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Safety Tips: Ice Skating
Whether it means solo turns around the ice rink or being part of a fast-paced competition, ice skating is fun, great exercise, and suitable for kids and teens who like team sports like hockey and those who prefer to go at their own pace. But sharp blades on a hard, frozen surface means there’s a real risk of injury.
To keep your kids as safe as possible, follow these tips.
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Safe Skating Gear
Before kids start skating, get them the right equipment and make sure they know how to use it correctly.
- Skates: Choose skates that fit well. If they’re too big, they won’t give proper ankle support, making kids more likely to fall. If they’re too small, they can cause blisters and make it hard for kids to feel comfortable on the ice. Skates should have sharp blades. Dull blades are more likely to get caught in ruts in the ice, leading to falls.
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- Safety gear: New skaters and young kids, especially, should wear helmets, wrist pads, knee pads, and elbow pads.
Getting Started
Ice skating lessons are the safest way for kids who want to learn. If that's not possible, teach your kids the basics before they lace up.
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Most important, kids should learn how to fall. They should know how to protect their head and to keep their arms and legs away from their (and other skaters’) blades if they take a tumble.
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All skaters lose their balance occasionally, especially those who are just learning. Have them practice falling on the ground first:
- For a backward fall, they should tuck their chin into their chest and land with most of their weight on their bottom (like they’re going to sit on a chair), not their arms.
- Forward falls are trickier, as kids will need to use their arms to protect their face and head. Keeping their elbows slightly bent can help prevent serious wrist injuries.
- Be sure kids know not to grab another skater to try to break their fall. Doing so usually leads to injuries to both skaters.
To get up again, they should roll onto their side, get into a kneeling position, then stand up. It’s important to get up or out of the way quickly after falling. Other skaters might not see them or be able to stop or skate around them.
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When they’re ready to get on the ice, kids should learn the basics. They should practice:
- forward gliding while looking ahead and keeping their knees bent
- safely stopping
- keeping a safe space between themselves and other skaters
At ice rinks, new skaters should stick close to the edge so they can grab the handrail when needed.
Skaters should look left and right before entering a skating rink. After entering safely, they should skate in the direction of other skaters and not cut in front of anyone.
Balancing on skates is not a simple thing. Mastering the basics of forward skating and stopping takes time. Advanced moves like skating backward, rotations and spins, and jumps should only come later, if at all. Kids should feel proud when they learn even basic ice skating.
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What About Outdoor Ice Skating?
While skating at an ice rink is safest, outdoor skating is a popular wintertime activity. To do so safely:
- If possible, skate on an approved outdoor skating rink.
- To skate on frozen natural bodies of water:
- The ice should be 8 inches (20.32 centimeters) thick or more to safely support skaters. Many local police or parks departments check to see if ice is safe for skating. Contact yours before your kids skate on a local pond, lake, creek, river, or other outdoor surface.
- Kids should never skate alone.
- Kids should know to never walk on an untested frozen surface.
- Make sure kids are dressed warmly. Include warm socks, gloves or mittens, neck warmers, hats, snow pants, and waterproof jackets.
An adult should always supervise kids while they skate, whether at an ice rink or outdoors. Besides the hazards of outdoor skating and the possibility of falls on any icy surface, new skaters can get overwhelmed by more experienced skaters. Be ready to get your child off the ice if this happens and wait for a less crowded skating opportunity.
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Tips to Avoid Common Ice Skating Injuries
To avoid hurting yourself while ice skating, look at these tips before, during, and after your sessions.
Warm-Up
A simple warm-up prevents most exercise-related injuries. Even if you only plan to skate around an outdoor rink once or twice before enjoying the lights and hot chocolate, take time for a few leg stretches beforehand.
Especially in cold weather, dynamic stretching with arm rotation swings or side lunges before strapping on the skates makes the difference between a rigid fall or warm muscles ready to participate in the activity.
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Wear Fitted Skates and Secure Your Laces
Just as you wouldn’t wear sneakers that were a size too large or a size too small to go for a run, getting the right skates is also essential. Even when renting them.
Ice skates should be:
- Fitted
- Tied extra tightly for a secure fit
- Supportive of the ankle
Ankles should not bow when skating. Try to keep your ankles as straight as possible.
In addition, consider wearing extra tall socks while skating. Fold the top of the sock over the laces to ensure the tight laces do not get caught on anything or untie accidentally. Socks should be warm and thick for extra padding.
Inappropriate footwear is the cause of most falls. In addition, skates that are the wrong size help cause blisters, and skates that are too small might not have the space for warm socks, which can lead to discomfort or circulatory problems if outside below freezing for too long.
Check the Skate Blades
Especially if your skates are rentals, check that the blades are sharp and in good condition. Adults should be able to feel two distinct edges on ice skates to ensure they are sharp enough. Avoid running your hand down the blade lengthwise, as you could cut yourself.
Practice Falling Down
This may sound silly, but before skating off around other people, take a moment to see what falling feels like. Enacting the feeling of falling in a controlled way prevents you from falling on your wrist or hitting your head in case of a real slip.
- When you lose your balance, cross your legs and try to sit down on the ice
- Avoid putting your hands down, especially around other skaters
- Try to land on your bottom, where you’ll have the best cushioning
Check the Ice Quality
Most ice rinks will periodically run over the ice to ensure that any extra patches are smoothed and ready for skates. It is very important to patch holes so skaters don’t trip.
You should advise the indoor or outdoor rink staff if you notice any gaps in the ice that could cause injury.
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Wear a Helmet
You wear a helmet for bike riding or skateboarding; why wouldn’t you wear one for skating across hard ice? Protecting yourself from head injuries is important, especially in public skating rinks with people of different sizes, levels, and speeds.
Keep a Safe Distance
Keeping a safe distance from other skaters is important if you lose your balance on the ice.
If you’re an inexperienced skater, staying closer to the wall or using assistance if you’re not yet 100% comfortable on ice is perfectly acceptable.
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Post-Skate Stretch
After every athletic session, the most important part of your recovery is the post-skate stretch. You’ll want to find stretches that open up your hips, extend your hamstrings, and loosen up your shoulder muscles.
Aim for around 15 minutes for your cool down to allow your body to get reoriented and flexible. The more time you stretch post-ice skating session, the better you’ll feel daily.
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ICE HOCKEY!!!
The world’s greatest and most exciting game is easy to follow once you know a few basic rules and practices. Here is a brief guide to the essential ice hockey rules!
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Closing hand on puck
Any player, other than a goaltender, who catches a puck must immediately knock or place it back down to the ice. Any violation of this will result in a two-minute minor.
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Faceoffs
All players take up set positions around one of five face-off circles on the ice. Only two players are allowed inside the circle during the faceoff. The location of the faceoff is determined by the cause of the last stoppage in play.
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Delay Of Game
The following actions will result in a two-minute minor penalty for delay of game:
- Deliberately shooting or batting the puck outside the playing area
- Deliberately displacing the goal from its normal position
- Failure to provide the proper number of players on the ice surface after a warning from an official or for making an illegal substitution
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Playing the puck with a high-stick
When an opponent bats a puck out of the air with a stick above shoulder height, play shall be stopped and a faceoff shall ensue. A goal scored by a puck that made contact with a stick that was above the height of the goal crossbar shall be disallowed.
Icing the puck
Icing is when a player on his team’s side of the red center line shoots the puck all the way down the ice and it crosses the red goal line at any point (other than the goal). Icing is not permitted when teams are at equal strength or on the power play. When this occurs, play is stopped and the puck is returned to the other end of the ice for a face-off in the offending team’s zone. Icing the puck is not called:
- If the goalie leaves the crease to play the puck, even if he does not touch the puck
- If an official rules an opposing player could have played the puck before it crossed the red goal line
- An official may waive off the icing call if he deems it was an attempted pass
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Offsides
A team is offside when any member of the attacking team precedes the puck over the defending team’s blueline. The position of the player’s skate — and not that of his stick — is the determining factor. If both skates are over the blueline before the puck, the player is offside. If he has only one skate over the blueline and one on it, he is onside.
Overtime
Any regular-season game that ends regulation play with a tie score will go into a five-minute sudden-death overtime period. If at the end of that overtime period the game remains tied, the game will then go into a shootout. During the playoffs, there will not be a shootout and overtime periods will be 20 minutes in length.
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Penalties
Player actions that violate the rules of the game may be given penalties at the discretion of the officials. Penalties are classified into three categories: minor, major and misconduct. For a minor penalty, players are required to serve two minutes in the penalty box while their team plays short-handed. A minor penalty will expire if the opposing team scores while on the power play. Major penalties require a player to serve five minutes in the penalty box and only expire at the end of that time. Misconduct penalties vary in length.
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Penalty Shots
A penalty shot is awarded when a player is pulled down from behind on a breakaway scoring opportunity or when the net is deliberately dislodged by an opposing goaltender or defenseman.
Power plays
When one team has more players on the ice than the other team, because one player is serving a penalty.
Shootouts
Any regular-season game that ends overtime play with a tie score will go into a shootout. A shootout is a series of penalty shots in which each team is allowed three attempts to score in alternating fashion. If after three attempts the teams remain tied, the shootout will continue to alternate shots until one team fails to match the attempt of the other. The winner of the shootout will be awarded one goal.
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What Are the Levels of Hockey Leagues?
The levels of hockey leagues can vary depending on the country. However, in general, the levels can be categorized as follows:
1. Professional Leagues: These are the highest level leagues where players are paid to play hockey. The National Hockey League (NHL) in North America is the most prestigious professional hockey league in the world and consists of 31 teams. The NHL attracts top talent from around the globe and is known for its intense competition and high skill level.
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2. Semi-Professional Leagues: These leagues are below the professional level but still have a high level of competition. The American Hockey League (AHL) in North America is considered the top semi-professional league and serves as a developmental league for the NHL. Many NHL teams have their affiliate teams in the AHL, where young players can hone their skills and gain experience.
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3. Amateur Leagues: These leagues are typically comprised of players who play hockey as a recreational activity. Players in amateur leagues often have other jobs or sources of income and may not receive any compensation for playing. These leagues are usually organized at the local community or intramural level, providing opportunities for players of varying skill levels to participate in the sport they love.
4. Youth Leagues: These leagues are specifically for younger players, often organized by age groups. Youth hockey leagues focus on developing fundamental skills and providing opportunities for children and teenagers to learn and play hockey. These leagues aim to foster a love for the sport while emphasizing sportsmanship, teamwork, and personal growth.
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5. International Leagues: Apart from domestic leagues, there are also international leagues where teams from different countries compete against each other. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) oversees these leagues, including the annual IIHF World Championship and the Olympic ice hockey tournament. These competitions bring together the best players from all over the world and showcase the global reach and popularity of hockey.
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FAQs:
1. How many teams are there in the National Hockey League (NHL)?
– The NHL currently consists of 31 teams, with 7 teams based in Canada and 24 teams in the United States.
2. Are all professional hockey players in the NHL?
– No, there are professional leagues in various countries around the world, such as the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia, the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) in Sweden, and the Finnish Liiga in Finland, among others.
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3. Can players move between the AHL and NHL?
– Yes, players in the AHL are often called up to play in the NHL when there is a need for additional players due to injuries or other reasons. NHL teams frequently assign their young prospects to the AHL to further develop their skills before promoting them to the NHL.
4. Do amateur hockey players compete in any tournaments or championships?
– Yes, there are various amateur hockey tournaments and championships organized at regional, national, and international levels. These tournaments provide amateur players with opportunities to showcase their skills and compete against teams from different regions or countries.
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5. At what age can children start participating in youth hockey leagues?
– The age at which children can start playing in youth hockey leagues can vary. In many countries, children can start as young as 4 or 5 years old in introductory programs that focus on basic skating and puck handling skills.
6. Are there any age restrictions for participation in amateur leagues?
– Amateur leagues typically don’t have strict age restrictions, although some leagues may have age divisions or categories. The aim of amateur leagues is to provide opportunities for players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy the sport.
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7. Are there any international leagues for youth hockey players?
– Yes, the IIHF organizes international tournaments and championships for youth hockey players. These tournaments, such as the IIHF U18 World Championship and the IIHF U20 World Junior Championship, feature teams from different countries competing against each other.
BOTTOM LINE: Hockey leagues are categorized into professional, semi-professional, amateur, and youth leagues. The NHL is the most prestigious professional league, while the AHL serves as a top semi-professional league. Amateur leagues are for recreational players, and youth leagues focus on developing skills in younger players. Additionally, international leagues allow teams from different countries to compete against each other, showcasing the global popularity of hockey.
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