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Alex 'Al' Ennis. (Supplied)
IN MEMORY OF AL

Mental health training starting for central Alberta sports coaches in honour of lost Red Deer man

Aug 17, 2022 | 9:42 AM

A Red Deer non-profit is ready to launch mental health training for sports coaches three years after a young man took his own life.

Alex Ennis, affectionately known as Al, was 26 when he died by suicide in May 2019.

He struggled silently, says his father, Brian, who’s struggled himself with how best to cope with the grief, but also spent the last three years helping develop a training model Alex’s family hopes will save lives.

That training will be offered starting in September by the organization now known as Team Alex.

“When Alex passed, it was horrific, devastating, and had a huge impact on his family and friends who still struggle with it. We decided we needed to do something to stop this from happening to others,” says Ennis. “Despite his severe hemophilia, a condition which prevents blood from clotting properly, Al was able to play hockey, but when he was set to go into peewee, which is the age they begin hitting, we started Red Deer Pond Hockey so he could play with others who face barriers of any kind.”

Along the way, Al, who was bullied in high school — easily targeted with his hemophilia forcing him to the bleachers during gym class — also dabbled in officiating and eventually coaching.

In early 2019, prior to his death, Al went on several hikes, something that surprised his family because they knew his condition was an obstacle to doing such things.

It was on these hikes, his father says the family ultimately learned, that he was using the time away to decide what to do with his life.

“Our vision is a world without suicide. We think about it every day, and we can only do it best by collaborating with other organizations. We’re excited about where we’re at with Team Alex, and really feel we’re going to start making a difference in the sports community,” says Ennis.

“We have a really unique training model which covers suicide, mental health and bullying, but also talks about building self esteem in the dressing room, helping give kids confidence, and it will go over what to say to a child or a team that just lost 14-0; little things that help build resilience and community.”

Once training is complete, coaches have access to ongoing resources such as a place to ask questions if they’re grappling with something.

Team Alex will also have all Red Deer Pond Hockey teams wearing a commemorative mental health patch this upcoming season, something they hope other sports teams — not just hockey — will take up across the country.

“We have amazing board members and volunteers, but it is hard work, especially for family and friends of Alex who are working on it. It’s hugely emotional, but we’re committed and we’re going to keep doing this until we feel we’ve done as much as we can,” Ennis says.

“I can’t see it ever ending. Suicide rates are not going down, especially with men. So, we need to be out there providing this training; coaches are sometimes the most trusted person in a kid’s life, and that’s one reason we chose them to focus on, because they have that respect built in and are able to see how their kids are acting on and off the ice or the pitch.”

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, about 4,000 Canadians die by suicide yearly, with the rate highest among men in their 40s and 50s.

On September 10, Team Alex is hosting its third annual charity golf tournament, spots for which are still open.

To register for the Team Alex training, contact the organization here.

Additionally, Team Alex is offering three scholarships, one self-funded and in memory of Sabrina Sanford, a central Albertan who passed away in November 2020; another funded by Smiles Thru Lindsey in honour of Lindsey More; and a third named after Alex but funded by the Hockey Alberta Foundation.