SHELDON KENNEDY BIO
Sheldon Kennedy skated for three teams in his eight-year NHL career (Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins) and played for Canada’s gold-medal winning team in the 1988 World Junior Hockey Championship. He was also Captain of the Memorial Cup winning Swift Current Broncos in 1989. He is best known for his courageous decision to charge his Major Junior Hockey league coach with sexual assault for the abuse he suffered over a five year period while a teenager under his care. Sheldon’s subsequent decision to go public with the charges brought these issues to the social forefront. Sheldon has become an unofficial spokesperson for millions of abuse survivors around the world. His life story was made into an award winning television movie and he has appeared on Oprah, ABC’s Nightline, W-5, The Fifth Estate and was nominated as Peter Jennings’ Man of the Week. After retiring from the NHL, Sheldon in-line skated across Canada to raise awareness of abuse issues. In 2006, Sheldon wrote “Why I Didn’t Say Anything” a riveting account of the many psychological impacts of abuse. Sheldon’s personal experience and continued work “in the trenches” has lead to his passion to make change. Having transformed a negative situation into positive action he continues to carry his message through Respect Group Inc., the company he co-founded. Respect Group Inc. provides empowering on-line education for the prevention of abuse, bullying and harassment in sport, schools and the workplace.
Past Experience
IOC Medical Committee Athlete Representative – Consensus Statement on Sexual Abuse in Sport – Lausanne, Switzerland, Oct. 2006
Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) – Peer Counselor (Addictions)
Hockey Canada – Consultant – Risk Management Programming
Canadian Red Cross – Consultant and Spokesperson for RespectED program
Speaking and Media Highlights
- Victims of Crime Week – Canadian Federal Department of Justice – Keynote Speaker – April 2008
- Child Exploitation Centre Crime Symposium - RCMP – Keynote Speaker - 2007
- Jim Rome Show - Syndicated Los Angeles Sport Show “Best Ever Interview”- 1998, 2001, 2006
- Numerous Documentaries Including “Close to Home” – Winner New York Film Festival and runner-up Sundance Film Festival – Produced by Mark McGuire Foundation – 2002
- Oprah Winfrey Show– 2 appearances 1997, 2002
- Keynote Speaker – International FBI Symposium on Violent Sex Crimes (Barrie, Ontario, - 2001)
- CTV Feature Movie – 1999 (Nominated for 9 and winner of four Gemini Awards)
- Peter Jennings Man of the Week – 1998
- Cross Canada In-Line Skate to raise awareness of Abuse – May 1998 – Oct 1998
- Included hundreds of speaking engagements at Schools, Community Centres, City Halls, Legislative Buildings, Prisons, and Aboriginal Communities. Donated proceeds from skate, totaling $1.2 M, to Canadian Red Cross – Abuse Prevention Services.
- Globe and Mail Newsmaker of the Year – 1997
