Players in the half shield?

Recently the American Hockey Coaches Association had their annual convention in Florida last month and one of the items that caught my attention is that the American Hockey Coaches Association are in favor of allowing their players to wear the half shield/visor instead of the bird cage or full shield. Personally I think this is a great idea and it would clean the game up a bit because I believe players feel like they are invincible when they wear the full mask/bird cage.

I never understood why the players in the USHL, NAHL are allowed to wear the half shield if they wanted to but the NCAA Division 1 hockey players were not? This decision defies logic because the college kids who are usually older aren’t able to make that personnel decision for themselves? The minute these players leave college hockey they switch over to the visor/half shield. Seriously! These aren’t minor youth hockey players in bantams, and squirts these are adult males. I also don’t buy the argument that the ever so all powerful dictatorship known as the NCAA some how knows better than the experienced coaches and players.

Behind that is a debate that ties into the current emphasis on concussion prevention. Half shield proponents say players show more respect for others when they know they’re wearing less facial protection, and point out that they’re the norm in junior hockey and in the competing Canadian major junior system. Opponents cite the risks of taking off the lower-face protection.

The topic came up at the recent American Hockey Coaches Association convention in Florida, and Karr said he believes that nearly 100 percent of the coaching body is in favor of a move to half shields.

Even if the rules committee went along with it, any decision still would have to get through the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel.[Read the whole article here]