FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15th, 2023

VICTORIA, B.C. — Recognizing the importance of mental wellness in the workplace, at home, and in play, the Victoria HarbourCats have partnered with Coastality, a Victoria-based team of highly-trained mental wellness professionals, to assist everyone and anyone in their organization in all aspects of their own mental wellness, relationships, careers, education, and daily lives.

As part of their internal commitment to the health and wellbeing of the organization, their investment sees these services being provided confidentially and free-of-charge to the team.

“These types of initiatives are what make our club special, and we’re excited to double down on nurturing our greatest assets – our people – both on and off the field,” said Christian Stewart, General Manager of the HarbourCats. “In this day and age, particularly in sports, we need to take an active role in helping to maintain both the physical and mental wellness of our team”.

On the heels of the launch of MLB’s social responsibility platform ‘MLB Together’, a component of which is a mental health and wellness program aiming to create public awareness and reduce stigma around the conversation of mental health, the timing couldn’t be better.

“We applaud the HarbourCats for leaning in to this so enthusiastically and genuinely seeing the value, both short and long term, in offering these types of services as an extension of their own organization,” said Leanne Toews, Owner of Coastality and Registered Clinical Counsellor. “Having offered these types of programs in other industries, it is great to see it being taken on in the sports realm as well”.

In addition to the free counselling services for players, coaches and staff, the HarbourCats are also doing a special, “Coastality Check-In” ahead of each game, that will see three HarbourCats players making their way through the crowd and “Checking-In” with fans, and signing and giving away special “Coastality” branded. baseball-themed stress balls.  “It’s a way for our fans, in our short season, to get to know some of our players,” added Stewart,  “and for our players to make sure our fans are enjoying the game and that we are making our 10th Anniversary season a special one for all.”

Coastality is an integrated, multi-disciplinary team of mental wellness professionals offering virtual and in-person sessions for children, youth, adults, couples and families. Their accessible offices are located in Downtown Victoria and clinicians can offer service virtually across British Columbia.

For more information, visit the Coastality website at www.coastality.ca or the website or social media platforms of the HarbourCats.

The HarbourCats continue their 10th Anniversary season tomorrow, Friday, at 6:35pm as the Yakima Valley Pippins come to town for the start of  a three-game set.  Tickets for that series and the remainder of the HarbourCats home games in 2023 are now on sale and can be purchased on-line through our one-and-only ticketing partner, Select Your Tickets, at harbourcats.com/tickets.  They can also be purchased at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or at the Select Your Tickets box office at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.  Fans can also call 778-265-0327 to order over the phone.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also still available.  For details on all ticketing options, including our special $10.00 Tuesdays, Forces Fridays and Save-on-Food Vouchers, please visit harbourcats.com/ticketinfo.