USA Hockey New Rule for Coaches

[KYHockey3 0]

i was at a pblic skate and a girl got a figure skatre to the eyebrow.

her hand was on her face and blood was ooozing out between her fingers.

[UMWhockey 0]

I don't like the helmet rule, but i am sure it saves USA Hockey a lot of money which is why they have made it a rule. They don't seem to care about the hockey being played in the states as shown by some of the rule decisions and the pointless coaching education program. If they wanted to model a coaching education program, all they had to do was look at the way our neighbors to the north do it.

[DarkStar50 679]

You may not like wearing a seatbelt when you drive but the idea isn't to protect you from yourself, its to protect you from the other guy. The helmet rule is long overdue in the States. USAHockey should have followed with Canada when they did this.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

Hockey Canada rule for a couple years now......however if you are a Private Hockey school running drills for a team you are exempt because you have your own insurance and that covers you if you wear one or not.

Ive never seen a coach ever wear a helmet in practice around here.

If you check the rule book doesnt mean the coaches follow the rules. I am sure you will see more and more of it this year. The organizations are clamping down for insurance reasons!

[Project824 0]

I just feel we're way past looking out for the greater good - society is over the top when it comes to insurance and safety... we've become a world of sueing and pointing fingers instead of holding careless or stupid people accountable for their own actions. Accidents happen, but if you know where to stand and how to skate, I guarantee you they aren't too frequent or harmful. Wearing a helmet may keep a bender coach from hitting his head on the ice, but it certainly won't keep him from tearing his knee up, or breaking his leg/wrist/elbow. If you stand in the wrong place or can't skate, the possibility of any of those is very high. USA Hockey's progressive solution for that would obviously be to mandate all coaches wear full gear out on the ice. Actually, you could still tear a ligament, so why not just teach from the bench? A puck could still hit you though, so maybe just stand in the penalty box and yell out commands from a megaphone? You get my point - no amount of precaution or requirements can protect someone from a lack of ability or stupidity.

Maybe instead of changing the rules every two years and mandating equipment and policy, we should look to other areas... the US is lacking experienced and able coaches:

Why not include skill sessions to the Coaching Education curriculum? How can youth coaches teach skills they don't fully understand and can't perform themselves?

Another angle is to have USA Hockey develop these kids on a regional level as a supplement to the grassroots coaching they get - instead of only offering a development camp for the elite players in each region (and there are quite a few regions that "elite" is a relative term), run a less intensive camp for the middle and lower level kids under a non-tryout environment? In some areas, it will be the only good instruction the kids get all year.

[roostingmx 0]

wow thats insane making a coach wear a helmet but i guess it will prevent injuries

[Larry54 243]

Wearing a helmet may keep a bender coach from hitting his head on the ice, but it certainly won't keep him from tearing his knee up, or breaking his leg/wrist/elbow.

You can die from hitting your head on the ice. You're very unlikely to die from those other things. Therein lies the difference.

[Project824 0]

Wearing a helmet may keep a bender coach from hitting his head on the ice, but it certainly won't keep him from tearing his knee up, or breaking his leg/wrist/elbow.

You can die from hitting your head on the ice. You're very unlikely to die from those other things. Therein lies the difference.

Wearing a helmet won't protect you from landing flat on your face, something that could be potentially harmful, and given the limited skating ability of a coach who is falling in such an awkward manner, I'd doubt he has much control over it. You can also die from being hit in the throat or have your heart stopped from being hit in the chest. I suppose therein lies another difference and neckguards and shoulder pads with heartguards should be mandated as well. If you get hit in the nose at just the right angle, it can break and be forced back into your brain, killing you. Facemasks should be mandatory to prevent this. We should also be wearing kevlar shirts that cover all major arteries, because you can be cut and bleed to death as well. That way we can just run into brick walls headfirst and have our kids shoot pucks at us and swing their sticks at our heads and be safe.

[DarkStar50 679]

We know where you stand on the issue. The next time you get injured playing hockey please let us know how it happened. We know in your case there will have been nothing that could have been done to prevent the injury.

[Trooper 8]

Wearing a helmet may keep a bender coach from hitting his head on the ice, but it certainly won't keep him from tearing his knee up, or breaking his leg/wrist/elbow.

You can die from hitting your head on the ice. You're very unlikely to die from those other things. Therein lies the difference.

Wearing a helmet won't protect you from landing flat on your face, something that could be potentially harmful, and given the limited skating ability of a coach who is falling in such an awkward manner, I'd doubt he has much control over it. You can also die from being hit in the throat or have your heart stopped from being hit in the chest. I suppose therein lies another difference and neckguards and shoulder pads with heartguards should be mandated as well. If you get hit in the nose at just the right angle, it can break and be forced back into your brain, killing you. Facemasks should be mandatory to prevent this. We should also be wearing kevlar shirts that cover all major arteries, because you can be cut and bleed to death as well. That way we can just run into brick walls headfirst and have our kids shoot pucks at us and swing their sticks at our heads and be safe.

Wow, instead of making a logical, well thought out argument, you feel sarcasm will prove your point.

I can't imaging USA hockey actually looked at the numbers of injuries that could have been prevented by helmets.

[Larry54 243]

Wearing a helmet may keep a bender coach from hitting his head on the ice, but it certainly won't keep him from tearing his knee up, or breaking his leg/wrist/elbow.

You can die from hitting your head on the ice. You're very unlikely to die from those other things. Therein lies the difference.

Wearing a helmet won't protect you from landing flat on your face, something that could be potentially harmful, and given the limited skating ability of a coach who is falling in such an awkward manner, I'd doubt he has much control over it. You can also die from being hit in the throat or have your heart stopped from being hit in the chest. I suppose therein lies another difference and neckguards and shoulder pads with heartguards should be mandated as well. If you get hit in the nose at just the right angle, it can break and be forced back into your brain, killing you. Facemasks should be mandatory to prevent this. We should also be wearing kevlar shirts that cover all major arteries, because you can be cut and bleed to death as well. That way we can just run into brick walls headfirst and have our kids shoot pucks at us and swing their sticks at our heads and be safe.

There's a much greater chance you'll die from hitting your head than from all of the other things that you mentioned added together. Adding sarcasm to your argument didn't even make a difference.

[rugdnit 0]

i have always worn a helmet while running practices. half the kids don't really know where that puck is going. crazy deflections not paying attention etc...just like when you play it is uusally a freak thing. there is nothing wrong with wearing a helmet. look at what you have to lose...... easy decision.

[rugdnit 0]

Wearing a helmet may keep a bender coach from hitting his head on the ice, but it certainly won't keep him from tearing his knee up, or breaking his leg/wrist/elbow.

You can die from hitting your head on the ice. You're very unlikely to die from those other things. Therein lies the difference.

Wearing a helmet won't protect you from landing flat on your face, something that could be potentially harmful, and given the limited skating ability of a coach who is falling in such an awkward manner, I'd doubt he has much control over it. You can also die from being hit in the throat or have your heart stopped from being hit in the chest. I suppose therein lies another difference and neckguards and shoulder pads with heartguards should be mandated as well. If you get hit in the nose at just the right angle, it can break and be forced back into your brain, killing you. Facemasks should be mandatory to prevent this. We should also be wearing kevlar shirts that cover all major arteries, because you can be cut and bleed to death as well. That way we can just run into brick walls headfirst and have our kids shoot pucks at us and swing their sticks at our heads and be safe.

There's a much greater chance you'll die from hitting your head than from all of the other things that you mentioned added together. Adding sarcasm to your argument didn't even make a difference.

excellant point as well. i have seen two kids hustling for a puck and take eachother out and while sliding on the ice take out other coaches who were not expecting it. good thing they had a helmet on too. there is nothing wrong with wearing a helmet.

[Project824 0]

We know where you stand on the issue. The next time you get injured playing hockey please let us know how it happened. We know in your case there will have been nothing that could have been done to prevent the injury.

Injuries happen, and will always happen. They happen a lot more to people who don't know what they're doing. DS50, it's the exact opposite of what you say, anytime I was injured playing hockey, there was definitely something I should have done differently to prevent that - an action. Equipment would not have prevented those injuries. That's the point, it is the user and not the equipment.

The sarcasm was just to prove a point: How far do we need to go? I've done more work for USA Hockey in the past 8 years than most will ever, so I'm speaking from the inside. I feel that mandating something like this after taking an email poll is a "for show" policy change. Meanwhile we've done very little as an organization to actually improve our players. The top US players are on par with most in the world, but as a whole country the players below the elite NHL draft eschelon are less talented than they were 10 years ago.

[oldtrainerguy28 478]

We know where you stand on the issue. The next time you get injured playing hockey please let us know how it happened. We know in your case there will have been nothing that could have been done to prevent the injury.

Injuries happen, and will always happen. They happen a lot more to people who don't know what they're doing. DS50, it's the exact opposite of what you say, anytime I was injured playing hockey, there was definitely something I should have done differently to prevent that - an action. Equipment would not have prevented those injuries. That's the point, it is the user and not the equipment.

The sarcasm was just to prove a point: How far do we need to go? I've done more work for USA Hockey in the past 8 years than most will ever, so I'm speaking from the inside. I feel that mandating something like this after taking an email poll is a "for show" policy change. Meanwhile we've done very little as an organization to actually improve our players. The top US players are on par with most in the world, but as a whole country the players below the elite NHL draft eschelon are less talented than they were 10 years ago.

So in the mean time til these coaches learn how to do the things you suggest wich is a great idea......why dont we get them to wear helmets so there isnt any extra injuries?

Just an idea till they implement your ideas from your 8 years of work at USA hockey.

Ok so here is my story.

I have a friend that is a very good coach very skilled player and teaching some greatr AAA 8 year olds in Toronto.

He is doing some drill sthe kids are having a great time he is finishing a drill and some kids go behind him doing as instructed he moves to the new place for the next drill. As he is doing this one of the kids catches an edge and falls into the other....they slide on the ice taking out his feet he falls back over the both of them hitting his head on the ice.

He is out comepletly. He comes to a little bit and everyone thicks he is OK but take him to the hospital were he goes into a coma for 3 weeks.

He is fine now but WEARS A HELMET.

Thsi was 6 months out of his life he will never get back. He doesnt rember anything for the entire 6 months prior to the accident.

So lets see where were we on this helmet issue?

[DarkStar50 679]

Thank you OTG28,

It doesn't matter if you know what you are doing or not! You can still get seriously hurt. For Project824, USAHockey can issue the waiver rule: Sign here and don't come to us if you are ever seriously hurt during any USAHockey on-ice event.

Professional race car drivers in F-1 and NASCAR still get into accidents on the track! They are also the best at what they do. Accidents happen, thats why they are called accidents.

[plaxcky1331 0]

both my coaches played juniors and d1 so they said eff that and have yet to be forced to wear one

[DarkStar50 679]

Our old school travel team coach stopped by the pro shop last night before his Bantam AAA practice. He said he wasn't going on the ice to run practice. The team manager asked why. "I was running a drill in camp yesterday and some little kid plowed into me from behind. I banged my head on the ice and my back is messed up." I just laughed to myself because maybe his back would still hurt but his head wouldn't hurt if he had a helmet on. He is the type to say the helmet rule is stupid and look what just happened to him.

[Dante2004 0]

I played in a tournament this past weekend (roller) and the officials weren't wearing helmets. This was a national tournament too. My team was in the adult division, but the majority of the teams were under 18.

I understand the whole "macho" aspect of a player not wearing a cage, etc., but I don't see the point of an official not wearing a helmet. I think it sends a bad image to the children that are in the rink. They look up to the "big kids". How do we expect a 12 year old to be safe when apparently when you reach a certain age, you don't need to wear helmets anymore?

I have been an ice hockey official for 9 years, so trust me, I have been in "their shoes".

[Dante2004 0]

Been a rule here in Michigan at most rinks for a while. Not to mention that most coaches promote safety first to the kids.

Amen.

Even if you feel like a tool wearing one...you aren't there for a fashion show, you are there to teach the game.

[sabre09923 0]

First practice of the year was on monday... And my coach looked like an idiot with a helmet on. That being said, I don't think that anyone really cared about whether or not he had the helmet on, and I highly doubt it interfered with his coaching performance on the ice-and I doubt that it will interfere with any coach's performance. The helmets are there for accidents, like DarkStar and OTG28 said.

[Larry54 243]

A little thing like having to wear a helmet shouldn't be a reason for not wanting to coach. Being afraid of looking silly (and you wouldn't look silly) shouldn't stop you from helping kids out. If one has his priorities right, coaching the kids should come before ones misplaced pride... unless you have a hairdo like Kerry Fraser and don't want to ruin it. :lol:

I think we're making a mountain out of a molehill, anyway. Once it becomes commonplace for coaches to wear helmets, nobody will think twice about it.