Mandatory Helmets in Canada

[Orianna2000]

I just found this news article and thought I'd share it. Apparently, helmets are now mandatory in Canada, for Skate Canada students up through skating level 5.

See the Article Here.

(Sorry if this has already been posted. I looked and didn't see it anywhere.)

[Skittl1321]

For comparison, can someone explain what the skills at this level are? A quick google search didn't clarify for me.

[learning_as_i_go]

I have to say helping out with the CanSkaters first days on the ice most people didn't have an issue abou the helmet.  A few brought the wrong kind but understood when we explained it had to be an approved Hockey helmet. 

From one of my kids record sheets - this is from the old/current system - all will be changing on to the new format in the next year or so and I don't have that to hand....


Stage 5 Power

Fwd circle thrusts clockwise
Fwd circle thrusts counterclockwise
Fwd Crosscuts in a figure 8 pattern
edge develepoment (step/step/step and hold on alternating curves) FO an FI

Bwd circle thrusts clockwise
Bwd circle thrusts counterclockwise

one-foot side stop

turning on a curve bwd to fwd changing feet LBO-FRO or RBO-LFO and LBI-RFI or RBI-LFI

Fwd one-foot spin (more than one revolution)
one-foot back-spin (one revolution)

One-foot jump fwd to bwd
Fwd power jump

Optional challenge skills:
shoot-the-duck
bwd lateral movement
fast bwd start from the side stop
fwd 4 spoke wheel (min 8 skaters)

[Sk8tmum]

The mandatory helmet rule came in a couple of years ago, and applies to all skaters who have not passed their Stage 5 badge - including adults, and in competitions - and baby synchro skaters.  The helments have to be CSA approved HOCKEY helmets - not bike, skiing, etc helmets which do not offer adequate protection for falls on the ice.

My guys have been coaching in Canskate for quite a few years.  They have had no problems with the helmet rule:  The helmets are light to wear, they generally have "openings" for hearing purposes, and there is no visibility problem for "seeing". 

Many clubs had rules requiring helmets up to certain levels; this has standardized it for all clubs and for all coaches. 

[Skittl1321]

I think it is an excellent rule.   It would lower our LTS registration for sure, not because people think it is 'uncool' but because of the added expense.  Most of the kids who skate her do so for about 2 months a year, and rarely past Basic 4 or 5 (so low commitment).  Only a small percent of them have any of their own equipment.   They just want to learn to skate so they can go to birthday parties.

I'd love to see helmets be more common.  I wish there was a way they could be rental equipment.

[retired]

There's been some changes in municipal rinks as well, I have noticed that all of the rinks that I've been at lately have notices for helmets on their public skates and I've heard it from the schools as well.  No matter what level of skating ability, all rinks require helmets up to age 12. 

The Canskate change is good.  All programs that I've been involved in have just said, helmets for everyone on the program.  There's been some quibbles from old school coaches with kids in private lessons, they have been told by rinks that the kids have to have helmets back on if the kids are skating at a Canskate level.    A very rough guideline to be able to take off the helmet would be the ability to do back crossovers.

All of my rinks have loaner helmets.  Nice parents from the hockey association supplied them 

[jjane45]

I'm curious what percentage of skaters continue to wear helmet / head protection once they pass the level and it's no longer mandatory?

[learning_as_i_go]

At our rink - they all keep it on in stage 6.  Those diverting to our junior program probably about 1/4 are wearing them.  By the time the are learning a solo most have taken them off (I've seen 1 this year still wearing theirs). 

[Sk8tmum]

I'm curious what percentage of skaters continue to wear helmet / head protection once they pass the level and it's no longer mandatory?

In lessons, here, I would say .00001%.  And they don't wear them when they hit public skate regardless of level ... which is even riskier than a controlled LTS session.

You see, if you're still wearing a helmet, then, you're "only at THAT level" - so intense peer pressure gets the helmet off.

On an amusing note ... when my kid was skating Junior Silver (which is fairly high up in the Canadian testing system) - we were still required to provide a helmet for a school skating trip.  Could land a 2LZ, but, had to wear a helmet regardless !

[learning_as_i_go]

Our School board requires anyone on the ice to wear a helmet - teachers, parents, kids - regardless of level.  Was really funny watching my middle one try and do a really fast spin wearing a helmet - looked so top heavy!

I saw this on the news at the beginning of the year - all kids on public ice under the age of 10 must wear a helmet regardless of ability.  Also weak skaters of any age - would love to see what they count as weak skating and if they are enforcing it with adults....
http://www.ctvnews.ca/next-month-kids-must-wear-helmets-at-ottawa-indoor-rinks-1.738616

[SynchKat]

I tried renting ice at a private school and they told me don't even bother because everyone is required to wear a helmet on the ice. 

Also I know with our city rinks they require proper helmets too because our neighbours were mad they wouldnt allow their daughter on with a bike helmet.  I was shocked they would be mad since wearing a proper helmet is kind of important for a child and theirs at the time was 3 so kind of a no brainer to me.

[Sk8tmum]

Gotta love the parent who will drop $175 on a Zuca, another couple of hundred on skating clothes ... and complain bitterly because they have to buy a hockey helmet when "in their opinion" a bike helmet is "just as good" - or the $10 "skating helmet" they bought at the local sporting good store that's 5 pieces of thin plastic joined together with rivets ...

Or Grandma who tells little Bitsy that she should't wear that "ugly" helmet because "Grandma likes to see your pretty face and hair" - (had that one dropped on me during an ice carnival, and the kid went into hysterics because "Grandma SAID"!)

My DD is a rink patrol; she sees lots of kids who are barely tottering out on the ice with no helmets ... and she's the one who gets to pick them up and check them out when they smack themselves on the ice while the parent stands there freaking because little Bobby or Sally "has HIT THEIR HEAD!". 

[nicklaszlo]

Recently it has been claimed that it is better not to require helmets for bicycling.  The reasoning was that requiring helmets discourages riding so much that cardiovascular disease, etc. increases more than head injuries decrease.

Do helmets discourage participation in figure skating?  Do they make skating seem more dangerous?  Is the cost too high for LTS/public skaters?

Does skating improve public health, or are most skaters already from wealthy, healthy demographics?

[retired]

At our rink - they all keep it on in stage 6.  Those diverting to our junior program probably about 1/4 are wearing them.  By the time the are learning a solo most have taken them off (I've seen 1 this year still wearing theirs).

Considering that the first level to compete a solo requires that the skater is doing a loop jump, I would have hoped that they would have taken it off by then!!

[learning_as_i_go]

Considering that the first level to compete a solo requires that the skater is doing a loop jump, I would have hoped that they would have taken it off by then!!

Things are a bit different here - first solo only includes a waltz and a salchow for comps out of club.  I was more thinking about kids learning solos for fun club comps - for that I've seen the odd kid begin to learn a solo their solo with a helmet on 

[jjane45]

Do helmets discourage participation in figure skating?  Do they make skating seem more dangerous?  Is the cost too high for LTS/public skaters?

Does skating improve public health, or are most skaters already from wealthy, healthy demographics?

To me recreational ice skating is comparable to roller skating, and wearing a helmet does not seem to be a problem there.