Sheldon Kennedy
Sheldon Kennedy is a former Canadian ice hockey player and a prominent advocate for child abuse prevention. Born on June 15, 1969, in Brandon, Manitoba, he played junior hockey with the Swift Current Broncos, where he was sexually abused by his coach, Graham James, from 1984 to 1990. Kennedy later played in the NHL for teams including the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, and Boston Bruins, and was part of the national team that won gold at the 1988 World Junior Hockey Championship. His experiences with trauma led to struggles with substance abuse, which he later addressed publicly in efforts to raise awareness.
Kennedy became a vocal advocate after reporting his abuse in 1996, leading to James's imprisonment. He has since been involved in multiple initiatives aimed at preventing child abuse, including co-founding Respect in Sport and Respect in Schools programs. His advocacy work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Diamond Jubilee medal and membership in the Order of Canada. Kennedy's life and contributions are also documented in a 1999 film and a 2016 documentary, highlighting his journey and ongoing commitment to child advocacy.
Subject Terms
Sheldon Kennedy
- Born: June 15, 1969
- Place of Birth: Brandon, Manitoba
Contribution: Sheldon Kennedy is a Canadian ice hockey player who is perhaps best known for his public revelations of sexual abuse as a teenager while playing for the Swift Current Broncos, a junior ice hockey team in western Canada. Kennedy was sexually abused by his Swift Current Broncos coach, Graham James, and became the subject of a 1999 television movie about his traumatic experiences with sexual, drug, and alcohol abuse. A former National Hockey League player for the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, and Boston Bruins, Kennedy was a member of the national team that won the gold medal at the 1988 World Junior Hockey Championship. He is an activist advocating for child abuse prevention.
Background and Hockey Career
Sheldon Kennedy was born on June 15, 1969, in Brandon, Manitoba. In 1984, he began playing junior hockey for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Two years later, he was traded to the Swift Current Broncos and spent three seasons there. He survived a deadly accident in December 1986 when the team bus slipped on black ice and crashed, killing four members of the team.
He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round of the 1988 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft. He played for the Adirondack Red Wings, part of the American Hockey League (AHL), and then joined the Detroit Red Wings in the 1989–90 season.
The Red Wings traded Kennedy to the Winnipeg Jets in 1994. He then played two seasons for the Calgary Flames. After the Flames declined to renew his contract, Kennedy signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins in 1996. That was his final season as a professional player in the NHL. In 1998, he played for the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. He also played hockey in Germany.
Advocate for Sexual Abuse Victims
While playing junior ice hockey as a teenager, Kennedy was coached by the nationally respected Graham James of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Years later, he revealed that James had sexually abused him twice a week from 1984 to 1990, starting from the first time he stayed with James (with the permission of his parents). He suffered from alcohol and drug addictions as a result of the trauma, and on September 3, 1996, he reported the sexual abuse to the Calgary police. The following January, James was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison. (Other players also came forward alleging sexual assault while playing for James—most notably, Theo Fleury.)
CTV made a 1999 television movie about Kennedy’s ordeal. Kennedy revealed the trauma led to years of cocaine and alcohol abuse and said he had considered suicide. He participated in the NHL's substance abuse program.
Once he retired from the NHL, Kennedy organized a skating campaign across Canada to raise awareness about sexual abuse and solicit funds to establish Anaphe Ranch, a rehabilitation center and refuge for abused children. In 2006, Kennedy wrote about his experiences in the book Why I Didn’t Say Anything: The Sheldon Kennedy Story. A 2016 documentary, Swift Current, details his life and work.
Through his work with the Respect-Ed abuse prevention program run by the Canadian Red Cross, Kennedy cofounded Respect in Sport, an Internet-based abuse prevention and self-esteem–building program used widely by North American organizations of different youth sports. In 2012, Kennedy launched a companion program, Respect in Schools, to train educators, staff, and volunteers on how to detect signs of potential abuse or neglect and how to investigate those suspicions.
Kennedy has been outspoken on policy decisions affecting the protection of children and the punishment of abusers. In 2010, he voiced support for proposed legislation to prevent sexual offenders from receiving pardons. The following year, he testified before the US Congress in the wake of the Penn State sexual abuse scandal, calling for measures to help bystanders detect potential abuse. In 2013, he cofounded the Calgary & Area Child Advocacy Centre, an organization that advocates for and provides assistance to individuals who have experienced child abuse. In 2021, Chicago Blackhawks general manager (GM) Stan Bowman was banned for two years because the NHL ruled he and two others had not adequately responded to allegations that a video coach had sexually assaulted an athlete. Kennedy said all three men reached out to him to educate themselves on how they could have responded and how to prevent sexual abuse. He said he and Bowman spoke frequently, and the former GM had organized workshops and Respect sessions. When the ban was lifted, he said Bowman's efforts were sincere.
For his child advocacy work, Kennedy has received a number of honors. In 2012, he was awarded a Diamond Jubilee medal by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Rosalind Prober Award at the Beyond Borders Media Awards. The following year, a Calgary, Alberta, organization dedicated to helping child sexual abuse victims was renamed in Kennedy’s honor, and he subsequently joined its board of directors.
Kennedy is a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence, the Order of Canada, and the Order of Manitoba. He received the Order of Hockey in Canada and was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
Bibliography
“Calgary Child Advocacy Centre Named after Sheldon Kennedy.” Winnipeg Fress Press. Winnipeg Free Press, 11 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.
“Former NHLer Kennedy Tells U.S. to Speak Up against Child Sex Abuse.” CBC Sports. CBC, 13 Dec. 2011. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.
“Former NHL Star Bares Soul for Others.” Calgary Herald. CanWest MediaWorks Publications, 6 Nov. 2008. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.
Lazary, Spencer. "Former NHLer Sheldon Kennedy Reflects on His Work with Recently Reinstated Stan Bowman." The Hockey News, 18 July 2024, thehockeynews.com/news/sheldon-kennedy-of-respect-in-sports-group-reflects-on-his-work-with-stan-bowman. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.
Paul, Alexandra. “Kennedy Launches Anti-Abuse Program for Schools.” Winnipeg Free Press 24 Feb. 2012: A7. Print.
“The Sheldon Kennedy/Graham James Case: Sexual Abuse in Canadian Junior Hockey.” Silent-Edge.org. Silent Edge, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.
“Sheldon Kennedy Supports Ending Pardons for Pedophiles.” Canada MSN News. Microsoft, 24 Nov. 2010. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.
Tait, Ed. “Program Helps Coaches Identify Abuse, Bullying.” Winnipeg Free Press 1 Dec. 2006: C3. Print.
Van Diest, Derek. “Sheldon’s Story.” SLAM!Sports. Canoe Inc., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.
Zarum, Dave. "Sheldon Kennedy." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 17 May 2021, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sheldon-kennedy. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.