CALGARY -- Over 12,000 students from Calgary and area were on hand at the Scotiabank Saddledome Thursday to watch the Calgary Hitmen play the Winnipeg Ice.
But it wasn’t just for the action. They were also at the game to hear a very important message, because it was the “Be Brave, End Bullying" game.
Kelcey Moore is the 2020 Stampede Queen. To look at her, you wouldn’t think she was bullied. But she was -- and Moore says it wasn’t easy going to school.
“When I was young, through junior high and even high school, there was a lot of time that I was bullied from girls that I thought were my friends," Moore said. "People I went to school with every day.”
Brigette Lacquette is the first First Nations woman to play for the Canadian Women’s Olympic hockey team. Growing up in Dauphin, Manitoba, she was also bullied and says it was hard.
“My story -- I’ve had to overcome a lot of obstacles to get to where I am today -- and bullying is one of them. It was one of the first ones," she said.
Moore and Lacquette are both very successful and are proof you can overcome bullying. Lacquette says her message to the kids is to be respectful to everyone.
“Always be kind and always be respectful because you never know what other people are going through," she said.
Moore says it’s important to be kind to yourself and compassionate to yourself but also to others. And also this:
“Know that your battle is not just your battle," she said. "You have a whole support system behind you.”
Students like Cayden Murray of Senator Patrick Burns said this game is very important and hopefully helps end bullying.
“I think it’s something no one should really do. When you’re taking your own power advantage over someone it’s not OK," Murray said.
Jorja Look also goes to Senator Patrick Burns and agreed bullying is not OK especially if you don’t know what else is gong on in someone else’s life.
“If they have something else going on and then if you have the higher power and you’ve decided that you’re going to pick on them or bully them, that’s not always the nicest thing to do.”
This was the fourth annual “Be Brave, End Bullying” game and it was the Hitmen that prevailed. They downed the Ice 4-1.
