By: Vermont State University Castleton Athletics

RUTLAND, Vt. - On Friday, February 6, Vermont State University Castleton Men's Hockey team will host the fifth annual Breaking the Ice on Mental Health event as they take on Babson College in a 7pm game at Spartan Arena. 

The Castleton Men's Hockey team, led by head Coach, Kyle Richards, is made up of a diverse team of players from around the world who are establishing strong ties in our local region.

"We are proud to be hosting our fifth annual Breaking the Ice on Mental Health game to benefit the RRMC Behavioral Health Clinic at Rutland Regional Medical Center," said Richards. "The game continues to be a valuable way for our team to give back to our local community, which means a lot to our student-athletes and coaching staff."

Over the past five years, the Castleton men's hockey team has contributed more than $21,000 to the Rutland Regional Behavioral Health Clinic at Rutland Regional Medical Center. The enthusiasm for the event has grown considerably with huge crowds of fans showing their support for the Spartans and helping to raise funds and awareness for important mental health services.

On February 6, the first 200 fans through the door will receive a custom tee shirt sponsored by Foley Services in Rutland.   All proceeds from the event, including admission, raffles, a varied bake sale and an online auction for authentic Breaking the Ice jerseys, will support behavioral health services provided by RRMC. For a third year, the team jerseys were designed by VTSU Castleton men's hockey player, Josef Vyvial, from the Czech Republic.  Josef is a Junior at Castleton, majoring in graphic design.  The auction will go live at 2 p.m. on January 28 at https://www.32auctions.com/BTI2026

The cost of admission for the game is $7 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students.
 
"Mental health conditions can impact anyone at any time. We are grateful for the ongoing dedication and support of Coach Richards and the Vermont State University Castleton men's hockey team for organizing the Breaking the Ice event aimed at raising awareness about mental health services", said Sheila Sharrow, LICSW, Manager at the Rutland Regional Behavioral Health Clinic.   "The annual hockey event enables opportunities for education, compassion and empathy as well as conversations about mental illness. It is an example of courage, and RRMC truly values their ongoing commitment to combatting against the stigma," continued Sharrow.

So put on your green and join the VTSU Castleton Men's Hockey team on Friday, February 6th at 7pm at the Spartan Arena as they break the ice on mental health. 

For more information about the upcoming Breaking the Ice on Mental Health game, go to www.castletonsports.org or www.rrmc.org or call 802-747-3634.