By Original story by Michael Joel-Hansen

Hockey Fans In Training Program

P.A. Raiders and Western University looking to promote men’s health

Feb 3, 2021 | 10:53 AM

The Prince Albert Raiders and University of Western Ontario are teaming up to help fans get healthier.

The Hockey Fans In Training program is targeted towards men between the ages of 35 and 65. Brendan Riggin, head coach is leading the initiative along with Dr. Robert Petrella, the head of the department of family medicine at UBC.

Riggin explained it can be hard to get men of this age involved in certain health programs.

“It’s often difficult to get them in these programs and that’s why we’ve designed something they can relate to and its also meant for a lot of like-minded guys,” he said.

The Raiders will help Riggin’s and Western by working to get the word out. The team is also helping by providing access to the team’s facilities.

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Applications for the programs are currently being accepted online .

People interested will have until April to apply. Once the application process closes, Riggin and his team will come to P.A. to select the successful applicants. There is no direct cost to participate as the program is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

Riggin said the program will not see participants taking to the ice, but rather doing other forms of training. Lifestyle concepts will also be covered. Riggin stressed participants will not be restricted in terms of diet.

“Sessions themselves are once a week for 12 weeks they last 90 minutes and for exercises its all body weight,” he said.

Riggin added the exercises of the program can be done without equipment and allow people to do them on their own once the official training has wrapped up. To deliver the program, Western has teamed up with CBI health to help put it on, while some sessions will be held at the Art Hauser Centre.

The training program has been done before in Ontario involving partnerships with the Sarnia Sting and London Knights. Riggin said when they followed up with participants researchers found they lost weight and kept it off.

“It’s quite sustainable on a long-term basis,” he said.

Overall Riggin said it is important to have initiatives like this on an annual basis because men’s health issues cost the health system about $37 billion. According to Riggin, these costs can be brought down by promoting more healthy life styles, like better eating and weight loss.

“The motivation for us, to be able to be preventative in our approach to health care here in Canada,” he said.