Hockey Manitoba partners with Buddy Check for Jesse for a fifth season
Hockey Manitoba is proud to once again bring an incredible and SIMPLE mental health initiative called Buddy Check for Jesse to all of our U11, U13, U15 and U18 teams from January 23rd, 2026 to February 15th, 2026.
Buddy Check for Jesse is a Canadian Charity, founded by Dr. Stu Gershman in memory of his son, Jesse Short-Gershman, who died by suicide on October 29, 2014.
The Buddy Check for Jesse program was originally developed for hockey coaches to deliver an important message about mental health and compassion to their teams. It began with Jesse’s dad, Stu Gershman, wanting to help his other two boys feel supported by their teammates, take action to create awareness of mental health challenges, and to be aware that a “team” can be more than just a group on the ice.
Stu believes that coaches are in a unique position to share this positive message to help raise awareness that mental health issues can affect anyone.
In the years since Buddy Check began, it has grown, expanded and become a staple conversation in many hockey dressing rooms in BC, and across Canada. Even better, the request for Buddy Check talks in other sports bolstered the charity’s desire to reach more athletes so that Buddy Check for Jesse is now provided on a multi-sport platform where all sports are encouraged to participate in talks and events to raise awareness for mental health in youth sport.
The goal of Buddy Check for Jesse is to destigmatize mental health and to empower and encourage youth and young adults to support one another. During the fifth year of the partnership with Buddy Check for Jesse and Hockey Manitoba, our Buddy Check program will focus on working with Hockey Manitoba coaches and teams to host events and Buddy Check talks.
Important Note for Coaches & Families
Buddy Check for Jesse is not a suicide awareness presentation.
This is a short, coach-led conversation (about 10–15 minutes) focused on:
- Mental health awareness
- Kindness and compassion
- Support and leadership
- Creating a team culture where it’s normal to check in
Coaches are mentors, not mental health professionals, and the goal is to initiate the conversation in an age-appropriate, supportive manner.
Distribution of Buddy Check for Jesse Packages
Hockey Manitoba will be sending Buddy Check for Jesse packages to Minor Hockey Associations across the province.
Each U11, U13, U15, and U18 team will receive a package (distributed through your association) that includes items such as:
- Green tape (green is the colour of mental health)
- Buddy Check bag tags (with Buddy Check messaging/resources)
- Coach resources + sample chats to make delivery easy
📦 Packages will arrive to Minor Hockey Associations the week of January 19, 2026.
Associations are encouraged to distribute packages to teams shortly after they arrive so coaches have time to review the materials.
Hockey Manitoba is reminding teams to share photos showing green tape + team unity:
- Tag @buddycheckforjesse
- Use #BuddyCheckForJesse
- Or email photos to buddycheckforjesse@gmail.com
Go Green 💚
Green is the colour of mental health, and we encourage players to tape their sticks green (or wear something green) to show visible support and remind teammates that they’re not alone.
Even small actions can send a big message:
“I’ve got you.”
“I’m here.”
“You matter.”
Our hope is that by opening up the conversation about mental health, we begin to normalize checking in on one another and destigmatize mental health disorders. We hope this Buddy Check talk will encourage teammates to support one another and become more aware of potential mental health issues so they are more prepared to step in with support when they see a teammate, friend or family member struggling. We hope that this can all lead to an improvement in the culture of sport.
Jesse’s family hopes that through creating the program in Jesse’s honor, it will help other youth and families.
Please note: There may be additional packages available that could be sent out on a first-come, first-serve basis. More information will be shared in end January 2026.
For more info on the Buddy Check program, go to www.BuddyCheckForJesse.com.
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