Does your league mandate eye protection?

[ibeck 38]

My league allows no facial protection however we all have to sign a release waiver at the start of the season saying we cant hold the league and arena liable for any injuries. I wear a visor and mouthguard but have been thinking of changing after seeing mike richards almost get his eye poked out with a high stick against the leafs.

[iceNsteel 0]

I'd actually like to see adult leagues go the other way and make players loose the bird cages. Seen way too many adult leaguers play wildly with the stick and then fall back on the "we're wearing cages" excuse when called on their behavior.

[JKranz24 1]

I'd actually like to see adult leagues go the other way and make players loose the bird cages. Seen way too many adult leaguers play wildly with the stick and then fall back on the "we're wearing cages" excuse when called on their behavior.

I kind of agree, as players do act a little more brave because they don't have to be accountable (as in, their eye can't take a stick, so they can swing their stick all over).

But at the same time, 2 things won't ever let this happen:

1) The lower league players NEED cages, end of story. There are so many players who can skate just fine but have literally zero clue what they're doing with their stick if they're not shooting it.

2) 99.9% of the players in adult leagues work pretty normal jobs, so a stick to the face would probably not be a good thing for their employment. At least the visors cut down on incidents, but getting rid of cages would probably result in a lot more injuries.

[sabby47 2]

No facial protection mandatory here in our leagues. I wear a visor.

[Shark#81 0]

Talked with our league prez last week - they are going to propose an eye protection (visor) rule for next year.

[phunky_monkey 6]

We have an age cutoff for face protection. From memory I believe it is:

Juniors - Under 18 years: Full face protection

Seniors - Born after 1980: minimum visor

Most people seem to wear a visor.

[stuie7 6]

We play IIHF rules, where players who are born before 31/12/1974 must wear a non-tinted visor. Games and training are 75/25 split between visors and cages.

I think those rules are fair, not forcing the older guys who never wore a cage/visor to have to.

[Jarick 5]

I don't see a problem with wild sticks in my league (both D and C levels). Never understood that argument.

[Axxion89 32]

My league doesn't, but I wear a cage, I used to wear a visor, too many close calls with the visor. The cage has saved me from countless sticks and a few pucks. I loved playing with a visor but my mom and gf would kill me if I lost a tooth or gashed my face because I didn't wear a cage. My best friend wears no cage/visor and even after fracturing his sinus, getting it infected, and almost having a severe infection, he only wears the visor tilted way up (useless). Oh well to each their own but I don't think anyone over 18 should be told what to wear so long as they understand the rink is not liable and sign away liability.

[JoeyJ0506 192]

I play in an adult ice league and a college inline league at the same complex:

Ice: All players must wear, at minimum, a visor.

Inline: Anyone under 18 must wear a full cage, over 18 may choose to go without anything if they desire.

Most of the contact I've gotten to my face (I always have a visor on) comes from people with cages that, in a scuffle, throw their gloved hands directly into people's faces. But, I have gotten a few sticks and pucks in the visor. I would never go without something in front of my eyes and nose.

[ibeck 38]

Starting to think guys that wear no facial protection are very stupid and not brave.

[Dr. Funk 6]

Much like Stuie, our league uses rules similar to the IIHF mandate. However, most of the older guys wear a visor, just like the younger players. Mouthpieces are also mandatory, but I think compliance is around 50%.

[Powerfibers 8]

I used to only wear a visor. One game I was gassed after a long shift, had head down on bench. Lifted my head just in time to catch a puck shot by a teammate attempting to clear it...right in the visor. Without it, I would have been done. Put a full cage on the next day. I can't believe our league does not mandate the shield at minimum.

[robat 0]

My league doesn't mandate it. I wear a cage though because I have all my life and at this point I'm used to it.

[bdh13 1]

This seems like the right thread for this question:

Are roller players more/less likely to wear face protection than ice players?

[JoeyJ0506 192]

This seems like the right thread for this question:

Are roller players more/less likely to wear face protection than ice players?

Just in my personal experience even though my inline league does not mandate facial protection the majority of players wear at least a visor, the majority are in full cages.

[Wallzy41 9]

My league doesn't have a rule, but I think the Age Cutoff in addition to IIHF rules would be good. 18U- Full Protection, 18 to Born 12-30-74 Visor, and anything over that have the option to wear nothing.

[bdh13 1]

Just in my personal experience even though my inline league does not mandate facial protection the majority of players wear at least a visor, the majority are in full cages.

That's interesting. I don't play roller anymore but I always felt safer without a cage. Maybe it was some perception that the puck moved faster on ice because I usually wear a cage there. I just wondered if others did the same.

[MatthewRoach7 130]

We use most of the NCAA rules in our games but nothing about eye protection. Most guys have something tho. We are ugly enough as it is and don't wanna fall any further down the line.