I’m a goalie. I wore neck guards for 40 years. 3 times I had slices from skates that cut through the fabric and into the plastic underneath. Yes they are a bit warmer but I think being alive is more important. Nowadays with Kevlar they can be much lighter and cooler. Maybe even more area for a sponsor. 🙄.
I don't know about other countries, but in Canada, kids were mandated to wear neck guards when they started playing minor hockey. Uncomfortable, hot, sweaty as they are, they grow up playing with that and are used to it. If a neck guard can make a difference between dying with blood gushing out form an open-throat cut to just the destruction of a $50 piece of gear, for the life of me I cannot understand why leagues would not just mandate the use of that, much like how they mandated the use of helmets back in the day – grandfather current players that neck guards are recommended but optional, but all players entering the league must wear a neck guard at all times. Such mandates were made before for helmets, and should be made again now.
The bottom line is that the police in England are investigating the Adam Johnson tragedy as a crime. I watched the footage 20 times and it doesn't appear to be an accident. A deliberate kick in the neck by a notoriously dirty player with a litany offences, including assaulting referees.
3 Comments
I’m a goalie. I wore neck guards for 40 years. 3 times I had slices from skates that cut through the fabric and into the plastic underneath. Yes they are a bit warmer but I think being alive is more important. Nowadays with Kevlar they can be much lighter and cooler. Maybe even more area for a sponsor. 🙄.
I don't know about other countries, but in Canada, kids were mandated to wear neck guards when they started playing minor hockey. Uncomfortable, hot, sweaty as they are, they grow up playing with that and are used to it. If a neck guard can make a difference between dying with blood gushing out form an open-throat cut to just the destruction of a $50 piece of gear, for the life of me I cannot understand why leagues would not just mandate the use of that, much like how they mandated the use of helmets back in the day – grandfather current players that neck guards are recommended but optional, but all players entering the league must wear a neck guard at all times. Such mandates were made before for helmets, and should be made again now.
The bottom line is that the police in England are investigating the Adam Johnson tragedy as a crime. I watched the footage 20 times and it
doesn't appear to be an accident. A deliberate kick in the neck by a notoriously dirty player with a litany offences, including assaulting referees.