National federation requires neck guards for hockey reserve players

The national rule-making body for high school sports now requires all hockey players to wear neck guards.

On Thursday, the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) announced that starting with the 2024-25 high school hockey season, both male and female players will be required to wear neck laceration protectors.

“We all want to participate in making the game as safe as possible,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS Ice Hockey Rulebook Editor.

“We know there is an inherent risk, but again, we need to continue to minimize the risk for those players. [that’s] “Really what we're trying to do is to the best of our ability,” he added.

He credits other organizations with taking this step, including USA Hockey, which required youth players to wear neck guards earlier this year.

Efforts are being made to make playing safer following the tragic death of Minnesotan Adam Johnson in October. Johnson suffered a cut from a skate blade while playing professionally in Europe.

After Johnson's death, many players and their families decided to purchase neck guards even before organizations started requiring them. It was so popular that Strauss Skates and Bicycles created his own line of shirts with built-in guards for both the neck and wrists.

“We're huge supporters of neck guards,” said Sports Shop's Bill Rody.

“I’ve seen a lot of injuries over the years. [the neck] “I’m glad it happened,” Lodi added of his decades as a player and referee, adding of the NFHS move.