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Team Up & Speak Up This Season

By Minnesota Hockey, 10/18/21, 9:45AM CDT

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USA Hockey and the Concussion Legacy Foundation have teamed up to raise concussion awareness and strengthen team bonds through the Team Up Speak Up initiative. The program, which was launched in 2016, has helped share the importance of concussion safety to over 1,500 teams and more than six million athletes.  

The primary focus of the initiative is the Team Up Speak Up speech, which is a simple, one-minute speech that can save an athlete’s season, career, or life by encouraging athletes to speak up for themselves and their teammates when it comes to concussions.

Concussions can occur on the ice, or even at home in the backyard. It is important that young athletes hear messages from trusted teammates, coaches, parents and other leaders in order to change the culture around reporting concussions.

The speech includes the following points:

  • We’re a team and teammates look out for each other.
  • A teammate with a concussion needs your help.
  • Players are expected to speak up to a coach, athletic trainer, or team leader if you suspect a teammate has a concussion.

Minnesota Hockey is a proud supporter of the Team Up Speak Up program and encourages coaches and parents to join us in giving the #TeamUpSpeakUp to their teams and players.

For more information and resources surrounding Team Up Speak Up, including video messages from advocates including Amanda Kessel and Max Pacioretty, visit usahockey.com/teamupspeakup or watch World Junior coach Nate Leaman give the speech to his team below.

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