Most padded and protective neck guard

[akravetz 29]

My son -- the one that I have posted a lot about -- got hurt again. The kid, 9, is super aggressive, a terrific skater (proud daddy here) and people keep checking him, slashing and tripping him to slow him down. He's leading the team in points, penalty minutes and being bench for having a smart-ass mouth. Lovely, a Gordie Howe of sorts.

Anyway, this past weekend, he took a stick to the throat. He's okay, Doc's diagnosis was "tracheal bruising and corachoid edema." Says he's got a bit of scar tissue and some bruising to the vocal cords. He was wearing a neck guard but that had little in the way of padding. We use a Bauer one which does have some padding unlike the ADR (I think that's what brand they are) which are just Kevlar slips with Velcro.

Are there any neck guards out there that provide good protection to the throat but that don't impair mobility? I know they make big things for goalies but what about players.

And longtime, I confess I am scared to death for the kid. He's 9 and already suffered a concussion, a broken arm and now this. Illinois has some dirty-ass players.

Help a dad feel better guys,

Andy in Peoria

[IPv6Freely 2083]

Maybe a Maltese gel neck guard?

[akravetz 29]

what's that? and where do you get it. I have looked at hockey monkey, total hockey and ice warehouse among other places and all I see are the thin neck guards that protect against cuts, nothing for throat protection. Maybe I need to design one and market it.

[IPv6Freely 2083]

http://maltesesports.com/store/

[akravetz 29]

Hmm, he's 9 years old. and less than 55 pounds. i wonder if that is even a option for a kid that small. I'll try to call the company but $85 is a lot for a neck guard that he's likely to outgrow within a year. If I do get one, I'll wait until late summer as our season is mostly over. We didn't make the playoffs so we are done.

[IPv6Freely 2083]

They're all custom made when you order so I'm sure fitting isn't an issue. But the outgrowing part definitely is.

Besides that, the reebok ones look okay.

[jonesy9020 77]

I used to have a Vic neckguard back at the Mite/Squirt level that was very padded and I believe went as far as to include plastic inserts to protect against impact. It was so uncomfortable and gave me issues with breathing and mobility that I gave up on it and went with something else. It seems like most neckguards out now are not made for impact protection as much as inadvertent skate cuts, hence the kevlar materials. I hope you find what you're looking for, but at some level you've gotta rely on refs to keep kids in line. Nobody, and especially not 9 year olds, should be hacking at throats.

If you can find an old Vic out there, give it a shot, but I haven't had much luck or seen anything similar.

This one looks a bit more structured, but it could just be good photography: https://www.shockdoctor.com/ultra-neck-guard

[MThockeydad 469]

His mouth probably makes him a target as much as his skating abilities.

Use this as a learning opportunity that he should keep his mouth shut.

If he's leading the team in penalty minutes, is he a part of the Illinois dirty-ass Squirt players?

I'm not accusing you of having a bad kid, just basing this on what you've said, one Dad to another.

If there's an issue, it's not going to be easy to solve at 9, but far harder to solve at 15.

Long-term protection:

Could you take his current neck guard to a shoe shop and have them stitch in some plastic inserts?

Have you read "Confessions of a Crazy Hockey Dad"?

[jonesy9020 77]

Don't know your kid so can't say, and also not a dad (only 24), but you can rack up a lot of penalty minutes and not be a dirty player, especially at around that level of youth hockey where contact is looked at with some skepticism. Refs sometimes try to make the game "fair" by picking on good players. Your kid sounds like a really good skater and sometimes if you're playing hard and above the level of your competitors, you get tagged for ticky-tack roughing/boarding/tripping/interference calls for what's really incidental contact. I remember one time I got back to back penalties when I was a little older than your kid when I was playing roller because I was skating fast with the puck and weaker skaters ran into me and fell on back to back shifts. I was pissed off and slammed my stick in the box and may have had a few choice words about the quality of the calls being made (nothing profane, just questioning why, albeit loudly) and ended up getting tossed from the game for complaining.

So I'm not unsympathetic to chirping kids and spirited play. But a shove in the slot or a little hook around the middle is different from an intentional stick to the throat. One of the first rules that got drilled into me is that you never use your stick as a weapon. I would've talked with the coach of the other team regarding the kid that went after your son and talking to his team about how to use a stick safely. He would've hated me but if he condones that sort of thing, it won't be long until something worse than bruising happens.

As for the neckguard, the inserts seem like a decent option if the LHS is willing to do that. Just make sure it's flexible enough that he can move alright. I'd also consider putting in some thicker/spongier foam segments.

[ulf 5]

i was just talking about this with parents a short time ago. it was a day earlier before lundquist got hit there. i'm really surprised we don;t see more accidents to the neck area. it's a very vulnerable spot.

they should design something more for all players, especially younger ones at a realistic price.

i'm not talking kevlar,..i'm talking something for impact..hard plastic/foam that can absorb a stick.puck or anything else..and most of all,..make it so it's comfortable as well

[akravetz 29]

He's got a Bauer neck guard that has more padding than the simple Kevlar ones but apparently not enough. And no, he's not a kid who chirps on the ice. The smart-ass mouth is to the coaches. Remember, he's 9 and 9yos have trouble focusing.

During the first half of the season, he'd zone out, stare at the lights and then suddenly a kid would come racing up ice (he's a D-man). He'd be caught flat flooted and either hook or trip to slow the kid down. My son has never taken a swing at a kid with his hands or stick or I'd beat his ass. And since someone broke his arm slashing he's hypersensitive to that. But he's stopped that and really played some great games in the past six weeks so that's not an issue now. In fact, we had a really chippy game over the weekend where the entire game was kids being boxed. My son wasn't one of them. Weird.

Is my son a saint. Hell no. Is he the next Gretzky, no way. He's incredibly fast and agile but doesn't have the best shot so the team uses him to carry the puck up, and either dump it or get a quick shot. What happened I don't think was intentional. No one "hacked" at his throat. He was being tripped (turnabout is fair play) and I think either fell on the stick on the way down or the kid lifted the stick and caught him. I think it was accidental. so that's why I am looking for something that could be more protective. I might take a pic of the neck guard and post here so people can see what I am using.

Either way, I thank you all for the thoughts and the comments. Actually, it makes me feel a lot better to hear what people had to say.

[MThockeydad 469]

Props, akravetz.

I have an '03 who was starting to play some goonish hockey mid-season. I saw her doing some intentional trips and throwing elbows. We had to have a chat. I told her to keep out-hustling them but NOT to make illegal moves. Anything I wouldn't want another kid to do to her, I don't want her doing to other kids.

What style is the Bauer neck guard? Is it the simple ~2" wide collar, or the one that has the lower "apron" that you tuck under your jersey/shoulders?

If it's the simple narrow one he likes...our local shop has the narrow Easton neck guards on clearance ($0.99)* I could grab one and add plastic inserts and send it your way. Yeah, I sew shit. :D

*I already bought 12 in case our kids play any tourneys in Canada next season. :)

[moteef17 7]

So my 2nd year squirt had a brush with disaster in his game yesterday, and I didn't even know it until today. He plays D and I was running our F lines all game, so I didn't even notice and he never said a word. Today I saw a scratch on his neck and asked him what happened. His response was non-chalant, "Oh, I got hit with ____'s skate when he wiped out". I looked more closely and sure enough he had about a 1 inch cut/abrasion right across this throat, and not far from a critical area. It wasn't deep and he said it stung when it happened, but that was it.

My kid plays has gotten more comfortable bringing his body into the play and not just reach for the puck, etc, but in a full season he had 1 penalty, so I think he's understanding the boundaries. In short, he doesn't mind contact, and I think he likes when he can get a little physical. This was a case where one of our F's took a bizarre fall and there was traffic in front of our net when my kid came into clear the puck out. Apparently a skate blade came up and caught him.

We'll be putting that neck guard back on......

[IPv6Freely 2083]

I'd just get one of the bauer shirts for cut resistance. Especially since they have the 37.5 shirts with it now.

[Chadd 916]

The Maltese collar is probably your best option, just note the 6-8 week lead tome for construction.

Since it isn't a USAH requirement, and you don't need it to be certified, I would look into using a heavy-duty headband. You can cut to length and use velcro to close at the back and insert plastic if you think you need more protection. It would be a lot of work but you could customize it as much as you want.

[MThockeydad 469]

My kid plays has gotten more comfortable bringing his body into the play and not just reach for the puck, etc, but in a full season he had 1 penalty, so I think he's understanding the boundaries. In short, he doesn't mind contact, and I think he likes when he can get a little physical.

He's going to LOVE peewees next year! My kid has had a blast. Similarly enjoys contact and grinding on the boards. She's only had two penalties this year - one tripping (deserved), one interference (not deserved, but probably deserved for one or two not blown!)