The North American Hockey League wants to be a great example on how to identify and deal with bullying through treating others with kindness and respect.

The league and its 34 teams are continuing a league-wide bullying prevention campaign for the fifth consecutive year titled: “Be Kind, Bullying Hurts.”

“I would say that it’s been great because we’ve had teams who have been super involved in the community; they take this initiative and run with it,” said Ava Cruchon, manager of media and communication for the NAHL. “Year after year, teams are building upon what they did the previous year.”

As part of October’s National Bullying Prevention Month, all 34 NAHL teams are trying to bring awareness about bullying. The campaign is designed to communicate and promote a message of acceptance, support and inclusion.

“With October being National Bullying Prevention Month, the league thought it was ideal to move ahead with this program and really promote the message,” Cruchon said. “There are younger athletes and they’re sometimes part of that class that could potentially be bullied, so having a program like this is really important.”

During the month, the league and its member teams are focusing on four key messages including standing up for others, starting the conversation about bullying with peers, making friends with people that others don’t know at school and sportsmanship on and off the rink.

Additionally, through a series of videos, social media and in-market activities, NAHL teams and their players will amplify the anti-bullying and prevention messages.

“These players are pillars of their community, especially in markets where they have the hottest ticket in town,” Cruchon said. “We’re spotlighting long-tenured veterans and guys that will be on the team throughout the year and promoting that message. Having the players be part of that message has really been great.”

Earlier this month, the New Mexico Ice Wolves held their annual “Be a Buddy, Not a Bully,” event. The 90-minute event took place during a public skate where fans and community members joined the Ice Wolves to learn skills and create new friendships.

“Our goal with hosting this event was to have players out on the ice and for fans and people who might be new to skating to be able to come out, pair with the players, learn something about skating or talk to the players,” said Francesca Cicconetti, director of marketing, communications and game operations for New Mexico. “We saw some familiar faces who are always at our games, and then there were other new ones who were probably regulars at our public skating events.”

Cicconetti said that during the event, some of the New Mexico players teamed with a small girl who was a figure skater and they were all doing figure skating jumps and learning from one another. There was another small boy who was just learning how to skate, and defenseman Koen Harrold spent nearly the entire session helping him get up to speed.

“That means the world to a little kid who has maybe never been on skates before,” Cicconetti said. “They look up to those players and they’re trying something new on the ice.”

In previous years, the team held a coloring night with players, but Cicconetti noted a big turnout this year and estimated more than 70 people who attended the event.

“Showing kindness and being there for others is so important,” she said. “Not only at an event like this, but also in players’ day-to-day lives and how they carry themselves outside of the rink. We’re just trying to encourage others that you can make friends anywhere and impact someone’s day in a positive manner by telling them they’re doing a good job or just offering them a hand. It goes a long way.”

Cruchon said it’s important for the NAHL to get involved in the community and generate awareness for bullying prevention.

“The players are the ones speaking on it and in the community,” Cruchon said. “It humanizes them. You see them play on the ice and then you get to meet them and actually learn about them and hear them talk about something like bullying prevention.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.