Lesson #5: Safety gear, skates, and accessories =============================================== *by Stephen Lorimor / Axis of Stevil* `Watch this lesson on YouTube `_ Last updated: January 9, 2019 Mandatory Safety gear --------------------- - Required gear: helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, and mouthguard - Mouthguards are not required for referees - Skaters are not required to wear safety gear that provides no medical benefit - Example: a wristguard for a skater with a missing hand - Example: a mouthguard for a skater missing so many teeth it cannot be fitted properly - Helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards - Must have a hard shell or insert - Partially cracked shells can be taped over - Fully cracked shells must be replaced and are not allowed - Loose velcro on pads or wrist guards must be taped down at the referee’s discretion. - Helmet - Cage-style face shields are not permitted - Visors are legal provided they are designed for use with the helmet - Visors must be transparent, meaning the wearer can be distinctly seen - Mirrored and iridium visors are not permitted - Visors must be fixed in place during game play (ie; not raised). - Helmet should have little play when moved side-to-side or front-to-back - Chin strap should not impede breathing but should be tight enough to prevent sliding - Straps should form a short V under the ear, not a long V under the neck. - Elbow pads / knee pads - Pads should be secure on the arm/leg when lightly tugged up and down - Pads should be properly centered over the elbow/knee, not overly high or low. - Elbow pads with a padded (not hard) shell are not allowed - This includes pads that are soft until impact (at which point they become a hard shell). - Wrist guards - When palms are up, the hard shells or insert may be on the top, bottom, or both. - Mouth guard - Trimming of mouth guard is allowed, but it must be in one piece. Optional safety gear -------------------- - May not have a hard shell - Padded shorts - Knee or ankle supports - May have a hard shell - Chin guards - Turtle shell bras - Shin guards - Tailbone protectors - Form-fitting face shields (ex: nose guard) Skates, accessories, and casts ------------------------------ - Skates must be quad-style skates. Players are not allowed to use in-line skates, although referees may use them. - Skates are not safety gear. They are entirely the purview of the skater. - Skates must be functional and intact. A jam may be called off or a skater may be ordered from a jam due to equipment failure at the referee’s discretion. - Toe stops are not required equipment. - Accessories are permitted so long as they have no sharp edges, internal wires, or anything capable of harming another skater. - Jewelry, belts, safety pins, spikes, or anything that might pose a hazard to other skaters are disallowed. - Casts are permitted if they do not pose a hazard to other skaters. - They do not require padding. - A wrist guard is not required over a cast that extends to the wrist. Other rules and requirements ---------------------------- - Roster numbers - May not be affixed to the uniform with safety pins (hazard) or tape (falls off) - Captains and alternates - The captain and alternate must sport a C (or A) on their uniform, clothing, or arm. - All off-skates personnel (NSOs, photographers, coaches, etc.) must wear closed-toed shoes - Exception: those beyond 15’ from the outside track line or behind a raised barrier. - A skater whose injury alters the flow of the game must sit out the next three jams. - This includes stopping the game clock, causing a jam to prematurely end, or requiring a substitution in the penalty box. - A second occurance from the same skater in a period requires they sit out the remainder of the period. Penalties related to safety gear -------------------------------- - “Illegal procedure” + optional cue indicating the violation - For removing required safety equipment during a jam (including to/from the box) - For removing required safety equipment while in the penalty box. - Mouthguards may be removed while seated in the box, but must be replaced prior to exiting. - Straps can be adjusted without penalty - A skater in the box may not remove gear to fix or adjust it. To do so, after being released from the box they must leave the track area. - This includes both during and between jams.