Don't miss this unbelievably enlightening panel discussion exploring mental wellness in sport.

What do you get when you bring together U-18 Canadian National Team Coach Dave Barr, Director of Player Personnel Alan Millar, Mental Performance Consultant Dr. Ashwin Patel and Certified Canadian Psychotherapist Jessica Renney? 

An unbelievably enlightening Virtual Hockey Summit panel discussion exploring mental wellness in sport.

This 28-minute video, hosted by HONE Athletics co-founder Jessica Renney, begins by examining the link between mental health and mental wellness, and performance. Who better to consult with on this timely topic than three members Hockey Canada’s gold medal winning U-18 team from the 2021 IIHF World Championships.

Barr, a former NHLer who played 13 seasons for the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars, has coached in the IHL, OHL and NHL, and most recently coached Canada to that aforementioned gold medal in 2021.

Millar, who joined Hockey Canada from the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors where he has served as General Manager since 2012, and Patel, the co-founder of Sport and Wellness Consulting, also played key roles in Canada’s U18 gold medal.

Any championship winning team is special and this one in particular was guided by a staff that understands why proper mental health discussions are so critical to athletes.

“Athletes have the world of the sport they compete in, and they also have their life outside of sport,” explains Barr. “The two very often merge and sometimes not smoothly. With all the demands of social media, especially with the younger athletes, or for pro athletes in the spotlight, there’s a lot of pressure put on them, compared to 20 or 30 years ago. It’s really important that we figure out ways to guide them and help them.”

This video will help you better understand your players, the challenges they’re facing and what you can do to help them throughout the season.