The late Grant Sheridan (left) and MindRight founder Myles Mattila (right). A Remembering Grant Sheridan scholarship has been set up by Mattila in remembrance of the former Kelowna Chiefs owner, who died July 28. (Photo: Myles Mattila Family)

The late Grant Sheridan (left) and MindRight founder Myles Mattila (right). A Remembering Grant Sheridan scholarship has been set up by Mattila in remembrance of the former Kelowna Chiefs owner, who died July 28. (Photo: Myles Mattila Family)

Mental health and wellness program available to athletes through dual partnership

Mental health and athlete wellness continues to be at the forefront for young athletes

  • Dec. 16, 2019 12:00 a.m.

Mental health and athlete wellness continues to be at the forefront for young athletes throughout the country.

A new partnership between MindRight’s mental health and wellness program has been announced with HeadCheck Health’s software platform.

The partnership will advance athlete health and wellness by making MindRight’s resources and peer-to-peer support available through HeadCheck’s mobile app and web-based software.

“I believe we have helpful resources available for youth and need to support them to get help if they need it,” said Myles Mattila, project developer and spokesperson for MindRight.

Mattila, currently a junior hockey player with the Kelowna Chiefs and business student at Okanagan College, developed MindRight after being inspired by the story of late Vancouver Canuck Rick Rypien.

Mattilla thought of a friend who struggled with his mental health and developed MindRight to educate athletes, coaches, parents and supporters about their mental health and the health of others.

MindRight aims to provide information about available, local resources and help players make connections with the services they might need.

READ MORE: Cariboo Cougars take up MindRight initiative

MindRight will work within the community to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

“Myles continues to do an incredible job in raising mental health awareness in a way that resonates with young athletes,” said Harrison Brown, CEO of HeadCheck Health.

“We’re happy to provide our platform to support his initiative and make more resources available to athletes and their support network.”

HeadCheck Health develops software and services for the advancement of concussion reporting and management.

For proactive organizations in individuals, HeadCheck streamlines existing practices to improve critical communication and reduce the risk of injury mismanagement.

For youth sports, the company continues to develop new tools and initiatives to reduce the burden on volunteers and to make it easy to report suspected concussions during an emotionally-charged incident.

READ MORE: Hockey league adopts B.C.-wide mental health program

These tools will help to maximize the chance that athletes receive optimal care.

For more about how MindRight and HeadCheck work together to reinforce the importance of early recognition of concussion and early intervention when dealing with mental health challenges visit www.headcheckhealth.com/mindright.

Currently, over 800 teams and organizations, including the Canadian Football League, the Candian Junior Hockey League, BC Hockey, the Alberta Female Hockey League, Trek Factory Racing, Rugby Ontario and Volleyball Canada use HeadCheck.


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