|
Post by jimwhite on Oct 5, 2010 6:57:35 GMT -8
I have to admit that the injury that occurred has my wife and I really freaked out (not to mention our son. To the point where we are trying to decide if this is the right sport for our him. I believe that selection of a sport is a decision for the athlete, alone (although those who must provide money and transportation have a strong input, to those extents). I believe that we as parents should do what we can to open all the doors possible for our kids, and to kiss their owees, then to open the door again so they can go back out to play. As someone else mentioned, younger/slower skaters rarely get hurt bad. Sometimes older ones decide they're afraid, and move on to another sport (sometimes long track). Others stay in long track, get hurt, sometimes bad, but virtually always heal and return
|
|
|
Post by Laura (Lori) on Oct 5, 2010 7:57:50 GMT -8
Hello ryan009, and welcome to the board! (Thanks, BBB and Jim for addressing the question) Ryan, I think your family was sitting directly to our left at the meet - we were all on the front row. You may have seen me - I was the lady who couldn't stop crying (people asked me if I was her mom, lol – but no, that’s just the way I am)... I can't even imagine how your kids felt when they saw it. As horrific as it seemed for both of them, Katy was treated and released the same day - Liz had surgery Sunday night, and was released yesterday. They’ve both flown home - Liz will surely require some extra time, effort and tenacity in the healing process, but she should be just fine! As the others said, at 8 years old, your son probably can't do much damage to himself other than the usual bumps and bruises that come with falls that can happen in umpteen other sports. There's no reason not to encourage him to stick with the sport long enough to decide if he likes it enough to take it to the next level. This type of injury is rare, but it happens. The good news is that it's rarely life-threatening or life-altering. Personally, I think that football is more 'dangerous' - kids die every year just practicing football... I've heard more than once that the kevlar suits are itchy and uncomfortable - and when you're wearing something itchy and uncomfortable, you can't perform at your best. So not all skaters wear them - even when they have them - at all levels. Pads - usually bad. Often VERY bad. The economics of ice rinks dictate multi-use facilities, meaning that most short track events take place in rinks that double as hockey rinks. They simply strap pads to virtually immovable boards. Some protection, but not nearly enough. Again, I wouldn't think this would be an issue at your son's age - and maybe (hopefully) by the time he's old enough that it would be an issue, more rinks will have safer pad systems. Moveable pads are absolutely awesome, and I SO wish every venue could have them. I think the Utah Oval has the only moveable pad system in the USA (somebody correct me if I'm wrong). To give you an idea of the force exerted by a skater hitting the pads: I remember a skater hitting the moveable pads at the Oval - the pads themselves moved a foot or so, but an unfortunate photographer was tossed back about 5+ feet, along with his (very expensive) camera! The skater got up as if nothing had happened and finished his race. The photographer got the worst of it! Anyhow - keep your son on the ice... enjoy it (one day at a time) and see what happens!
|
|
|
Post by ryan009 on Oct 5, 2010 8:41:05 GMT -8
Thanks for the feedback.
Bumps and bruises, even broken bones, we can deal with. The cut got us freaked out and then when you start researching on the internet... well lets just say only the really bad stories make it online.
He'll stay in the sport mostly because he enjoys it and that's the most important part. We are fortunate being here in Milwaukee that we have the long track. The jury is still out on how much we might want to encourage long track over short track.
My wife is calling today about one of the Sebra Suits. It might be itchy, but if it lets mom sleep at night, everyone is happier.
I can't find too much info on these suits. Would they have really stopped this kind of injury or is it more marketing?
|
|
|
Post by stepho on Oct 5, 2010 11:36:39 GMT -8
Ryan - best of luck with whatever your family decides. But as an inline skater, as well as a veteran of many other sports, I'd say that the number and severity of injuries in skating is equivalent to that of other sports. You, unfortunately, got the unlucky misfortune of seeing a bad one really early on. But as it was stated, she was flying home the next day. And I'd venture to say that most folks who follow short track can name every single injury of it's kind that has happened. I've been following the sport for 5 years now, and that's the only bleeding injury I've seen - there have been a few others, but very many
As for long track vs. short track - i'm guessing your kid will become more of a natural towards one or the other - they feel really different, body shape comes into play, endurance, raw speed, agility, and so on.
|
|
|
Post by jimwhite on Oct 6, 2010 9:37:33 GMT -8
The President of the West Allis club just sent an email regarding cut-resistant skins and other safety issues. If you are interested, email me (japc@execpc.com), and we'll try to include you in the discussion. (There are no easy/simple/good answers.)
|
|
|
Post by gofastturnleft on Oct 6, 2010 15:15:37 GMT -8
Kervlar is NOT an acceptable cut resistant material in our sport. I had a skater get cut this summer who had two layers on his ankle and still got cut. Right now the only cut resistant suit that offers decent cut resistance is a dyneema suit. They are not at all the same material. Sebra sells dyneema full body suits (and no, they are not itchy, kevlar is itchy). Sebra full body protection suit can be ordered from Devault Sports in Montreal, or ZT sports in Ottawa. Apogee is also coming out with a full dyneema cut resistant suit. If you have not yet read the article on the Ellis Edge web site on safety, you should. This article will be updated soon with new info on cut resistant suits. www.ellismethod.net/files/Tips/Feb10.html
|
|
|
Post by Laura (Lori) on Oct 6, 2010 16:16:41 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by sk8er on Oct 6, 2010 19:28:13 GMT -8
Yes, Sue Elllis sent me the article but because the Olympics were around the corner it didn't seem to get much traction. This is an inherently dangerous sport, even without the issue of cuts. OK...so we geezers are more likely to break something than get cut because we're going so slow
|
|
|
Post by Laura (Lori) on Oct 8, 2010 20:25:20 GMT -8
Here's the report from Midland Daily News about their local skaters who competed in AmCup1: Jayner wins title at American Cup; Winslow suffers concussionBy the Midland Daily News | October 8, 2010 www.ourmidland.com/sports/article....8e2f349f3a.html+++ Tags: Travis Jayner / Ryan Bedford / Barry Winslow / Brett Perry / Kevin Geminder / Morgan Izykowski / Kelsey Schiel / Short Track Speedskating
|
|
|
Post by Laura (Lori) on Oct 14, 2010 12:47:02 GMT -8
Tony has 4 videos up from American Cup 1 - bookmark his page, 'cause there may be more coming! www.youtube.com/user/Zclyh3Tags: Short Track Speedskating
|
|
|
Post by Bruce Williamson on Feb 22, 2014 2:59:14 GMT -8
Al Grefsheim you are a biased thingy
And the fact that this has Fred Benjamin and others confused worries me, but anyway - " There will be a SUBSTANTIAL change in the racing rules. Al Grefsheim, Brian Westover and I will explain this at a meeting, Friday Night,, time to be determined. All coaches, officials for this and future meets, if convenient should attend. This is mandatory for officials of this Am Cup and should be for all USS Employed Officials. The change is profound and very confusing even to all the Championship Referees that are here. We do not want our skaters to be disadvantaged not knowing the broader range of foul free skating they can do. It would be nice to be ahead of the curve. All Officials and Coaches should be at this meeting." So minus the stuff about the meeting they'll have in like two weeks (which will probably answer my question, but I'm impatient), all I get is there is a new rule or rules that will allow skaters to be more foul-free. While that sounds lovely, having read the actual rules, I don't get what is so profound. All I understand is that they've done away with 'cross-tracking' (which I always got confused with impeding anyway so my brain's happier for that). But THAT'S IT! I don't understand why this is such a big deal. HELP ME! please? Thank you. :] p.s. If you can't tell by my rambling...I'm on pins and needles waiting for this season to start. I feel like it's been foreverrrrr since I've seen some short track. I'm even anxious for the blinking numbers! When in the world did that become something to look forward to?! -__- p.p.s. If you would like to read the rules too, so you can be confused like me - they are here: www.isu.org/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,4844-203082-220305-167852-0-file,00.pdf
|
|