This is the latest installment of WGN News Now’s ‘Mind Always Matters’, focusing on teams and athletes who are making mental health and wellness a priority.
Rosemont – The beginning of 2023 was a chance for the Chicago Wolves to start something new. The idea went straight to the heads of many in his office at the front of the team.
A team tradition is to wear a signature jersey in January, and Courtney Mahoney and others have figured out how to continue it in an impactful way.
“Mental health is certainly a hot topic, but we thought we could really escalate it. Spend a month doing a little thing every day for
Mental Health Awareness Month was born here, as the franchise has done a lot of work at games at the Allstate Arena and on social media to draw attention to the topic.
The team’s Twitter account has posted dozens of photos and videos featuring players from the AHL team, encouraging people to take care of their mental health. At the same time, the Wolves became the third AHL team to join the NHL’s “Hockey Talk” initiative for mental health, which was launched in 2011 in honor of the late Canucks player Rick Rippien.
“They’ve been great,” Mahoney said of players’ reaction to the “Mental Health Awareness” initiative. “The way they give back to the community. It’s just as important as what you do for your body.
“They were great. They just embraced the cause, and it’s very common in the NHL and AHL, especially in hockey with the ‘hockey talk,’ and I think you talk about it.” I think it was an opportunity for them to raise awareness and talk about it a little more. They were happy to do so. “
Forward Mackenzie MacEachern is one of those who embraced the team’s Mental Health Awareness Month and is enjoying the opportunity to spread the word this January.
“I think people think of us as athletes. We enjoy the sport we love, but I think we are just like everyone else. ,” said MacEachern. “So I think it’s essential that people understand that we have those issues too.”
At the same time, Wolves has been doing a lot of fundraising, from selling “mystery packs” to t-shirts, in hopes of raising money for organizations focused on mental health. The biggest is the team’s “Mental Health Awareness” jersey, which will be on display this weekend at Allstate Arena on Saturday (7pm) and home game against Rockford, and on Sunday (3pm) and home game against Grand Rapids. You will be raffled later.
They include Erica’s Lighthouse, Alliance of Hope, Paws for Patrick, and The Wolf’s Own Charity.
Mahoney is pleased that the franchise’s supporters in the stands have done what they can, as the players have embraced the initiative.
“Our fan support for these efforts has been incredible,” Mahoney said. “The support we get from them is embracing the cause, being vocally vulnerable, talking about it and supporting it with dollars.
“Everything they got on board. Without them, we wouldn’t have been successful.”
Larry Hawley details his work on this edition of “Mind Always Matters” in the video above.
