(1.)       Carolyn Buck of Springfield, NJ, the mother of a young squirt player, sent in a letter to The Messier Project on a very important subject – checking in youth hockey and teaching safe play in the game.  Carolyn asks what has been done in the past 10 years to change body checking and promote safe play, and she feels that 11 years old is too young to start checking.  Mark – what are your thoughts on checking in youth hockey, your thoughts on safe play and what we need to teach our youth players at an early age, and how safer checking and safe play in general can contribute to better protection against concussion and other injuries?

“Thank for bringing up this important topic, Carolyn.  Checking in hockey – especially at the youth level – is something I think about and speak about often.

The fast-paced, physical nature of hockey is what makes it exciting, and it is an integral part of the game.  But I think it is extremely important that we teach our kids at an early age how to hit, how to take a hit, and how to respect each other both on and off the ice.  It is part of our responsibility as youth coaches, mentors and stewards of the game to teach our kids this part of the game so that later on, as they move through the sport, they become responsible for taking their safety into their own hands.

We’ve changed the rules and many are working to eliminate checking and hitting to make the youth game safer.  But eliminating this aspect of the game, even at the youth level, does more harm than good in my opinion.  By trying to protect our kids with rule changes that define how we can hit, when we can hit and where we can hit, I think we’ve given our youth players a false sense of protection and in turn they have lost the protective instincts that are so important in the sport of hockey.  It is these protective instincts that must be fostered and taught at a young age.

I have perhaps a different perspective on this than most, likely because of the era I grew up and played youth and minor hockey in.  I grew up playing countless hours of shinny on the outdoor rinks in my hometown.  I grew up playing hockey knowing full well that I had to protect myself at all times.  You can’t expect everyone to play by the rules.  With this cemented in my mind at an early age, I moved through my career playing 20 years as a minor hockey player and 26 years as a professional.

Today, I think that by trying so hard to protect our kids, we have left them defenseless.  Our game will never be one that is danger free, but players don’t go in to a game thinking they are going to get hurt.  The speed at which the game is played, along with the power that is generated, has never been higher.  We need to arm our kids with the knowledge of how to protect themselves at all times, and in different situations.  The earlier we do this the better.  It is all about a balance between teaching safe play, protection instincts and making equipment decisions that best protect our players.

One of the missions of The Messier Project is to work with coaches, players, parents and the game’s stakeholders, across all levels, to encourage safe play.  While better equipment and new technology, such as that within the M11, do help better protect players, it is only one part of the solution.  Encouraging safe play is extremely important and I think that teaching kids how to give and take a check is critical.”

(2.)       Troy Traux, a visitor to The Messier Project.com and the Captain’s Blog, has raised an important point about chinstraps and how many players wear them very loose – which is dangerous.  Mark, can you share your thoughts on the importance of a well-fitting helmet, a properly worn chin strap, and how this all contributes to the safety of hockey players across all levels?

“Thanks for bringing attention to the chinstrap issue, Troy.  You are exactly right, even the most protective helmet can only protect you if it stays on your head when a collision occurs.

The correct way to wear the chinstrap is to have it securely attached to the helmet and adjusted for a snug fit.  In part because of the velocity that players are being hit these days, there is a tendency for the helmet to rise up on impact – so it is extremely important that the chinstrap be worn tightly so that the strap and the entire helmet fit snugly and ultimately stay on.

The Pro Fit system on our new M11 helmet is a dynamic contour system that creates a 360° degree fit for high comfort and performance. The ProFit draws the helmet in and around the head using a 15-point micro-adjustment system that sits low on the back of the head and eliminates pressure points and ensures a snug fit so that the helmet stays on.

It is imperative that we educate the players on protecting themselves, and the consequence of not doing so.  While players must take responsibility when it comes to protecting themselves in wearing their equipment properly and tightening their chinstrap, I think it is also necessary that we implement new rules that mandate a player must wear the equipment the way it made to protect them.”

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