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New tool helps physical and mental health of athletes' brains

A new partnership will help athletes keep their brains healthy physically and mentally.
Coquitlam Express
The Coquitlam Express, and other BC Hockey League teams, use an online tool called HeadCheck to track and manage concussions. They'll now have access to a new tool called MindRight to provide resources and support for players' mental health as well.

A new partnership will help athletes keep their brains healthy physically and mentally.

Organizations using the HeadCheck software platform to report, track and manage concussions in athletes will now also have access to MindRight, a resource and peer-to-peer support service to educate athletes, coaches, parents and volunteers about their mental health.

The service was developed by Myles Mattila, a junior hockey player with the Kelowna Chiefs who’s also studying business at Okanagan Collage. He said he was inspired by the story of the late Rick Rypien, a Vancouver Canucks forward who died by suicide in 2011. When a friend confided his own struggles with mental health, he took action.

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

HeadCheck’s Harrison Brown said the partnership makes sense as his company’s program promotes communication to reduce the risk of mismanaging head injuries and communication can be key to dealing with mental health issues. He said the combination of tools will help increase the chance that athletes receive optimal care. 

HeadCheck is currently being used by more than 800 teams and organizations in the Canadian Junior Hockey League — including the BC Hockey League’s Coquitlam Express — BC Hockey, the Alberta Female Hockey League, as well as the Canadian Football League, Rugby Ontario, Volleyball Canada and Trek Factory Racing.

To learn more, go to www.headcheckhealth.com/mindright.