Junior SafetyWhilst junior hockey may seem like a accident waiting
to happen, the reality is that it is a amazingly safe game that prohibits contact
and rewards the agile and skillful. Something that is drilled into the juniors from
all the way through their training is that hockey is not a contact sport and how
to play the game in a safe manner.
Unfortunately, as with any activity, accidents will happen so there is a minimum
of safety equipment that is needed for all hockey activity (training and matches).
Shinpads
Hockey is played with a hard, small ball that moves along the ground pretty fast
(not to mention the sticks trying to hit that ball) . For that reason hockey has
its own design of shinpads designed to protect the ankles and shins. It is worth
noting that football shinpads are designed to handle a completely different sort
of challenge and do not have any of the ankle
protection and impact absorbsion properties
that are needed (the good thing is that a pair of hockey shinpads will provide lots
of protection during football).
We do keep some shinpads that can be used at training sessions for new players so
anyone can turn up and try hockey in safety but we would ask that if you are going
to keep coming down (and their is no reason why you won't) then we would encourage
you to invest in a set (we often carry some stock for sale so please ask at training).
Buying hockey shinpads is best done at either a local sports shop (a real one, not
one that that just has 100 varieties of football strip!) or at an on-line hockey
specialist (try
Barrington Sports
or
The Hockey Factory Shop).
Gumshields When it comes to gumshields, we only recommend
one type and strongly suggest that all players wear one. Teeth are one of the few
areas that can't repair themselves and rare that it is, even once is too often.
There are many on the market but we would encourage you to look at the
o.pro Mouthguard
that is a properly fitted protecter (either through a dental visit or a home kit).
Please avoid those d.i.y ones that you have to boil and bite as we feel that they
do not provide the protection required and can introduce many risks of their own.
We normally have brochures on these at training and will are looking at getting a club fitting
arranged of which we will let you know more when we have some some solid information.
Other Items Other areas needed
are:
- a good pair of trainers, preferably designed for astroturf as these will provide better footing.
- A full water bottle, as dehydration causes more accidents through lapses of concentration