Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/60989
Players Protected? Are Your After wearing full facial protection in college, players like Derek Stepan (left) can make the transition to wear half shields once they turn pro. players over the age of 18 must wear full facial protection. Some are working to change that, and have been for some time. PAGE That may be changing, as a transition away from full facial protection is gaining some steam, to the point where some predict that shields will be standard issue for college players as soon as next season. It's a debate that has been around for decades, and has some coaches and athletic administrators envisioning what they feel is a long-overdue change in college hockey, while some in the medical community are urging cautious steps forward. "I wear a half shield now," said Stepan, who played two seasons at the University of Wisconsin. "Guys our age in the Canadian Hockey League are wearing half shields, so I don't see why the college teams can't do it." It's a sentiment echoed by many on the college side who see the full mask as a poten- tial impediment to recruiting. It has been noted that American college hockey is the only level of the sport in the world where "I was chair of the rules committee back in the '90s and we used to send this proposal forward every year," said Joe Bertagna, the commissioner of Hockey East. "It was always sent back and denied, and the thinking was, 'how can you take something away and make the game safer?' But it's an issue that a number of people have never let die. The challenge is to get past the medical people." Perhaps the most prominent of the "med- ical people" in this debate approached it from a multi-pronged perspective. Dr. Michael Stuart of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is the lone American member of the IIHF's Medical Committee. He's also a hockey dad, with two sons, Mark and Colin, who played college hockey at Colorado College, and who currently skate in the NHL. Mark is a defenseman with the Winnipeg Jets, while Colin has spent time with the Atlanta Thrashers and Buffalo Sabres. Stuart acknowledges that coaches and administrators have solid reasoning in urg- ing a reduction in the size of the facial pro- tection for collegians, but he says that such efforts should accompany a full realization of what is at risk. "I certainly see some advantage to it, and I respect the opinions of people who think that we should take [full facemasks] off," Stuart said. "But I think you have to be very careful about mandating the type of visor, mandating that the helmet stays on the head. Be prepared to accept the fact that there likely will be more facial Try SportsSignup for Free! www.SportsSignup.com/hockey 1-866-975-8600 Authorized user of the USA Hockey Confirmation Web Service Copyright ©2003-2012 League Sports Services, LLC; all rights reserved USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM APRIL/MAY.2012 27 SportsSignup understands how important it is to you that your athletes are protected. Not just with secure online registration, but being prepared for concussions and checking the backgrounds of those who interact with your players. Volunteer Background Check System Online Registration System - Sports Management and Financial Tracking KidSafePlus® - Online Coach & Axon Sports - Online Baseline Testing for Concussion Management Why SportsSignup? • Trusted by thousands of sports organizations • System is easy to learn and easy to use • Players & Coaches can register online 24/7 • Secure credit card payment processing • Affordable, no-contract pricing • Real humans when you need support • You own your data - not us! SCAN NOW TO LEARN MORE DON'T DELAY!