On September 16, You Can Play through partnership with the Greater Toronto Hockey League hosted an education and awareness session with the League’s Development Staff.

The session, welcoming a total of 21 participants, included five coach facilitators, six officiating instructors, seven of the GTHL’s investigators, as well as a couple of new staff and GTHL Directors.

“It was great to get coaching and officiating instructors together to realize the different approaches that they need to take in the game,” shared a participant. “Hearing perspectives from both sides on situations was valuable.”

You Can Play – also known as the You Can Play Project – works to ensure the safety and inclusion for all who participate in sports, including 2SLGBTQ+ athletes, coaches, and fans. You Can Play achieves this by creating a community of allies that is able to foster a true sense of belonging focusing on an individual’s skills, work ethic, and competitive spirit, rather than sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression. You Can Play actively seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by developing a culture of respect in every player, coach, and fan.

The partnership between the GTHL and You Can Play focuses primarily on inclusion training for staff, coaches, officials, and players. Additionally, the partnership aims to create simple and easy to use activations and messaging to empower coaches, athletes, officials, and the League as a whole to embrace inclusivity and help move the needle on more safe locker rooms, arenas, and sport settings.

For more information on You Can Play, visit YouCanPlayProject.org.