Don Sanderson, Hamilton morns 21 year old Hockey Player

This piece was first published in Chitowndailynews.org

Don Sanderson's family of Hamilton Ontario is preparing to burry their 21 year old son all to soon. He died after a hitting the ice during a fight in a hockey game on December 12th , his fight for life lasted three weeks ending at 1:00 am on Friday morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and team mates at this time.

http://tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=261626&lid=headline&lpos=secStory_main

As readers of the sister blog to this .Powderhornhockey.blogspot.com will know in my other life I am an RN this gives me a perspective many other photographers do not have. It has also given me a great interest in a serious issue facing hockey, post concussion syndrome. Hockey in general has been slow to address this issue due to what most would call the macho culture of the sport. I can remember well as a student at RIT watching club hockey games how the teams would fight for the “right” not to wear helmets in 1978. Times have changed and although we see collegiate players now wearing full cages and the NHL wearing face shields concussions are still commonplace among players.

Two years ago I spoke with UHL veteran Brendan Tedstone regarding his mouthpiece. He proudly described it as a “guaranteed no concussion” piece of safety equipment. That lead me on a trail of looking into just what do these guys put into their mouths, most use nothing at all. Some a model at $1.98 seen flopping in and out of their mouths and a few a more elaborate model. The problem with the “no concussion” design Mr. Tedstone liked and some NHL players use is that is is difficult to breathe through. If it interferes with performance you are not going to get most players to use it regularly

A few months after talking to Tedstone, Kissane and I were in Traverse City at the Red Wing Rookie Tournament. One of the most impressive features of the tournament is the support staff. Out of site of the public is a legion of dentists, orthopedists and other specialists ready to care for injured athletes on a moments notice. Often I will meet these professionals as I photograph the NHL hopefuls along the glass. Once the doctors find out the redhead with the big lens is also an RN they are often willing to talk regarding medical issues players face such as post concussion syndrome. One day I was discussing mouth guards with an orthopedist and two players boomed into the glass inches from us. He then pointed to the smeared class with fire in his eyes and told me ( and I para phrase) “It's not mouth pieces, that helmet gave him no protection, find a chin strap that will stay on and that's the first step.” Every time as I photograph players by the glass looking at those helmets with their loose chinstraps I think of that passionate orthopedist. The main argument as I understand it against chin straps that will stay on is that in a fight is to hit a player with a helmet on is a virtual guarantee of a hand injury. Either a soft tissue injury requiring stitches or a fracture. I can understand that logic, however are there not more players involved in collisions, checks and other kinds of contacts that require head protection than are involved in on ice fights? Honestly, except for the “enforcers” the skilled players who job it has always been to protect the little guys pretty much not many other guys roll up their sleeves. It's time to refit chinstraps on the majority of players.

The issue of fighting will not be settled in this blog at this hour. The topic of post concussion syndrome is just being introduced here tonight. I assure readers it is only the beginning of discussion, information and interviews I plan to have on this emerging subject. I will of course continue to publish photos, including “contact” or fight photos, they are a hockey photogs daily bread. For until North American hockey changes it's game to a more “skilled” or "European” style game I will continue to record what I see fights and all.