life.
A tough game doesn’t define you, and a bad shift doesn’t erase your progress. Making a mistake doesn’t equal failure.
Players can support their mental health by:
- Checking in with themselves. Notice how you’re feeling before and after practices and games. Are you tired, stressed, frustrated, excited, anxious, or overwhelmed? Naming it is a good first step.
- Talking to someone you trust. A parent, coach, teammate, teacher, trainer, or another trusted adult can help. You don’t need to wait until something feels “serious” to speak up.
- Building routines that help you reset. Deep breathing, stretching, listening to music, going for a walk, journaling, or taking a break from your phone can all help calm your mind.
- Remembering your identity outside hockey. You’re a teammate, student, friend, sibling, and most importantly, a person first. Hockey is something you do — it is not all of who you are.
- Being a good teammate. Check in on others. Include people. Celebrate effort. Support someone after a mistake. Small moments can make a big difference.
For Parents/Guardians: Focus on the person before the player.
Parents and guardians play a major role in shaping a young athlete’s experience in hockey. The words spoken before and after games can stay with a player long after the final buzzer.
One of the most powerful things a parent can do is help their child separate performance from self-worth.
Instead of leading with the score, stats, or mistakes, try asking:
- “How did you feel out there?”
- “What did you enjoy today?”
- “Is there anything you want to talk about?”
Players need to know that support is not conditional on performance. A calm car ride, a patient conversation, or simply saying “I love watching you play” can help reduce pressure and reinforce that hockey should be a place for growth, confidence, and connection.
Parents can also watch for changes in mood, sleep, appetite, motivation, behaviour, or enjoyment. If a player seems withdrawn, unusually anxious, constantly overwhelmed, or no longer enjoys something they used to love, it may be time to check in and consider additional support.
For Coaches: Create a culture where players feel safe.
Coaches set the tone.
The way a coach responds to mistakes, manages pressure, communicates expectations, and treats players has a direct impact on the team environment. A mentally healthy team culture does not mean lowering standards. It means creating an environment where players can work hard, learn, compete, and grow without fear of being embarrassed, ignored, or defined by mistakes.
Coaches can support mental health by:
- Getting to know players as people. A quick check-in before practice can build trust.
- Making communication clear and respectful. Players are more likely to learn when they understand what is expected and feel respected in the process.
- Normalizing mistakes as part of development. Mistakes are feedback, not failure.
- Watching for signs of burnout or distress. Changes in energy, behaviour, confidence, focus, or engagement can be signs that a player needs support.
- Encouraging asking for help. Let players know that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
The Coaching Association of Canada’s Mental Health and Sport Resource Hub provides evidence-based resources to help coaches and athletes navigate mental health challenges with more confidence (click here).
For Officials: Your mental health matters, too.
Officials are a vital part of the hockey community, and their role can be demanding. They make quick decisions, manage emotions on the ice, and can be the target of criticism from players, benches, and spectators.
Officials can support their own mental health by developing pre-game and post-game routines, connecting with mentors, talking through difficult situations, and remembering that one game or one call does not define their ability or value.
Players, parents, coaches, and spectators also have a responsibility to contribute to a respectful environment. Treating officials with respect helps keep people in the game and strengthens the hockey community and experience for everyone involved.
Connection is a proactive approach for a positive environment for all.
Mental health support often starts with simple actions:
- Ask someone how they are doing and give them time to answer.
- Invite a teammate into the conversation.
- Thank a coach, volunteer, or official.
- Check in after a tough game.
- Make room for people to talk about more than hockey.
When people feel connected, they are more likely to reach out when they need help. CMHA’s Mental Health Week message reminds us that stronger connections can support better mental health.
Support Is Available
Check out the GTHL’s Mental Health Supports Hub.
This Mental Health Week, the GTHL encourages everyone in the hockey community to come together — to listen, support, include, and care for one another.
