The Ontario Hockey League is working to promote respect for women.
The OHL ONSIDE program has been specifically designed for OHL players and team staff aimed at increasing the understanding and awareness of the player’s responsibility to demonstrate respect for women through their actions and words.
19-year-old Windsor Spitfires centre Aaron Luchuk says "it's not something to be taken lightly. It's incredibly serious for our group, we're nothing but respect. Respect is the top of our priorities on the ice and off the ice, we're not just hockey players we're here to become solid young men."
Luchuk acknowledges that it's challenging for the younger players to be in the junior hockey environment. "We're kind of thrown right into being young men right away so obviously it's super important to have role models to come in and give us lessons on stuff like that and we aren't around our parents, so it's incredibly important."
The players billet families are also included in the program.