Bomb expert designs better hockey helmet

Here's what every parent wants - better protection for their child's noggin.
But who knew the design would come from a near-hockeyless nation like the United Kingdom. We could've guessed it'd be designed by a bomb expert.
Here's the link to the headgear story.

Rink roof collapses at end of minor hockey practice

Incredible video from inside the collapse of an arena roof in Slovakia just as a minor hockey practice was ending, posted by Puck Daddy.

It reminds me of a more tragic minor hockey arena roof collapse in 1959 in Listowel, Ont., where seven peewee hockey players and the recreation director were crushed to death.

Sportsmanship!

Nice story in the Ottawa Citizen points out great minor hockey sportsmanship at the recent Bell Capital Cup tournament.
Good stuff.

PM's home ice

Here's a nice piece in the National Post that mentions the arena where Prime Minister Stephen Harper played his minor hockey in Toronto. Wonder if he'll donate to the effort to build a second pad?
A tip of the hat to a Facebook hockey nut for pointing out the story

Girls' hockey confronts sexual abuse case

An unexpected twist in the latest case of a minor hockey volunteer charged with a sexual offence against a young player: The former coach is female and the victim, a 14-year-old girl.
The Fairbanks, Alaska, Daily News-Miner has the story.
There have been cases like this before - the worst being Canada's Graham James whose victims included future NHLers Theo Fleury and Sheldon Kennedy - but this is the first I remember reading involving girls' hockey, a female coach and female victim.
Hopefully Alaska minor hockey has a program like Speak Out - and take it seriously.

Referee, coach faces sexual assault charge

Minor hockey coach and referee in Fairbanks, Alaska,  faces sexual assault charges.
Not to pass judgment on the charges, but it is another, too frequent, example of why parents and organizations have to pay attention.

Canada's loss at World Juniors no big deal

Here's a memo for anyone upset about Canada losing 6-5 to the Russians at the World Juniors: Canada's best teenage hockey players are already in the NHL, not playing for the national team in this tournament.
The best teens from Russia, Sweden, the U.S. et al haven't yet proven themselves to win pro jobs.
Imagine if the Canadian junior team had included players such as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, born in 1993, and already a dominant player for the Edmonton Oilers? Ditto Tyler Seguin of the Boston Bruins.
All due praise to the Russian kids, and best of luck in the gold medal game. But remember, despite the loss, Canada still is the world factory for producing elite teen hockey players.

When referees support fighting in kids' hockey

Fighting in minor hockey happens and is usually not a big deal with appropriate penalties dished out - usually involving suspensions.
But what happens when referees are not with the program, either through flawed on-ice judgment or bad position which prevents them from seeing events transpire?
And what happens when a kid trying to follow the rules and is unwilling to fight finds himself being assaulted on the ice?
It unfolded before my eyes last night as our undermanned juvenile team played in yet another lopsided recreational game. Nothing big was on the line, few really cared who won or lost. It's nothing more than an hour of exercise, little different than a high school gym class.
A forward skates after a loose puck, he's tripped by an opposing player and slides into the feet of the goalie who's come out of the net to play the puck. The goalie is upended, one of his teammates makes a b-line for the forward lying on the ice and starts tugging at his helmet cage, trying I suppose to dislodge it to better hit his face. The forward has never fought in hockey, tries to cover up and wait a seemingly long time for the adult referees to pull off his attacker.
The penalties? Both players get 5 minutes even though it was an on-ice assault, not a fight. Even though a trip resulted in the collision with the out-of-crease goalie.
The secondary penalty? Questions from teammates why the forward didn't fight back.
He didn't fight back because he was playing by the rules and trusted the referees to do the same.
Meanwhile, he's out shopping for a new cage as the one from last night is now mangled, an additional monetary penalty for wanting to play by the rules in game that's only, supposedly, about fun, friends and fitness.
Next time I see Hockey Canada's president on TV wringing his hands about declining enrolment and reaching out to kids to stay in the game, I might suggest he check with the referees and ask them why they think kids leave.