Expand the reach - Help the hope be heard

Three hockey players in as many months took their own life this summer. Jerry West, a Hall of Fame Laker player and general manager recently wrote his memoir, West by West,

shocking readers by admitting he has suffered in secrecy from depression for his whole life. Could it be that athletes suffer more from mental illness than first thought? Could those who took their own life have been saved? Could some of the greats have been even greater?

One such organization believes so and has developed a program to help local coaches better identify and deal with young athletes who may be struggling in silence.

Expand the Reach (ETR) is a one-stop, mental-health resource for coaches, designed to improve athlete performance and open pathways for those who are in need of answers. The site provides guidelines for coaches to identify children who need help and opens a discussion as to what steps can be taken and what steps should be avoided.

Lisa Cluett, program manager at New Path Youth and Family Services, is quarterbacking the program.

"The basis of the program is centered from the results of an in-depth study completed by coaches in Ontario," she said. "It's designed to serve as a toolbox for coaches."

As a coach myself, I must admit that in the past whenever I would sense that an athlete was having a problem, I just left it alone, thinking it was none of my business.

A wrinkled old Aussie coach once told me "stick to forehands and backhands, or else you're just asking for trouble."

But I felt a pang of guilt for being just another adult who stands by and does nothing.

And before now I certainly never considered the potential for improved performance, which suddenly does make it my business, at least a little bit.

The total number of 12-to 19- year-olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million. But once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, especially if they are still young.

Suicide is among the second leading causes of death in 15-to 24-year-old Canadians. And lastly, one in five people experience a mental illness and only one out of those five receives treatment for that illness.

Expand the Reach is hoping it will succeed in spreading the word as to just how many untreated cases of mental illness there are and how profound of an impact treatment can have.

"Sport has always been such a wonderfully therapeutic outlet for the children at our residential treatment homes it seemed like a natural bridge to create the ETR initiative," Cluett said, referring to New Path, which has been assisting children in need since 2000. "Coaches don't realize how influential their role is in the community, the power they have to help, and the potential benefit to all involved if awareness is fostered."

So, if you're a coach, athlete or parent, help the hope be heard. For information, visit the website at www.expandthereach.com.