Hockey Manitoba is proud to partner with Buddy Check for Jesse for the fourth season, running from January 24, 2025 to February 2, 2025. This initiative brings meaningful conversations about mental health and compassion to all U11, U13, U15, and U18 teams across Manitoba.

Founded by Dr. Stu Gershman in memory of his son, Jesse Short-Gershman, Buddy Check for Jesse empowers coaches to lead simple yet impactful discussions about mental health and the importance of supporting one another. These conversations help normalize mental health awareness and foster a stronger team culture both on and on the ice.

Getting Started with Buddy Check for Jesse

Hockey Manitoba will provide Buddy Check for Jesse packages to Minor Hockey Associations across the province by mid January 2025. Each package will include:

• Green tape (symbolizing mental health awareness)
• Buddy cards (Information Bag tags for all players)
• Stickers for phones and laptops
• Coach’s Notes to guide your Buddy Check talk

Coaches, you don’t need to be mental health experts to participate—just a willingness to create a safe space for your players. The included resources will make it easy to lead conversations about mental health and the power of teamwork in overcoming challenges.

Organizing Your Buddy Check Event

To ensure smooth coordination, each Minor Hockey Association will need to identify a Point Person to assist with the distribution of Buddy Check for Jesse packages, coach/manager, and parent emails and ensure they reach the appropriate teams/families. Additional information on organizing events and incorporating Buddy Check talks into practices or games will be shared in early January.

Why It Matters

The goal of Buddy Check for Jesse is to destigmatize mental health, empower teammates to support one another, and inspire youth to take action when they see someone struggling. By opening up conversations about mental health, we can strengthen the culture of youth sports and create environments where athletes feel supported and valued. Coaches can play a vital role in this!

For more information about Buddy Check for Jesse, visit: www.buddycheckforjesse.com.

Let’s work together to make this season the most impactful yet!