WHL and Heroic Minds join forces to innovate player and staff well-being

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today a new partnership with Heroic Minds, a ground-breaking platform for athletes seeking to maximize their mental performance designed by Ontario Hockey League alumnus Ben Fanelli.

Fanelli, who played for the Kitchener Rangers from 2009-14 and served as the team’s captain after overcoming a brain injury suffered during a game that nearly took his life, invested years of thought and education into the Heroic Minds program, one that delivers education through a mobile app.

“Heroic Minds offers athletes a private and secure place to find the right support for them,” Fanelli said. “From engaging education to initial private messages, to secure video call, athletes know where to go. This resource offers support for anxiety, depression, relationships, concussion, addiction, career transition, and more.

“Our mission at Heroic Minds is to reinvent the self-help process in a bold and innovative way.”

Player and staff access to the Heroic Minds curriculum is launching across both the OHL and the WHL this season.

“During my time with the Kitchener Rangers, I had access to support when I needed it,” Fanelli said. “We want to ensure all current players and staff have support when they need it.

“Discussions with WHL Commissioner Dan Near and Stacey Meyer, WHL Manager of Education Services, have strong player-first perspectives and an openness to innovate. Our plan is to keep communication open with all staff and players to continue improving this resource.”

The Heroic Minds program is powered by WINMAR, and is the latest in a series of inroads being made by Fanelli and his team in the mental performance space.

“We are growing into many minor and major sporting leagues,” Fanelli said. “I wouldn’t call it a culture shift; I would call it keeping up with the times and improving how we empower fellow human beings.”

Check out the Heroic Minds platform by visiting heroicminds.live or visiting the App Store on iOS or Google Play on Android.

If you are a health professional or certified coach interested in being a part of Heroic Minds, you can join the Heroic Minds community here: https://www.heroicminds.live/certified-creators.

About Heroic Minds

Heroic Minds is taking a bold step forward in how we educate, connect, and empower athletes. We are shifting the narrative around well-being to one that is engaging, innovative, and inviting. Heroic Minds is a community of certified health professionals sharing education with the seamless opportunity to connect, book sessions, and join sessions all in one place.

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.