This episode of BXO’s is a follow-up to the ‘Is Hockey Broken?’ episode we recently did – which doesn’t just apply to hockey.
Although the episode received a lot of support, it was also criticized by many – which drove us to double down and create this episode.
People can and will disagree with us – we welcome those that oppose to share their take, but from our perspective it is clear that much of sport is not in a good place:
As a former elite athlete – I experienced emotional and physical abuse.
As a researcher – I examined the problems in sport through the critical lens of academia.
As a mental performance coach – I see the problems firsthand day-in and day-out.
The purpose of the last episode was to call on leaders to make more bold decisions and take action to improve hockey and all sports.
We are not saying that all leaders are failing, but we are saying that too many leaders are not doing enough to help make the sports we love a better experience for all – and especially for our youth.
I’m sure this won’t be too popular of an opinion with those in leadership positions.
Heck, I’m sure there will be some ‘powerful’ leaders and people at Hockey Canada that won’t like what we have to say.
But I’m not doing this to make friends or please people. I’m doing this because I think it is what needs to be done.
It’s Time to Shake Things Up
Chris can attest to this – I was a bit of a “shit disturber” as a player – I liked to play hard, play on the edge, and get under the skin of the opponents – I loved to compete.
But as a Mental Performance Coach I’ve kept to myself – focused on helping my clients, building our coaching firm, and generally I have avoided going out of my way to step on anyone’s toes.
I won’t keep quiet anymore.
It’s time to shake things up – it’s time to be a “shit disturber” again.
This time it’s not fighting to win a game, but for the game as a whole, for our youth, and for the generations to come.
This is a fight I’m passionate about and I’m not afraid to mix things up, challenge the status quo, and step on some toes.
People might not like the headlines we are using, but I am not trying to be a ‘downer’ and perpetuate negativity – I am taking this stand because I know we can do better and the athletes and our youth deserve better.
Some people might not like my approach, but I’m playing to win – which means a better system and structure for the athletes.
Here are the 3 main reasons why the leaders of sport are failing:
1. Leaders are Afraid to Rock the Boat
Too many leaders continue to maintain the status quo instead of making bold decisions and taking action.
They are taking the easy way out.
I know numerous people who have met with the ‘leaders’ of high-level sport organizations. The consensus aligns with the few meetings we’ve had – the leaders are interested in improving sport but are not committed to making real change.
They blame the red tape and challenges of making changes, instead of making a stand, fighting to improve the sporting experience, and finding a way around or through the ‘red tape.’
There are a lot of ‘excuses’ and not a lot of results.
As such, the leaders don’t step on each other’s toes and don’t upset the ‘old-guard.’
But what we need is leaders with courage that are willing to rock the boat, step on some toes, and take bold action in order to shift the sporting structures and fight for a better sporting experience for athletes and especially for our youth.
2. Ignorance is not Bliss
When you see smoke you don’t look away and hope there is no fire.
We are not blaming current leaders in sport for the ‘fire.’ Most of them probably just inherited the current cultural norms and structural problems.
But we are challenging more leaders to take responsibility and accountability by doing something about it.
Denying or downplaying the current state of sport is simply being ignorant.
Fortunately great investigative reporting is making it hard for leaders to be ignorant of the problems.
For example, a couple recent stories that we make mention to in the episode include:
- The W5 episode with Rick Westhead on the U18 minor hockey player that died at a training camp.
- The Athletic article on the Harvard Women’s Hockey coach Katey Stone’s 27 year coaching career – titled: Hazing, Naked Skates and a ‘Mental-Health Hunger Games’
There are countless other reports across all sports.
But what might be most frustrating about these recent stories is the culture of silence in sport.
3. Incompetent Leadership Perpetuates the Culture of Silence
The culture of silence is where people know bad things are happening, but they either won’t speak up or don’t feel they can speak up and stop it.
If that doesn’t scream that the system is broken – I don’t know what will.
One of the most important ways to break the culture of silence is for leaders to make it safe for people to speak up.
But the problem is when people do speak up nothing changes.
This creates a culture of ‘why bother speaking up in the first place?’
For example, I strongly believe that the Athletic Director at Harvard should be fired. Katey Stone is still coaching despite the countless reports of the incredibly toxic culture she has created with the Harvard Women’s Hockey Team.
It’s not just Katey that is the problem, it is the organizations that protect her and her actions.
It is clear in many situations the athletes don’t trust the organizations and the leagues to have their best interests at heart.
The governing bodies, associations, leagues, and institutions that control the structure and the system appear more concerned with looking good than doing what is right.
Instead of facing the problems head on, they keep sweeping the dirt under the rug in the name of winning, profits, or simply because of a lack of courage.
These people in power don’t want to rock the boat, they play ignorant to the problems, and as such they are FAILING as leaders and perpetuating a culture of silence.
This doesn’t mean we need to rehaul everything from scratch – although that is idealistic – I do understand that practically, it would be impossible.
We need leaders to start making some decisions to help build a new model, system, and structure where athletes can feel safe to speak up and that they trust the leaders to have their best interest at heart.
This is about the leaders of the organizations, leagues, and sporting associations taking a more progressive and proactive approach instead of the reactive and performative measures that don’t solve the root of the problem.
Is there Hope?
There is certainly a lot of hope.
We have received a lot of support from the previous post.
I do believe that most people get it and want to do what is best for the athletes.
For example – at 9 am the day that the last post dropped, I got a call from a CHL general manager. It was a great discussion because he felt he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
He doesn’t want to have to healthy scratch 16 or 17 year old players every night, but the system makes it difficult to avoid – especially when trying to compete for a league championship.
But he was adamant that he would support change to the structure – where the league focused on protecting the players by setting new rules and holding every team accountable to the same standards.
So, we have no doubt that people want change and will support it.
I am also aware that when leaders start to make these changes there will be resistance from the ‘old-guard’, the ‘protectors’, and simply the idiots that are uncomfortable with change, progress, and innovation.
But to me, that is exactly what makes humans so special – our ability to adapt, innovate, and evolve.
It is time for sport to evolve.
Nicholas Santino is a Senior High-Performance Coach, PhD Candidate, and the official Mental Performance Consultant for Elite Prospects. From his specialized psychology research program, to his PhD studies, Nicholas has gained a tremendous foundation of knowledge and appreciation for the human experience. His passion for psychology has accumulated to a commitment to studying and applying positive psychology and stoicism. This commitment has led Nicholas to conduct many research studies focusing on understanding why and how some people thrive and prosper while others do not. His admiration for evidence-based solutions has propelled Nicholas to produce studies revolving around mindfulness, grit (perseverance and passion), performance, quality participation, social relationships, and well-being.
A Native of Quebec, Sara was part of the St. Lawrence University Women’s Ice Hockey team that competed in the NCAA Division 1 hockey league ECAC. During this time, Sara helped her team appear in four ECAC Hockey Tournaments and two NCAA Frozen Fours, and was a four-time member of the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Squad. Following her career at St. Lawrence University, Sara played one year of professional hockey with Lugano, where she truly honed her skills in understanding the intricate connection between mindset and performance.
Blair has over 13 years of experience as a Professional Dancer, Assistant Dance Captain & Cast Manager, as well as an additional 17 years of training. Over the last 3 decades, she has lived and experienced first hand the highest of highs & lowest of lows that come with pursuing a career in the Performing Arts.
Natasha Habert draws from her training in sport and performance psychology, personal experiences as a competitive athlete, and deep passion for consistent high performance. She is a lifelong athlete and high performer, excelling in volleyball as both a player and coach.
Luciano’s hockey career is highlighted by his time playing college at the University of Victoria and two professional seasons in Europe. Throughout his career, he struggled with performance anxiety, a lack of consistency, fluctuations in confidence, and being caught in the results trap. This eventually led him to deviate from the main reason why anyone should play sports – for the enjoyment of the game. As a former athlete, Luciano has a unique understanding of the psychological pressures and struggles that athletes experience.
Alexis Woloschuk is a name synonymous with mental fortitude in the world of professional hockey. Throughout her career originating playing boys hockey, going to an academy away from home, playing her four years at Boston University and 7+ years in pro hockey she’s learned the importance of resilience, confidence, and dismissing both fear and other’s opinions. With a blend of relatability, confidence, and an acute understanding of playing to one’s potential, Alexis helps athletes reshape the way they perceive and harness the power of their minds.
Sean Mahoney is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and a Master’s candidate in the Sport and Performance Psychology program at the University of Denver. For as long as he can remember, Sean has been fascinated by human performance and how to gain an edge over the competition. For most of his athletic career, he focused on the physical aspect of performance but neglected the mental. Because of this, he struggled with performance anxiety, focus issues, and limiting beliefs pertaining to confidence and self-doubt. His lack of focus on optimizing his mental game prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Savannah Fitzgerald is earning her M.A. in Kinesiology, Sport Psychology Option at California State University, Fresno. Possessing an internal motor that fires her rage for success, Savannah forged this attribute over five years while competing as an NCAA D-I water polo player and swimmer. Combined with her opportunity to represent and compete for the United States, she feels that sport has significantly impacted her professional development. Due to her personal experience playing at all levels, Savannah’s passion for mental performance began when she struggled to overcome pre-competition nerves and post-competition processing. When she discovered a world out there that people were referring to as ‘sport psychology,’ she felt like a piece of her brain was unlocked. Reality shifted as she stumbled into a space consisting of the most beautiful blend of elite performance, mental well-being, and athletics.
Gabe is currently completing his Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria. Although Gabe played several years of high-level baseball, including a stint in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League (BCPBL), he chose hockey as his sport to pursue at the highest level possible. Gabe went on to play four years of junior hockey with the Richmond Sockeyes in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) while also coaching minor hockey. Prior to junior hockey, Gabe played 3 years in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) where he experienced the pressures and expectations of moving on to the next level. During those three years, Gabe constantly compared himself to others and struggled with coping when things did not go his way. Over time, he learned how to focus on his own process and path to the next level, while also developing strategies to improve well-being.
Louie is a mental performance coach from Toronto, Canada with a professional hockey career spanning over 14 years. Being a standout player at the University of Michigan, Louie was a Hobey Baker finalist and a 1st team All-American, which led him to getting drafted by the Ottawa Senators and playing in renowned leagues across the globe, including the DEL, SHL, and AHL.
Mia Landry is a former varsity hockey player at Brock University, where she competed at the USPORT level and was part of the 2021-22 OUA gold medal team. Mia currently represents Canada on the Women’s National Ball Hockey team and is pursuing a Master of Kinesiology Sport Psychology at her alma mater. Her research focuses on areas such as team cohesion, group dynamics, leadership styles, and sports culture.
As a former member of McMaster University’s women’s soccer team, Emilie intimately understands the demands and challenges athletes face on and off the field. Although she encountered many challenges as a high-level athlete, particularly struggling with self-doubt and overthinking, Emilie was able to make a remarkable transformation when she began to embrace the principles of sports psychology.
Max is currently attending William James College, where he is earning a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Masters Degree in Professional Psychology. During his time as an undergraduate student, Max was inducted into the International Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi), and played on the Quinnipiac University men’s club ice hockey team.
