USA Hockey is getting insane

[Hkydog 0]

Been hearing this from USA Hockey for at least the last three years but every year it has been put off. If memory serves me two years ago there were two fatalities one in Colorado Springs, USA Hockey's home, and another in the midwest. The Mid-west was a coach loosing his footing coming off the bench and hitting his head on the dasher. The other was as stated earlier, a kid clipped his coach from behind and the coach went down hitting his head and breaking his neck. I think they were Pee Wees. The coach was experienced and knew what he was doing not just some parent helping out.

[MDE3 0]

Tragically it doesn't sound like a helmet would have saved the life of the coach in the second instance, not sure about the first....however no doubt it is pressure from their(USA Hockey) insurance provider....perhaps a threat not to pay for injuries sustained by coaches not wearing available protection.

[Hkydog 0]

I think that your right this is very likely coming from the Insurance side of the house. I either read or was told that the insurance program was up fro review this year. In both instances I am not sure if a helmet would have prevented the deaths.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I think coaches should have to wear helmet during practice, when they're is all sorts of pucks flying around everywhere. During a game there is only one puck and you can usually keep one eye on the puck and the other on whoever you may be talking to on the bench so I dont think its as big a deal. My coach wears a helmet with no visor during most of our practice. His teeth arn't that nice anyways so if he catches a stick or puck in the face its no big deal, just kidding of course :)

[Chadd 916]

In a well run practice pucks shouldn't be flying all over. Most of my practice plans run at high tempo and get a lot of touches on the puck. Practicing PP and PK is a bit more difficult to keep everyone paying attention but if you limit the number of pucks, it makes it hard for the kids to be screwing off with them.

[NashvillePreds 1]

Oh man....Thats just a step too far.  Sorry to hear that for your sake.

I hope the reffing clinic for USA hockey isnt too bad. I start reffing this weekend to save some money up for the GF's ring and the rink is going to set up a clinic for all the ref's in april to get us all certified. Im sure it'll be a blast.

The ref clinic is easy, there isn't anything that you are required to do in a certain amount of time, unless you take the level four test.

[Chadd 916]

USA Hockey Level one exam (coaching, referee)

Can you sign a check?

If yes, congratulations

If no, someone would be glad to help you.

[Hkydog 0]

Sign a check you pass. How appropriate whenever you need something from USA Hockey there is always a price. Never said they weren't into making money.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

In a well run practice pucks shouldn't be flying all over. Most of my practice plans run at high tempo and get a lot of touches on the puck. Practicing PP and PK is a bit more difficult to keep everyone paying attention but if you limit the number of pucks, it makes it hard for the kids to be screwing off with them.

The first 5-10 minutes of our practice is open, most kids stretch mostly in the locker room and do a few stretches after they skate a few laps, and then start shootin pucks around and passing pucks back and forth until everyones warmed up and ready to go, then we'll start doing our drills. That is when I would think that most coaches are most vulnerable to being hit with flying pucks..

[Kyle_M 0]

Once some idiot kid on our team wouldn't stop shooting pucks all over the place. Both of my coaches took him to the dressing room and they were pretty p!$$ed at him. That kid is kind of an idiot anyway though. But he deserved it because they could've got hit. He was just shooting where ever he wanted. But that's too bad Ljack. If you don't get in the way you won't get hit. You shouldn't have to wear a helmet if you don't want to.

[Chadd 916]

Coaches are there to teach, they should have been willing to help. It's best for one coach to "run" the practice while the others work with guys that don't get the drills or the skills. Every coach should have a specific role in practice as well as in a game.

[Kyle_M 0]

I agree totally. What my place did is kind of strange. (Keep in mind this was house). I had 2 coaches who were parents and at times they came to practice. But the arena itself hired some Russian to do most of the house league practices. He was amazing, but not excatly the teaching type. Think he played on the Russian Jr red army team.

I know where you're coming from, Theo. We have two coaches who each have a kid on the team and sometimes they don't show up, don't explain the drills very well, etc. Only one usually show up at a time. Sometimes they both show up but it's usually just one. Although, my coaches usually help if need be.

[Vapor 0]

What would be the point in having a rule that coaches of peewees and below, coaches having to wear helmets. What are the chances that they can lift the puck that high, at a velocity which is gonna hurt you?

[Kyle_M 0]

Good point, when's a novice gonna take a shot that would actually hit the coach nevertheless at high velocity. I guess because the coach could fall down but I think they'd have better balance than that...

[Chadd 916]

I believe the point is that coaches at the younger age groups are more likely to be parents that have little skating experience of their own. Rather than make the coaching training better, it's easier to pass a rule telling them to wear helmets..

[Guest 2048]

What would be the point in having a rule that coaches of peewees and below, coaches having to wear helmets. What are the chances that they can lift the puck that high, at a velocity which is gonna hurt you?

I know a peewee who almost killed me. Hit me in the collarbone with a slapshot. Nice red welt for two weeks, an inch to the right and it could have been much worse.

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

Yeah my bother is a peewee, theres a kid on his team who is 5'7 160 with a rocket slap shot, I wouldn't wanna take a slapper in the chest from him, he crack all your ribs!

[kosydar 0]

In a well run practice pucks shouldn't be flying all over. Most of my practice plans run at high tempo and get a lot of touches on the puck. Practicing PP and PK is a bit more difficult to keep everyone paying attention but if you limit the number of pucks, it makes it hard for the kids to be screwing off with them.

Thats a great point. Its what my coach this year did. Not too many pucks, and any time someone tuouched a puck when he wasn't supposed to, the whole team had to skate 10 board to boards. Then again, this policy was enacted after a kid puropsely shot a puck at him (he actually just wanted to get kicked off). I'm thinking of coaching next year unless some other hockey opportunities happen, and I know I wouldn't be happy having to wear a helmet.

[hocckey77 0]

since most coaches are over 18 the should be able to do whatever they want, even though you cant stop the stupid idiot kids from jerking off in practice

[Fire0nIce228 1]

wooo lets bring back a dead topic YAAAAAY!

[Chadd 916]

wooo lets bring back a dead topic YAAAAAY!

It's only two weeks, relax.

[tyler9 0]

In Canada, If I'm not mistaken any coach that coaches PeeWee and under is required to wear a helmet. Unless this is a Provincial or Minor Hockey regulation but I am pretty sure it is a CHA rule.

its not a CHA rule. None of the coaches in our association wear helmets and i don't see why they should have to. And to comment on the having to wear mouthguards thing bout 2-3 yrs ago here the coaches couldn't get anyone to wear one, and too many people didn't for the ref to call an illeagal equipment call.

[Stampeder 2]

since most coaches are over 18 the should be able to do whatever they want, even though you cant stop the stupid idiot kids from jerking off in practice

I dont know about you but if I was a coach and some idiot kids starting "jerking off" they would be off the team. :P

[Chadd 916]

he would get deliberate penalties....