New hockey program encourages fans to exercise, lead a healthier lifestyle

A new program designed to motivate hockey fans to get in shape and lead a more healthy lifestyle has now been taken to cities across Canada.

Hockey FIT, or Fans in Training, started as a pilot project in London, Ont. and Sarnia. It's now in 32 communities across the country — from Chilliwack, B.C., to Kingston, Ont.

The unique 12-week program and research study targets middle-aged men that are at risk for diseases and encourages them to lead a healthier lifestyle through fan culture and incorporating their passion for the sport.

"Unfortunately about 70 per cent of guys between the ages of 35 and 55 are overweight, and that puts them at risk for a number of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease," said Brendan Riggin, a research scientist at the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine at Western University.

"So our idea here is that by partnering with Canadian hockey league teams, we can try and get those guys to participate in a healthy lifestyle program and hopefully reduce that risk and they get behind the scenes access to their favourite teams," Riggin told CBC's Afternoon Drive.

Hockey FIT partnered with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and worked with teams like the London Knights, Kitchener Rangers and Sarnia Sting, to help incorporate the sport in the program.

Coach Brandon Downing, an athletic therapist for the Owen Sound Attack, brought insider hockey knowledge to Hockey FIT when he began coaching with the program.

"It was really cool to see familiar faces, those season ticket holders that always sat in the same spots in the stands, signing up to be a part of Hockey FIT," Downing said. "And then when the session ended, they were still meeting up to work out together, so it was clear that it worked and they had really bought in." 

Pete Miller, an Attack season ticket holder for more than two decades, said not only was the program worthwhile, but it also exceeded his expectations and allowed him to meet others with similar interests. Miller joined the program in its early days, wanting to improve his health before he retires.

He said the payoff was getting fit and living a healthy lifestyle — which he continues to practice to this day.

"I realized that I'd spent too much of my time sitting around; I was starting to feel really sluggish, and I thought it was a good time in my life to get fit," Miller said.

"Everyone that was in the program was also a hockey fan, so we had that common bond, and that was motivation right there to come to the program." 

The men's health initiative was designed by Dr. Robert Petrella, an Emeritus Professor at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. 

"Even pandemic shutdowns haven't dampened the enthusiasm for hockey or the motivation to get healthy," said Petrella. "It can sometimes be difficult to engage men in fitness and health programs, so we are using hockey, their love of their team and the camaraderie that comes with it as the vehicle to motivate them to join and stick with it." 

Petrella said the program has garnered interest from more than 2,000 men across the country.

"These communities are feeling the absence of the hockey season, so the fans are really excited to have something to be a part of," Petrella said.

"At the end of the day we don't just want to do a research study, we want to be able to create a sustainable program that will continue in the longer term."