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Player Safety

Concussion Information

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a brain injury. Concussions are caused by a bump or blow to the head. Even a “ding,” “getting your bell run, “ or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.

You can’t see a concussion. Signs and symptoms of concussion can show up right after the injury or may not appear or be noticed until days or weeks after the injury. If your child reports any symptoms of concussion, or if you notice the
symptoms yourself, seek medical attention right away.


Heads Up, Don't Duck

Heads Up, Don't Duck

Here are a few tips on how to help prevent neck injuries:

  • Rule #1 - HEADS UP, DON'T DUCK
  • Hit the boards or goal posts with an arm, a leg or anything but your head first.
  • Skate into the boards on an angle to dig out the puck.
  • Taking a check: Keep your head out of it. Skates parallel to the boards, knees bent, low center of gravity. Skate through the check and get away quickly.
  • No checking from behind. It’s illegal, dangerous and bad hockey.
  • Wear a snug-fitting, HECC-certified helmet in good shape, plus full facial protection.
  • Use a mouth guard every time you’re on the ice.

When you hit the ice this season, remember Heads Up, Don't Duck and you can help make hockey a safer game to play. 


General Player Safety

5 Suggestions for a Safe and Successful Season

09/29/2014, 11:30am CDT
 
By Minnesota Hockey
 

Every parent wants their child to experience success. On and off the ice, kids should have the chance to have fun, to taste victory, to enjoy being around their friends and to feel their confidence grow as their skills improve. Those things are often the focal point of hockey season for parents and coaches, and rightfully so. After all, those are the reason most kids enjoy playing sports.

However, we occasionally take for granted the one thing that is more important and has to happen before kids can have success – ensuring their safety. Here are five simple suggestions that will increase the likelihood of your player having a safe and healthy season so that you can focus on helping them have success.

Buy a Water Bottle

One of the first lessons kids are taught at a young age is how to share.  That isn’t always the best idea when it comes to staying healthy though, especially for athletes.  One of the top recommendations for preventing the flu is that each player should have his/her own water bottle.  Sharing water bottles has been shown to increase the likelihood of catching and spreading the flu.

Cover Your Coconut

The first step to protecting your child from potential head injuries is having a helmet and mouth guard that fit properly.  If you aren’t sure about sizing, visit a local hockey store or ask one of your association’s experienced coaches.

In addition, each child over the age of 10 should be taken in for a baseline concussion test. The only way to effectively diagnose and treat a concussion is to compare post-injury results to your child’s brain performance before the injury. Even if it doesn’t seem necessary now, you will be grateful you have it if your child does incur a concussion. Plus, you can get a baseline test for free this November at our Concussion Clinics.

Heads Up, Don’t Duck!

For those of you that have played hockey, this one may seem obvious, but we aren’t just worried about seeing your opponent coming or noticing where your teammates are. The primary cause of neck injuries in hockey is when players hit the boards with their head down.  Continuously teaching and reminding players to pick their head up, especially around the boards, is critical to their safety. 

Watch as Jenny Potter and Ryan Suter show how keeping your head up helps prevent potential neck and spinal injuries.

Don’t Shy Away From Contact

It may seem contrary to the ultimate goal of player safety, but teaching players at younger ages how to be confident and comfortable with body contact plays a crucial role in their safety at higher levels. Players at the Mite/8U level should be put in situations where contact occurs so that they get used to how to position their body.  Then, players should be taught a progression of body contact skills as they grow older and stronger.