Frequently Asked Questions

Hockey FIT is a 12 week healthy lifestyle program tailored to improve the lifestyles of male hockey fans. Hockey FIT draws on the power and connection people feel towards their favourite sports team to recruit fans who are overweight or have obesity into a 12 week lifestyle program. The program includes behind-the-scenes access to team dressing rooms, and you never know who will show up at these sessions. In the past, team players and personnel have made an appearance to cheer participants on!

There are a couple of reasons why we’ve targeted sports fans.

1. Connectivity: Sports fans are a highly connected group regularly attending or watching games to support their favourite sports team. Hockey FIT draws on this connection to engage fans and pro-actively support and help men build and sustain healthy lifestyle changes.
2. Opportunity: Many sports fans are looking for that next level way to engage with their favourite sports team. Hockey FIT provides the opportunity for fans to engage further with their team, going behind the scenes and meeting team staff and players along the way.
3. Health Risk: Did you know that sports fans are typically unhealthier than non-sports fans? Research has shown that sport fans are more likely to eat unhealthy foods particularly when their team is losing. Hockey FIT provides fans with the tools and resources through the promotion of safe gradual changes to physical activity levels and healthy eating to make healthier choices.

Currently we are focusing on recruiting fans who are overweight or have obesity. We are looking to expand into other population groups as well.

Hockey FIT is currently geared towards men as this has grown out of a successful pilot originally funded by the Movember Foundation. Recent literature indicates that men’s health in Canada is poor with men living an average of 4 years fewer than their female counterparts. Research also indicates that men prefer to make healthy lifestyle changes in groups with like-minded men who are similar in size and stature. In the future, we are looking towards expanding into the female fan base so stay tuned!

No. As long as you are a fan of your local hockey team, are willing to travel to the fitness facility/arena for assessments and program sessions, and fit the eligibility criteria, you will be able to participate. You will need to find your own transportation to and from sessions.

Send us an email to HFIT@uwo.ca and introduce yourself. We will be sure to contact you if different opportunities arise that you may be a fit for.

Hockey FIT is 12 weeks long with weekly sessions lasting 90 minutes each.

Have a look to see if Hockey FIT is taking place with a team near you by clicking on the JOIN HOCKEY FIT button at the top of the page.

Send us an email with the team that you support to HFIT@uwo.ca and we will contact the team to try and arrange the program to run with them.

Each team is different but sessions usually take place at the arena, the practice facility, a local health club/community centre or a mix between the three.

No. All of the exercise is on dry-land. There will be no skating involved for those participating with hockey clubs.

Maybe! With sessions taking place within the sports team community, who knows who may turn up at a session!

Sessions include education about living a healthier lifestyle i.e. diet and physical activity followed by some exercise.

Each team is different, but it will always be a certified and trained Hockey FIT coach.

Eligible participants will receive the Hockey FIT program and every site will deliver the program – but some sites may deliver the program earlier than others depending on if they are randomly allocated to immediate delivery (start program right after baseline measurements) or delayed delivery (wait 12 months and then deliver Hockey FIT). Randomization is similar to a flip of a coin and the Hockey FIT Research Team will inform you after baseline measurements whether your site will deliver the program right away or wait 12 months to deliver the program. The program content will be the same for both immediate and delayed delivery groups. Randomization is important as it provides us with the strongest evidence to determine whether Hockey FIT is effective in helping men make healthier lifestyle changes (compared to men who have not yet taken part in Hockey FIT).  

Our goal is to recruit 40-50 men per site. Men will be split into groups according to space/local group size requirements; each group will attend 1 session/week. We recommend 2 coaches per session when the number of participants in a given group is greater than 15. Recruitment will be primarily done by the hockey team through social media, e-mail blasts to season ticket holders, and outreach at the games. If you are able, we would also like your YMCA/fitness facility to be involved in pushing our recruitment materials through your social media and other outlets for reaching your community.  

All participants must be cleared for participation in exercise and physical activity in order to participate in this program. This is completed through a self-screening tool called the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+). If participants answer YES to any of the questions about their health status on the PAR-Q+, they will be contacted by the Hockey FIT Research Team to ensure they are safe to participate in Hockey FIT.  This is done by the Hockey FIT Research Team through a protocol that was used in previous studies and supported by Western University’s Research Ethics Board.

The ideal coach will have a background in health/fitness, past experience delivering health promotion programs, and be CPR/First Aid certified. An engaging and enthusiastic personality along with an interest in hockey/sports is a big plus too!  

Virtual coach training will occur before sites are allocated to immediate or delayed delivery and will consist of the following:   

1. Synchronous workshop with Hockey FIT research team (1st day: 4 hours; 2nd day: 1 hour mock session)  

1. Online eLearning prior to formal training & refreshers throughout program (prior to each session) [2 – 4 hours total] 

Upon completion of training, staff will receive a certificate indicating they are certified Hockey FIT coaches. 

We are always happy to address your questions. Please connect with us via email or phone:

Hockey FIT Study Lead & Program Creator

Rob Petrella, MD, PhD

Email: petrella@uwo.ca

Phone: 519-661-2111 ext. 22119

Hockey FIT Manager

Dawn Gill, PhD

Email: dawn.gill@uwo.ca

Phone: 519-661-2111 ext. 20658

Hockey FIT Head Coach

Brendan Riggin, PhD

Email: briggin@uwo.ca

Phone: 519-661-2111 ext. 22124

The workshop is run by our Head Coach & Trainer, Brendan Riggin. Brendan will walk you through the Hockey FIT program, teaching you the ins and outs of how to deliver the program through a fun and interactive workshop. Contact us for more details – HFIT@uwo.ca.

Stay Tuned:

Hockey FIT Online Coach Training: Currently Under Construction.

We are in the process of developing online course modules to better support our coaches. These modules walk through the Hockey FIT program, with self-checks to help test your knowledge. Complete the quiz at the end of the training modules to get your Hockey FIT coach certificate.

Physical activity is steps per day…think walking at your regular pace.

Exercise is moderate to vigorous activity or completing activities where you reach and maintain your target heart rate…think cardio fitness class, running.

The Hockey Fans in Training Course is officially recognized by YMCA Canada.  Facilitation or participation in this course will qualify those individuals with YMCA Canada Continuing Education Credits (CEC’s) which will count towards  in their recertification efforts.