Thank you CCM

[Nexxus6 0]

Well, I had my first skating lesson yesterday. I'm 49 and haven't skated in 35 years, I figure I should learn to skate decently before my hockey clinic in March, even though they told me they would teach me. Anyways, I was doing very good, knees bent, push out to the side, arms out in front holding my stick. Then, next lesson, lets learn to stop !!! Snowplowing OK. Right foot forward stop, OK. Left foot forward, ooops, balance going away, I fell flat over backwards and banged my head on the ice. My head hit and bounced up a couple of inches. :o I'm glad I decided to wear my helmet, if I hadn't the back of my skull would of pushed my eyeball out the front of my face. But hey, I sat for a second, laughed and got back up. :lol:

Of course, I'm taking lessons on Thursday morning, so I'm there with some very young kids figure skating and a couple of very nice young ladies in their early 20's. They shot right over to me, "are you OK???" B) Then one of them decided to help me a little more (she wasn't my instructor but I wasn't complaining). She helped me with my balance and then!!! showed me what to do if I lost my balance again. basically how to fall properly.

I had fun and didn't get hurt.

Wear your equipment, especially if you are a beginner.

PS My helmet is a CCM 08 with the VN lining. Really good stuff. I'm sure I'll need it when it's time to learn to skate backwards.

[ArcArsenal 0]

Glad to hear the fall did not result in any major injuries! This is a good reminder for beginners to gear up when learning - I see lots of beginners copying the guys who are very experienced skaters when practicing or even in a game....not wearing shoulders, no cage/visor, etc...

Good for you getting back into it after so long as well. A word of caution - be weary of the gear buying bug...once is strikes its hard to shake. This site is like a breeding ground for gear heads!

[greech 4]

I was involved in an on-ice practice incedent where a coach cracked his dome on the ice- he was hurt pretty badly and it enacted new measures regarding on-ice coaches and helmets in Mass. You were smart and lucky you had a bucket on, for most people it takes an accident without one to appreciate wearing a helmet.

[tro 4]

In Calgary it became mandatory this year for coaches and parents to were helmets on the ice, due to a coach falling last year, resulting in a coma and partial brain damage.

I thought it was a little over the top because 1 coach fell, (Daymond Langkow hasn't come back on the ice during our 5 yr old kids practice since they told him he has to wear a helmet, I hate that guy)

Over the top, until last week. My sons coach, who is a pretty good skater was going backwards hit a chip and went flying back landed on his head hard, he laid there blacked out for a minute and he had a helmet on. The speed he hit his head would have resulted in serious damage if he didn't have the bucket.

So now I am all in favor of helmets almost all the time ( I still don't wear one at the outdoor rink, which is dumb after watching a good skater go down like that)

[HattrickSwayze 3]

I had the same thing happen the very first time I skated. I started goin around, and right as I thought "ahh this isn't so bad," I leaned backwards too far. My legs must've came up to about chest level. I had my helmet on, but it still rung my bell a little bit. And it didn't feel very good either.

[bheidepr 0]

USA Hockey requires all coaches/instructors wear helmets during on-ice sessions.

I make my son wear his helmet and gloves at open skate as well.

[cptjeff 0]

USA Hockey requires all coaches/instructors wear helmets during on-ice sessions.

I make my son wear his helmet and gloves at open skate as well.

What? Helmet I can understand if he's 6, but gloves? Why? He's not going to be whacked with a stick during a public skate.

[Fletch 219]

Protection if he falls on his hands, I imagine....

[dce21b 0]

Yeah I too have just started to play I'm 28. I have skated before but never seriously I need to greatly improve my skating. I was playing with no pads in open hockey there was only a couple of us playing so i thought no big deal.

So me and another guy chased a puck into the corners. I hit a chip in the ice and fell with all my weight directly on the top of my shoulders and heard a pop.

Obviously im not as young as I used to be and I just started playing. Fortunately I didnt break anything but I'm still in pain after about 2 weeks. Needless to say I went out and bought all my gear. Now I dont care if I fall because with pads on it no longer hurts when i fall.

Basically my the lesson learned is that its worth it to be a lil uncomfortable or look like a dork and still be able to play and enjoy the game. Instead of getting hurt and not being able to play for a couple weeks or not remember ur name.

[Michael9 57]

USA Hockey requires all coaches/instructors wear helmets during on-ice sessions.

I make my son wear his helmet and gloves at open skate as well.

What? Helmet I can understand if he's 6, but gloves? Why? He's not going to be whacked with a stick during a public skate.

So if he falls, someone doesnt accidentley skate over his fingers and they get chopped off.

[cptjeff 0]

I suppose that makes sense, especially at a skate with a lot of little kids who don't know what they're doing.

I still think it's a little foolish to require adult coaches who know the risks and know what they're doing to wear a helmet though.

[Chadd 916]

I suppose that makes sense, especially at a skate with a lot of little kids who don't know what they're doing.

I still think it's a little foolish to require adult coaches who know the risks and know what they're doing to wear a helmet though.

The problem with that is a lot think they know what they're doing and only a few really do. I'm not a fan of the rule, and it's largely unenforced in the Atlantic district, but I do understand why it was enacted.

[McDougalfaschnitzer 32]

I suppose that makes sense, especially at a skate with a lot of little kids who don't know what they're doing.

I still think it's a little foolish to require adult coaches who know the risks and know what they're doing to wear a helmet though.

I've seen first hand coaches getting taken out by sliding falling kids and hitting their unprotected heads on the ice, and it isn't pretty. I'm glad that USA hockey decided to do it. I have no problem wearing a helmet out there when I'm coaching.

[dsjunior1388 81]

USA Hockey requires all coaches/instructors wear helmets during on-ice sessions.

I make my son wear his helmet and gloves at open skate as well.

What? Helmet I can understand if he's 6, but gloves? Why? He's not going to be whacked with a stick during a public skate.

So if he falls, someone doesnt accidentley skate over his fingers and they get chopped off.

i never had that problem at that age, I loved my hockey gloves. still do, i guess, based on my growing pro stock collection

[MarkAU 0]

I've just started skating (about 1.5 months ago) after a 10 year hiatis, so i wear kneepads on ice. I have a 2.5km walk from the train to work and have had some bad knee injuries in the past from inline/ice hockey. I had a fall last week (blunt skates. sigh.) that resulted in a completely black knee even with the pads on - i doubt i'd be walking for another few weeks if i didnt have pads.

You may feel a little silly, but it's better than not being able to get around/skate :)

[Phantom 19]

I'm a big proponent of helmets for coaching. I used to wear one back when I did public skates on a regular basis. Get taken out by a speeding idiot once, and you'll understand why. I don't skate out often now since I focus so much on playing goal now, but I make sure I have my bucket if I decide to go out and mess around as a player. I skated out in a pick up session once last year and got my clock cleaned after a collision with a guy much, much larger than me. My head bouncing off the ice I was a good reminder of the importance of helmets, and I am thankful I had mine on.

It's not just hockey - I trained horses for a living, and approved saftey headgear was made mandatory a couple of years ago for anyone jumping at competitions. I support the rule and never get on a horse or on the ice without the proper equipment. Accidents happen quickly and the results can be devastating. You only have one head, might was well protect it and stop feeling foolish for doing so.

[crazylegs_9 0]

I always wear the pads I wear in games to sticks and pucks. It gives me more balls to try different things, plus it seems like you skate a little different with pads on than without.

[s4gobabygo 0]

even if a coach is very experienced, and realizes that he's taking a risk by not wearing a helmet, he needs to realize that he's a role model for the kids. seeing the coach skating around without a helmet is exactly what puts the idea in kids' heads that skating without a helmet is cool. now the kids will try to skate without a helmet at every oportunity. i know, cause i did this when i was a mite/squirt... no helmet when stretching, standing around the bench, passing and shooting with teammates before warmups start, after the game etc... when i see a coach with no helmet, i'm more worried about the kids than the coach.

experienced players going without shoulder pads, or with visor or no mask doesnt bother me as much, but the bucket is a must. if your blades are touching ice, your helmet is on and buckled.

P.S. glad you're ok! after a whack like that, make sure you give your helmet a through inspection for any damage. they're very burly, so it's probably fine, but better safe than sorry!

[BK 0]

They were actually talking about helmets in the Rangers game the other night. They showed a few examples of fights where one of them got knocked out and hit their head on the ice. Scary stuff if you ask me. I always wear a helmet/shield and it seems like those close calls happen all to often.

[meteor 0]

I was at a public skate about a year ago. It was late in the session and the rink was starting to empty out, so I started practicing crossovers around the center faceoff circle. The figure skaters usually play there and it's understood to be an `off limits' area for the rec skaters. I kept my head up, looking for traffic and felt certain it was safe. I was wrong. An eight year old girl came flying into the circle going the wrong way and plowed directly into me. I was able to save her from injury by pushing her to the side, but in the process dislocated my thumb.

I now wear hockey gloves to all public skating sessions. It's the kids who are showing off and/or not following the rules who present the biggest danger in my experience. I'd wear my full gear if they'd let me, but that's strictly forbidden.

[M.W. 0]

They brought in the helmets for coaching thing midseason here. It's a bit annoying, but it makes a hell of a lot of sense. I've been on skates for nearly 20 years and I've still hit the ice a few times while coaching practices. You never know when a kid is going to go up the wrong lane and slide out during a drill, or when a puck is going to deflect somewhere. At the end of the day, it's not like it has even been a very noticeable transition.

[iceholes 0]

I have no problem coaching with a helmet on... Its the un-seen and unexpected things that cause the most harm anyhow. A helmet is part of hockey. Those that think its silly for a coach to wear a helmet is mind boggling to all heck. They use a stick and gloves ...right... whats wrong with a lid?

I have seen two of my assistants take falls on the back of the lid this year alone....and they both play organized adult hockey! Neither fall was expected or from goofing around. Pure and simple accidents.

Unfortuantely it sometimes takes a serious accident for League/rink/area to mandate them...