Brock University men's basketball player Dani Elgadi talks to 800 elementary students during Badgers vs. Bullying on Oct. 22, 2015.More than 600 elementary school students from across Niagara will be at Brock University for Don’t Hide in the Den-Badgers Speak Out, a mental health awareness event Thursday.
The outreach event is an initiative by the Brock men’s basketball program to help educate Niagara youths in Grades 6-8 about the importance of mental health awareness.
The event starts at 10:25 a.m. with both head coach Charles Kissi and former men’s team player Matt Marshall addressing the crowd and presenting a cheque for more than $1,000 to Pathstone Mental Health.
Speaking Thursday will be all-star Badgers forward Dani Elgadi, as well as Matthew Beard, a Grade 12 student from E.L Crossley secondary school. Both speakers will address the issue of mental health and the importance of creating awareness in youth to combat the stigma and encourage support.
Also talking to the students will be Brock Department of Child and Youth Studies Professor John McNamara, who will be talking about what defines mental health.
Kissi said it’s important to teach kids that there are people around that they can talk to about their mental health struggles.
“I don’t think mental health is a new problem, but it’s something we’re beginning to understand better. We’re starting to identify it in our young people more and more.
“This is about giving them some strategies, some coping mechanisms and some alternatives to the feeling that they’re helpless in many cases.”
The elementary school students will have lunch and then watch the Badgers host Redeemer College in a pre-season men’s basketball game in the Bob Davis Gymnasium at noon.
This marks the second year in a row the men’s team has hosted students in a social issues-themed event. Last year’s Badgers vs. Bullying event was filled to capacity with hundreds of students taking part.
“That was one of the more fun games we played in terms of how energetic and loud the gym was,” Kissi said. “It helps to show our guys the impact that sport can have on young people and helps them understand that sport can be a vehicle for so many other things.”
What: Don’t Hide in the Den-Badgers Speak Out
When: Thursday, Oct. 20 – 10:25 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Bob Davis Gymnasium, Brock University
Who: 600 elementary school children from across Niagara
