Award-winning investigative journalist Rick Westhead to visit UFV

Canada’s preeminent investigative sports journalist will visit the University of the Fraser Valley’s Abbotsford campus on October 22. As part of the President’s Leadership Lecture Series and Purple Lights Nights, Rick Westhead will connect storytelling and changemaking with a conversation about the power of individuals and communities to create meaningful change. 

Rick is an award-winning senior correspondent for TSN, best known for shining a light into the shadows of Canadian hockey culture. His 2025 bestseller, We Breed Lions: Confronting Canada’s Troubled Hockey Culture, takes a deeper look at the state of hockey in Canada, exploring the culture that surrounds the sport and the need for meaningful change.  

Through years of reporting, he has examined questions of safety, accountability, leadership, and culture in sport, bringing greater public attention to stories that might otherwise remain in the shadows. 

“Rick’s work demonstrates the power of storytelling to challenge institutions and make a meaningful difference,” says UFV President James Mandigo. “By asking difficult questions and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard, he shows us the impact one person can have — and why those conversations matter.” 

Rick’s first book, Finding Murph, looked at the path that took Joe Murphy from National Hockey League star to homeless, addressing concussions and brain trauma, mental health and the responsibility professional leagues have toward former athletes. 

Rick was recognized by the Canadian Journalists for Freedom of Expression in 2023, receiving the Arnold Amber Award for Investigative Journalism. He’s a two-time winner of Canadian Sportswriter of the Year. 

Prior to joining TSN, Rick served as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star, where he reported on the ground in countries including Afghanistan, China, and Saudi Arabia. 

Tickets are $30 general admission, and $10 for UFV students. The event includes a reception, and ticket holders can take in the UFV Cascades women’s and men’s volleyball home opener games on Friday, October 23, featuring Purple Lights Nights activities in support of the campaign. For tickets or more information, visit showpass.com/ufv-rick-westhead. 

The public is also invited to meet Rick Westhead at a book signing at The Book Man bookstore in Chilliwack at noon on October 22. For questions about the event or the book signing, please contact Christina.Forcier@ufv.ca.