Effective December 1st, all coach's participating in on ice practice sessions within BC will be required to wear Helmets. VMHA will be coming out with a program shortly in regards to a Helmet program in which coach's will be able to purchase Helmets from the association at a discounted rate, should they be in need of one. Please read the bulletin from BC Hockey below...
BC Hockey announced today that steps will be taken to increase the level of safety for coaches taking part in on-ice activities. At meetings held this past weekend in Richmond, the BC Hockey Executive Committee passed a motion which will effectively require all coaches to wear a helmet during team practices. A directive was issued today to all member minor hockey associations in BC and the Yukon notifying them of the requirement, which will take effect on December 1, 2008. “The decision is viewed as a necessary step in the evolution of safety requirements for hockey participants, and has been in development over the past couple of years” noted BC Hockey Risk Manager Randy Henderson. “We had put our plans on hold in anticipation of a national directive on the subject, but when we received word last week from the Hockey Canada Safety and Risk Management Committee that the release of a national policy was not imminent our Board decided it was time to take action here in BC.” The decision sets out that failure to wear a helmet by a coach at practice will result in the pulling of BC Hockey’s sanction of the practice. Unsanctioned activities are not covered by the association’s insurance policy. The new policy will mean that all coaches who participate on-ice with their players will be required to wear a CSA approved helmet. “This policy is being introduced with the coach’s safety in mind” added Henderson.
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