The Washington Capitals triumphed 4-1 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, but the real victory happened before the game and off the ice. High school hockey players gathered for a conversation about mental health and wellness in the sport, and members of Landon’s varsity hockey team had a seat at the table.
The Capitals hosted the fifth Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness Game to help end the stigma around mental health challenges. They teamed up with MedStar Health, Morgan’s Message, and Shoulder Check Initiative to foster conversations about this critical topic.
“The event highlighted the stressors that young athletes undergo, whether athletically, academically, or socially. We discussed ways to support one another daily through small acts or more significant projects,” said Reid Pehrkon ’25. “It was great to see how many of us care about this topic because we all experience it in our lives.”
Bears were joined by the Holton-Arms hockey team and other hockey players from the area to hear from MedStar Health’s Dr. Kurt Ela, a licensed clinical psychologist, and Shoulder Check Founder and Executive Director Rob Thorsen, who started the movement after his son Hayden, also a high school hockey player, died in 2022.
“I hope student-athletes who get this message realize that whatever struggles you are going through, chances are you're not alone and don't be afraid to ask for help,” said Pehrkon, who was friends with Hayden. “Be the type to check up on someone with a simple conversation or greeting. It's as simple as reaching out, checking in, and making contact.”
During the 2023-24 season, Pehrkon partnered up with Georgetown Prep hockey player Dylan Moneypenny to bring the Shoulder Check Initiative to the Landon-Prep hockey game to encourage student-athletes to “make kindness a contact sport.”
Before the game, both teams and coaching staffs, as well as the entire crowd, took the Shoulder Check Pledge by placing a hand on the shoulder of the person next to them and committing to reaching out and checking in. Players from both teams donned patches on their uniforms for the cause.
For team captain Eli Smink ’25, these meaningful conversations and pledges are particularly important for student-athletes in an all-boys environment.
“People can be scared to be vulnerable. They have this false idea that it makes them weak, which is why I think the idea pushed by The Shoulder Check is invaluable,” said Smink. “Instead of waiting for someone in need to reach out, you can be the one to extend a helping hand. Ask, ‘How are you?’ Start a conversation, ask about their day, allow them to be comfortable and potentially vulnerable with you.”
“Being outgoing and upstanding isn’t easy, but it is necessary,” Smink added. “You never know: You may save a life.”
