Litigation

Helmets for Hockey Coaches

By Michael Kaplen

I have always said that parents and coaches need to set the right example and wear helmets themselves when engaging in sporting activities.  A recent policy in Canada implemented will require all minor league Hockey Coaches to wear helmets themselves.  This policy is in addition to the requirement that players wear helmets.

The new regulation, which went into effect December 1st, 2008, had been in the works for some time, and is meant to prevent the kinds of head injuries which saw one coach slip, hit the ice, and fracture his skull, while another similar accident put a second coach in a coma. A tragic third incident, this past October, saw Strathmore midget AAA coach Ron Ebbesen die after falling to the ice and striking his head.
 
 
To help ensure the new rule is followed, the policy states that BC Hockey will withdraw its sanctioning of an event if a minor hockey coach or on-ice personnel does not wear a CSA approved helmet. 

U.S. leagues need to implement similar policies to prevent brain injuries from occurring.

The best cure for a brain injury is prevention!

Full post as published by Brain Injury News and Information on December 14, 2008 (boomark / email).