What makes a professional athlete a hero to kids? Is it the ability to skate fast, score goals, make great passes or saves? What about what they do off the ice and in their communities? When Theoren Fleury played in the NHL, I didn't think much about him except that he was small, tough, fast, and he could score. I paid very little attention to him throughout his career, and I wasn't at all a fan of his - I just thought of him as a chippy, tough little player.
So why do I wear his jersey at hockey practice now?
Respect
Sheldon Kennedy played in the NHL at the same time as Fleury, and he was a pretty insignificant player. After his career was over, he wrote a book, "Why I Didn't Say Anything". A strong recommendation to my players: sometime when you're in high school, read this book. He became much more famous because of it, and because he spoke out about his abuse and his abuser.
Theoren Fleury wrote a book a few years later, "Playing With Fire", then a few years later, "Conversations With A Rattlesnake". Sometime when you're in high school (or before), read these books, too.
In their books, both players talk about all the problems they had as teenagers and young adults, with alcohol, drugs, and all kinds of horrific abuse they experienced in major junior hockey.
The thing about Kennedy and Fleury is, they played on the same WHL junior team, the Moose Jaw Warriors, in the mid-late 1980s. Their coach was Graham James. James was considered a brilliant hockey coach. I consider him the worst coach in Canadian (if not the world) hockey history because he was extremely abusive and controlling of some players, including Kennedy and Fleury. He spent a few years in jail for it. You'll read about him in those books, or on Google.
Kennedy created a foundation that created the Respect In Sport program. Every player in GMHA must have at least 1 parent complete the RiS program before you can play hockey. Coaches have to complete a second part of the program. This program talks about player safety from bullying and all kinds of abuse.
Fleury created a program and now he goes around North America speaking to survivors of abuse, people with addiction and mental health problems (due to abuse), and people who help other people who are dealing with these things.
These men - Kennedy and Fleury - have done incredible work making a real difference in the lives of countless people. I have heard Fleury speak and I met him afterward. He gives hope to people who have little hope, and people who have suffered greatly from abuse.
Because of their work to make a better society, my kids each have a personally-autographed photo of Theo Fleury hanging on their bedroom wall, and why I wear his jersey on Jersey Day.
Check out their websites:
http://respectgroupinc.com
https://www.theofleury.life