Junior B hockey players across the province will be wearing full face protection next season.

In a memorandum sent this week to BC HockeyB次元官网网址檚 Junior Committee, Chief Executive Officer Barry Petrachenko stated the BC Hockey board of directors B次元官网网址渉as mandated that full face protection is required by all BC Hockey Junior B players starting for the 2018-2019 season.B次元官网网址�

The requirement will go into effect in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL), two B.C. teams in the North West Junior Hockey League (Fort St. John Huskies and the Dawson Creek Junior Canucks). It also covers the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) B次元官网网址� where the Peninsula Panthers in North Saanich have already adopted the change this season.

The change will not be implemented at the Junior A level in B.C., or in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

PanthersB次元官网网址� Governor and General Manager Pete Zubersky alongside BC Hockey in August, prior to the start of the 2018 B次元官网网址� 2018 season.

B次元官网网址淓verybody in this league B次元官网网址� can think of a time when a visor or face cage could have prevented an injury,B次元官网网址� Zubersky said at the time.

Petrachenko said during the summer that BC Hockey supports PeninsulaB次元官网网址檚 move to prevent player injury. He said Zubersky met with him earlier this year, after VIJHL league meetings resulted in no solid action to adopt full face protection. At the time, Petrachenko said change takes time and BC Hockey will be looking at statistics over the season and will speak with its other junior hockey member associations about further action.

President of the VIJHL Barb Byrne says the league did not adopt full face shields this season, as the team ownership was split on the issue. As well, adopting the policy would require teams to buy new equipment. She said by the time the discussion was on the table, most teams already had their budgets set for the season.

B次元官网网址淧ete (Zubersky) was adamant that it was the right thing to do,B次元官网网址� Byrne said. B次元官网网址淎nd he was in a better position to do it that some of the other teams.B次元官网网址�

Byrne said she supports the BC Hockey edict for next season, noting that Zubersky B次元官网网址渨as visionaryB次元官网网址� and forward-thinking in adopting the policy for the Panthers.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great news for everybody, especially our players,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e are a developmental league and we donB次元官网网址檛 want to be assisting in disabling or disfiguring them.B次元官网网址�

Byrne said adopting full face protection for the players will have an immediate impact by reducing the amount of face injuries and dental claims. Not only will it ensure better player safety, but Byrne added it will save the league and its teams insurance costs.

She said last season saw around four or five different face injuries and approximately $40,000 in dental claims.

Byrne noted the leagueB次元官网网址檚 members met around 10 days ago, where the subject was raised. She said they are still talking and plan to do so on January 8. On the table is discussion on whether the league B次元官网网址� or individual teams B次元官网网址� will be responsible for purchasing the face shields prior to next season.

There was some player resistance to the change among the Panthers, Zubersky said, but after a few games they have become used to it. Players spend their entire minor hockey years wearing full face protection and would generally drop it at higher levels.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 been a learning curve in the VIJHL this season, as a result of the PanthersB次元官网网址檚 face shields. Byrne said thereB次元官网网址檚 been some issues within the league over how rules and penalties are interpreted by the referees.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been a feeling that the rules are being called differently,B次元官网网址� she said, adding it will be a topic at upcoming league meetings.

PanthersB次元官网网址� coach Brad Tippett said his players are now used to the face shields and the referees in the league had adapted as well. On Saturday night, he said one of his players was struck in the face by an inadvertent stick and continued to play as normal.

B次元官网网址淚f he hadnB次元官网网址檛 been wearing that (shield) he might have lost some of his teeth,B次元官网网址� Tippett said.

Tippett said the team set out to better protect their players. He added hockey is heading in this direction anyway, so they just got out ahead of the curve. Tippett said he wears a full face shield when he plays old timers hockey.

B次元官网网址淚 couldnB次元官网网址檛 ask the players to do it if I wasnB次元官网网址檛 willing to do it myself.B次元官网网址�

editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
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