Making an impact on and off the ice, Guelph Storm forward Danny Zhilkin has created a mental health awareness organization called Zhilkin’s Vision with his partner Lauren Shoss, striving for the de-stigmatization and prioritization of mental health in sport.
Now entering his third season with the Storm, the Winnipeg Jets prospect has been set on making a difference in the community ever since his first season in the OHL.
“It’s such a big part of hockey, I think mental health is 80% of the game”, said Zhilkin. “We hold ourselves to such a high standard and it’s easy to not take care of yourself. I always say it’s okay to not be okay and seek assistance, I think it can help people tremendously.”
Zhilkin’s goal is to raise awareness about mental health within the sports community by de-stigmatizing conversations about mental health and promoting the prioritization and accessibility of mental health resources for athletes of all ages and levels of sport.
“The end goal is to be able to help fund athletes’ mental health sessions. Not everyone has the ability to seek help as it can be very expensive, so I want to be able to assist those in need.”
Zhilkin also hopes that the project will encourage athletes to speak out about their mental wellbeing while also providing individuals with the resources and support needed to seek help when they are struggling.
“We recently finished our first donation raffle and we raised just under $1,300 which is pretty incredible. I want to thank everyone for the support and look forward to our upcoming initiatives.”
For more information, visit www.zhilkinsvision.com.
Putting an emphasis on his mental health has been critical for Winnipeg Jets prospect @ZhilkinDanny, and now he wants to help other athletes do the same.
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) September 2, 2022
