Maple Ridge hockey hero Andrew Ladd is getting involved with a new initiative to promote better mental health in hockey players.
The program is called 1616, it is a free virtual program for players aged 10-12, and their coaches and parents. It launched this month. It derived a name from both the number Ladd wore through his NHL career, and the 16 seasons he played.
“I want the 1616 program to do two things," said Ladd. "I want the kids understanding that the thoughts, feelings and challenges they’re facing are the same ones that professional hockey players deal with, and I want them to relate to and learn from all the experiences our storytellers have gone through.
"To me, success is bringing these conversations in to the open and allowing the kids to understand that they are not alone, success looks differently to everyone and they have people around them to help them along the way.”
The program aims at developing 4Cs in youth hockey players:
• Competence in sport, and away from the game.
• Confidence as a general sense of self-worth.
• Connection including quality relationships, support and feelings of belonging
• Character reflected in how athletes approach situations and treat others.
The program offers video content, and the principles of the program will be promoted by some great hockey players who will share their experiences, including Ladd, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Dustin Byfuglien. It was created by the Ladd Foundation, founded by the player and his wife Brandy.
"There's a lot of emphasis on the physical side of the game and not a whole lot on the mental side of the game, so we really want to treat this like taking your brain to the gym and emphasizing that portion," Ladd said in an interview with NHL.com. "We think we've covered a really organic way to teach kids through the power of stories."
The program is supported by the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund.
“The goal of the NHL and NHLPA’s Industry Growth Fund is to develop healthy, vibrant, well-rounded individuals through hockey,” said NHL senior vice president of community development Robert Knesaurek.
“When we learned about Andrew Ladd’s 1616 initiative, we recognized it as an invaluable opportunity to build resilience and character in young hockey players, their parents, and coaches... By providing free tools to navigate adversity, 1616 aligns perfectly with our commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment.”
Ladd is one of many great athletes to come from Maple Ridge, and played his minor hockey here with the Rustlers. He was drafted fourth overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2004.
Now 38, he had to overcome numerous injuries, including a serious knee injury, to resume his 16-season career in the NHL, and get to the 1,000-game mark. He was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is an award for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Ladd had a great hockey career, winning Stanley cups with the Carolina Hurricanes in his first season in 2006, and again with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010. He then went on to become the captain of the Winnipeg Jets. He played 1,001 games, and scored 256 goals and put up 550 points. His best season was with the Jets in 2014-2015, when he put up 24 goals and 62 points.
He has retired from hockey, and lives in Kelowna with his wife and three children.
To register or learn more see the website 1616.org
