Game On Magazine 2017 February 2017 | Page 39

SUZI FRIESEN & CRAIG HEISINGER WITH PROJECT 11 STUDENTS
ERIC COMRIE WITH A PROJECT 11 STUDENT MARK STUART WITH A PROJECT 11 CLASS
“ We like to think of this project in terms of mental wellness , as opposed to mental illness ,” said Green . “ We ’ re helping students become comfortable to talk about the subject , a subject that is often difficult for young people to open up about . I mean , it ’ s tough to get kids to talk about mental health issues , but when you do it , we ’ ve found that the students become a community and it ’ s quite impactful .”
According to mental health experts , on average , one in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness in their lifetimes . As a result , mental illness will indirectly affect many more Canadians through a family member , friend or colleague . The stigma and sometimes discrimination that is attached to mental illness can present a serious barrier , not only to diagnosis and treatment , but also to acceptance in the community .
Part of the Project 11 approach for students is to incorporate both lessons and activities that address physical , as well as mental health issues . Some examples of the daily activities that teachers can access and incorporate into their classes include yoga , aboriginal dancing , fun with fitness , music and rhythm , art energy , laughing yoga , relaxation techniques and even fun with food .
It ’ s an incredible program and it all begin with an idea , shortly after a tragedy , in the summer of 2011 .
“ Back in 2011 , the Winnipeg Jets organization lost a very valuable player to us ,” said Friesen , during an interview for the Project 11 video ( http :// y2u . be / Ot4O55yBsUw ).
“ His name was Rick Rypien and Rick really loved working with kids . In the off-season , he operated a hockey camp back home and loved being on the ice with the kids and he always said to Zinger ( Jets assistant general manager Craig Heisinger ), that he didn ’ t want kids to suffer the way he had .”
Rypien struggled with clinical depression throughout his life and on Aug . 15 , 2011 , a month and a half after he had signed with the Jets , Rypien was found dead in his Alberta home . It was an incident that struck deeply at the heart and soul of every member of the Jets organization , but it might have affected Heisinger more than anyone else .
“ I think the logical step to honouring Rick was Project 11 ,” said Heisinger during the Project 11 video . “ Mostly because of his devotion to kids .
“ What you ’ re trying to do is remove the stigma of mental illness . You ’ re trying to look at it just like any other injury , whether it ’ s a schoolyard sprained ankle or a broken arm . There is just no cast , just no band-aid .”
Thanks to a collective effort of many this popular educational program has really taken off .
“ Within each grade , we have 15 mental health lessons ,” said Green . “ There are 15 video-taped lessons that are easy for the teachers to use and Mark Stuart of the Jets is in all the videos . He answers questions based on the lessons .