Helmets Compulsory

mickol

I dont know what anybody else feels about Helmets being compulsory from Jan 1st .

My Own point of view is that it should be compulsory up to under-21 grade and after that it should be down to the choice of a grown adult.

I can appreciate the rationale behind it but I still think it should be optional. Specifically i think Goalkeepers who for the most part dont wear helmets might be a bit distracted by them. Anyone else think likewise

manutd

John Mullane will not be happy with this, i think make it compulsory up to under-21 grade and the goalkeppers will not be happy, the lad on RTE last night said that O'Neills will have to re-design a helmet for goalkeppers.

mrgaa1

helmets should be compulsory for all and as usual its the few who are complaining. The majority of players all wear them so it makes sense. If only one persons life is saved then its worthwhile - isn't it?
It was like the seat belt - no-one wanted to wear them but it happened - and now we all wear them without thinking of it.

manutd

mrgaa1 wrote: »

helmets should be compulsory for all and as usual its the few who are complaining. The majority of players all wear them so it makes sense. If only one persons life is saved then its worthwhile - isn't it?
It was like the seat belt - no-one wanted to wear them but it happened - and now we all wear them without thinking of it.

That is a fair point, but look at John Mullane, ever worn one and it will block the goalkeppers view.

Clareman

manutd wrote: »

That is a fair point, but look at John Mullane.

Very good point, look at John Mullane, how many matches does he have to go off in to get stitches? I was trying to think of sports like hurling and all I can think of is Ice Hockey and Lacross, far more covering. The GAA didn't have an option but to have it all or not, it'd be very difficult to police this at all grades, it's not just senior inter county that has to be worried about, it's club senior, intermediate, junior A, B and C, it's best to have it all or nothing, imvho

premierstone

manutd wrote: »

That is a fair point, but look at John Mullane, ever worn one and it will block the goalkeppers view.

Mullane used to wear a red one before almost certain

mickol

premierstone wrote: »

Mullane used to wear a red one before almost certain

No that was his hair

Anyway i agree about the saving lives etc...but statistically speaking ...how many people have died because of not wearing helmets when you consider the amount of games played every year and down through the years ... i was just looking for a few opinions ... i'm not overly concerned either way ...although the goalkeeper's position may need some looking at

premierstone

mickol wrote: »

No that was his hair

Anyway i agree about the saving lives etc...but statistically speaking ...how many people have died because of not wearing helmets when you consider the amount of games played every year and down through the years ... i was just looking for a few opinions ... i'm not overly concerned either way ...although the goalkeeper's position may need some looking at

It would seem that they only really started recording these stats as of 8 years ago and in the last 8 years there have been 310 claims made for eye injuries, 52 of which the claimant was hospitialised and 6 players were permanently blinded in the injured eye.

cruiserweight

premierstone wrote: »

It would seem that they only really started recording these stats as of 8 years ago and in the last 8 years there have been 310 claims made for eye injuries, 52 of which the claimant was hospitialised and 6 players were permanently blinded in the injured eye.

Do you have a link to that stats, out of interest. I am all for anything that will improve player safety. Also I have always worn a helmet when playing hurling, so I can not see what the big deal is with players not wanting to wear them

romah

have ye seen the price of the helmets lately ...i saw €85 marked somewhere

rip off ?? ...or the price of health and safety..

premierstone

cruiserweight wrote: »

Do you have a link to that stats, out of interest. I am all for anything that will improve player safety. Also I have always worn a helmet when playing hurling, so I can not see what the big deal is with players not wanting to wear them

Sorry cruiser they are taken form an article in the examiner today in work so cant post the link here, can do so this evening after work if someone doesnt have it up by then.

In relation to the big deal, the problem is for example Donal Og or Brendan Cummins veterans of the game in hte latter part of their carrers but still very much at the top of the game have never worn one in their live and are now expected to not only wear a helmet but a vision restricting visior aswell and actually now that I think of it you are a wexford man right?? Damien Fitzhenry will be in the same boat, it is a big ask for these guys and personally from my own club here in Tipp I know last year we had 4 players who didnt wear a helmet and a further two who wore no visiors, I have recently been talking to three of these and two are adamant that they are now retired one is 28 and the other only 29 which for a club goalkeeper is very young.

premierstone

romah wrote: »

have ye seen the price of the helmets lately ...i saw €85 marked somewhere

rip off ?? ...or the price of health and safety..

Hardly a rip -off imo when you consider the potential consequences of not wearing one

Shannonsider

Anything that improves safety should be compulsory. Fair enough its going to be hard for older lads to get used to it but if they don't then that's a pity.

Most young people wear one so instead of whining cos John Mullane won't like it or Donal Og, its about drumming an ethos into the next generation of star players that you HAVE TO wear a helmet. This time next year there won't be a word about it.

A modified goalies helmet should be introduced as the bars can be distracting in goals.

suitcasepink

manutd wrote: »

That is a fair point, but look at John Mullane, ever worn one and it will block the goalkeppers view.

Why do you single out Mullane??
And Premier is spot on about the red helmet. He still wears it sometimes (or a yellow I think) for club games.
I think its a stupid rule, for a hurler in his 30's playing for years why should he be told to start wearing a helmet now? Maybe if it must be brought in have it so under 25 seniors must wear helmets, then under 27 etc Atleast at that stage alot of the under 21s might keep up wearing their helmets so it mightent be as big a deal.

premierstone

Shannonsider wrote: »

Anything that improves safety should be compulsory. Fair enough its going to be hard for older lads to get used to it but if they don't then that's a pity.

Most young people wear one so instead of whining cos John Mullane won't like it or Donal Og, its about drumming an ethos into the next generation of star players that you HAVE TO wear a helmet. This time next year there won't be a word about it.

A modified goalies helmet should be introduced as the bars can be distracting in goals.

Most young players wear one because it has been mandatory at minor level since 2005, one of the more practial solutions would have been to make it compulsary for anyone under 23 or 24 this year and rise this by a year every season untill eventually 100% of players would be wearing one, the only problem off course with this is that while it would be easy to implement at inter-county level it would be perhaps troublesome at club level but not completely unworkable either.

Peace

romah wrote: »

have ye seen the price of the helmets lately ...i saw €85 marked somewhere

rip off ?? ...or the price of health and safety..

Cheaper online - 75 on http://www.mycrosport.com/. Also clubs usually are a lot cheaper than the main sports shops.

Benhonan

deise_girl wrote: »

I think its a stupid rule, for a hurler in his 30's playing for years why should he be told to start wearing a helmet now? Maybe if it must be brought in have it so under 25 seniors must wear helmets, then under 27 etc Atleast at that stage alot of the under 21s might keep up wearing their helmets so it mightent be as big a deal.

A lad in our club is 30 now and just started wearing a helmet for the first time this year - getting your front teeth knocked out for the second time will do that to you.

Browney7

I will always wear a helmet for playing hurling and always have.

I got a terrible belt in the back of the head last year when wearing a mycro helmet when I got split open and had to get 9 staples in the back of my head. It scares me to think what might have happened if I had no helmet on such was the severity of the blow.

suitcasepink

Benhonan wrote: »

A lad in our club is 30 now and just started wearing a helmet for the first time this year - getting your front teeth knocked out for the second time will do that to you.

But that was by choice, no problem with people choosing it but why should they be made too.
Also many hurlers have gotten teeth knocked out. Ever see Ken McGrath?

BQQ

Definitely should be optional for adults.
Grown men can decide for themselves if they want to take the risk.

I'm a hurler looking at early retirement on Jan 1st and i don't think I'm the only one. Can the gaa afford to lose these players?

Shannonsider

Also many hurlers have gotten teeth knocked out. Ever see Ken McGrath?

If ever there was an advertisement for wearing a helmet, Ken McGrath would be it. If anything it should be compulsory for adults - the severity of head injuries is much worse at adult grades than underage.

I too got a belt in the head a few years back and needed 6 stiches. It would have been a lot worse if I had no helmet on.

suitcasepink

Yeh and hes also proof that a grown man should be able to choose if he wears a helmet or not. Apart from the teeth knocked out(that really isnt that uncommon) he hasn't any ongoing problems with his head. Probably has scars but nothing thats stopping him from playing.

2Scoops

Since the vast majority of players now wear helmets by choice, this seems to be unfairly targeting grown men who know the risks and choose not to wear one. It's simply not necessary. Furthermore, if we really care so much about players' injuries and want to nanny them by legislating protective gear, let's go all out and get compulsory ash-guards, compulsory ankle braces and compulsory knee braces, which account for more hurling-related injuries than the head/eye/mouth.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19405315?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=3
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12892715?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=18
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10230172?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=22

To be perfectly honest, this is being pushed through solely by a handful of activist doctors who have the ear of Pat Daly and others within the GAA.

interlocked

Well Amen, A man walks on the field without a helmet, then he accepts the fact that he may get split. but that is that mans choice, whatever happened to individual responsibility.

Nickibaby*

If some player gets their head cracked open one of these days there will be uproar from the public asking why it's not mandatory for players to wear helmets. These older players are role models so they should set an example to the younger ones.

I'd also presume that it would lower insurance?

2Scoops

Nickibaby* wrote: »

If some player gets their head cracked open one of these days there will be uproar from the public asking why it's not mandatory for players to wear helmets.

Eh, no there wouldn't, since it's already happened and no uproar whatsoever.

Nickibaby* wrote: »

These older players are role models so they should set an example to the younger ones.

Young people already have mandatory helmets. Grown adults can make their own decisions.

Nickibaby* wrote: »

I'd also presume that it would lower insurance?

No chance. The insurance companies will not lower premiums once the helmets come in. If that was true, premiums would already have come down because of the rule for u21 and younger - and they haven't.

GEM_13

grown men can be stubborn about these things.its just macho bullsh.t for those who don't want to wear one.i saw a guy a few years back get pulled on across the head.he was lucky not to lose his eye.that woke me up to the fact that helmets should be worn.is there a point going out to play a match and coming back seriously injured or worse because REAL MEN dont need to wear a helmet?

BQQ

GEM_13 wrote: »

grown men can be stubborn about these things.its just macho bullsh.t for those who don't want to wear one.i saw a guy a few years back get pulled on across the head.he was lucky not to lose his eye.that woke me up to the fact that helmets should be worn.is there a point going out to play a match and coming back seriously injured or worse because REAL MEN dont need to wear a helmet?

A couple of months ago, I saw Robin Van Persie get stamped on the head. He was lucky not to lose his eye.
Let's have compulsory helmets for soccer. And anyone who disagrees is a macho a$shole. :rolleyes:

Or maybe people don't want to wear helmets because they obstruct your vision and make you play worse.

Kenteach

Tradition isn't always tradition because its right. Any sport where you have thirty people swinging sticks (in some cases without full control!) should require some form of mandatory protection. The fact that it is only coming in now is only because the GAA is such a slow moving entity, especially when it comes to player welfare. Grown adults do indeed have the capabilities to make up their own minds - to play a sport according to the rules, or not to play. Anyone considering retirement because they are being asked to wear a helmet is looking for an easy way out. Can helmets restrict vision? Yes, but not by as much as a stick in the eye.

BQQ

Kenteach wrote: »

Tradition isn't always tradition because its right. Any sport where you have thirty people swinging sticks (in some cases without full control!) should require some form of mandatory protection.

Where are you from, the Dominican Republic or something?
Hurling doesn't involve 30 people flailing around looking for the head-shot.

Kenteach wrote: »

Can helmets restrict vision? Yes, but not by as much as a stick in the eye.

(See above)

cruiserweight

BQQ wrote: »

Where are you from, the Dominican Republic or something?
Hurling doesn't involve 30 people flailing around looking for the head-shot.




(See above)

Yes people do not try and deliberately injure each other, but in a fast paced game accidents can happen. I am all for anything reasonable that can increase player safety.

As for restricting vision, players can adjust. Like I said earlier I always have worn a helmet and have not had any issues.

BQQ

cruiserweight wrote: »

Yes people do not try and deliberately injure each other, but in a fast paced game accidents can happen. I am all for anything reasonable that can increase player safety.

As for restricting vision, players can adjust. Like I said earlier I always have worn a helmet and have not had any issues.

I agree, but the key word is "reasonable".
I don't think it's reasonable to force someone to wear a helmet, but, by all means, give them the option.
I'm in favour of letting people wear anything they like (shin-pads, ash-guards, a suit of armour...)to improve safety, but it should be optional, not mandatory.

I've never worn a helmet, bar a few failed experiments, and i've not had any issues either.

cruiserweight

BQQ wrote: »

I agree, but the key word is "reasonable".
I don't think it's reasonable to force someone to wear a helmet, but, by all means, give them the option.
I'm in favour of letting people wear anything they like (shin-pads, ash-guards, a suit of armour...)to improve safety, but it should be optional, not mandatory.

I've never worn a helmet, bar a few failed experiments, and i've not had any issues either.

The problem is I do not understand the objection, other than players should have the choice? Why, other than personal preference?

2Scoops

cruiserweight wrote: »

The problem is I do not understand the objection, other than players should have the choice? Why, other than personal preference?

Players having a choice is enough of a reason, tbh. Enough of this nannying BS, I say! Why do a handful of doctor have the right to dictate what the players do in games? No one was calling for this rule. You can't just keep players in bubble wrap. If you care about injuries, educate and encourage the use of aids; don't shove it down peoples' throats and cause resentment. Shows a clear lack of understanding of human psychology, IMO.

If we let some of these doctors have their way, they'd eliminate contact sports altogether. Never played hurling in their lives. And it's a blatantly unnecessary stunt when you consider the rarity of these injuries compared with far more common and career-threatening ones.

Peace

I'm in favour of adults having a choice however all grades as far as minor it should be compulory. U21 and above are old enough a stupid enough to make their own decisions.

DublinDes

My Da on hearing it said " Yis are all a bunch of bleddin' nancy boys like the bleedin' soccer players now. I knew this was the way it would go when they dropped the ban "