Man who alleges hazing at Sask. boarding school says he's sharing his story to change hockey culture

WARNING: This article contains graphic content and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual and physical violence or know someone affected by it.

Todd Tisdale dreamed of playing hockey in the big leagues. He didn't think he'd make it to the NHL, but he loved the game and still wanted to pursue hockey at the junior level. 

As a teen he left his hometown behind and headed to a private boarding school in Wilcox, Sask., known for its prestigious hockey program.

But before the centre got a chance to chase the puck on the ice, he left the Christian college traumatized. 

Tisdale said he suffered physical, mental and sexual abuse from other students in hazing rituals while attending Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, just south of Regina, in 1986. The experiences have haunted him for decades, he said, but recently he's found a way to heal and wants to help others. 

"I want to just change people's perspective of hazing. It's not a sort of bonding experience. It's a terrible, traumatic experience," said Tisdale.

He shared his story publicly for the first time in a TSN article published in December 2021. Since then, several people have contacted him to share similar experiences. The response has encouraged him to keep talking. 

Tisdale now lives in Medicine Hat, Alta., but he grew up playing hockey and wearing No. 9 in Swift Current, Sask.  He was inspired as a young teen by his older brother, who won a national championship with Notre Dame's team, so he applied.

He was accepted as a Grade 11 student at age 15, and saw it as a stepping stone for his aspirations. 

However, the school wasn't what he expected and hazing was rampant, he said.

At first he was forced to do basic chores for older students, but the