Macho, Macho Man and Safety Gear

Here’s something from the world of hockey that might relate to snowboarding: Macho culture vs. bodily safety (Edmonton Journal, 2/15/08).

Richard Zednik, a player for the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, was severely cut during a recent game. A teammate’s skate blade came very close to severing his carotid artery, causing severe bleeding. The chinstrap of Zednik’s helmet may have made the difference between life and death.

Author John MacKinnon wonders whether neck guards will become part a player’s equipment list. His conclusion: not any time soon: “inexpensive, well-designed, easy-to-wear gear to protect the brain, the eyes and the throat have been and, in some cases, still are regarded as outrageous assaults on manhood and viewed with collective suspicion and disdain.”

Masks (for goalies) and helmets (for all players) took a long time to catch on, says MacKinnon. Only after a few hardy souls will willing to endure scorn for their supposed lack of courage did protective gear start to make inroads.

“Goalie masks were once thought an affectation fit only for out-and-out cowards. But Hall of Famer Jacques Plante, who famously insisted on wearing one after he suffered a facial injury, was no coward for donning a mask.

On the contrary, he showed extraordinary strength of character to ignore the attempts of his coach, Toe Blake, to bully him out of wearing a mask, not to mention taunts and abuse from players and fans alike. Often, it’s no picnic to ignore groupthink and act rationally. Particularly in a tough, team sport like hockey.

It will take a similarly self-possessed player to be the first to wear a neck guard. But, one by one, it is entirely possible NHLers will come around.

In my lifetime, the NHL has evolved from a league in which one man — Charlie Burns — wore a helmet, to one in which helmets are compulsory.”

So what does this have to do with snowboarding? Both riding and hockey occur in cold places, but other than that, what are the similarities?

The story of the raises some interesting questions about risk, safety gear, and attitudes–all of which are involved in any sport, including snowboarding. A coach quoted in the story says, in effect, “Hey, what do you expect us to do, skate with mattresses attached to our bodies?” The point is well made: risk is inherent in life. You risk injury getting out of bed, stepping into and out of the shower, and driving to the ski area. And yet no sane person suggests staying in bed, not showering, and never driving as means of avoiding injury.

The key to risk is to manage it and take reasonable precautions. For snowboarders, that means, above all, knowing your limits. To learn, you’ll have to go beyond your limits, but do so at a sensible pace. If you’ve spent all your time on the green slopes, you’ll be taking a risk by going on a blue slopes for the first time. But that’s an entirely different matter from leaving the green slope and heading straight for the double diamond slopes with bumps and trees. As they say in the freestyle world, “easy does it.” Don’t attempt to master everything in one afternoon.

Besides using their heads, snowboarders should protect them. Helmets are great for offering protection from low-speed incidents, though they are not so useful in high-speed collisions. In addition to helmets, you might add, as I do, wrist guards, knee pads, and padded shorts.

Each item provides a level of safety and comfort. But the most important piece of safety equipment is your brain. Use it well.