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D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M 05 MINNESOTA HOCKEY NEWS & NOTES THANK YOU PRAIRIE ISLAND INDIAN COMMUNITY! Minnesota Hockey and Minnesota Disabled Hockey would like to say thank you to the Prairie Island Indian Community! Prairie Island continues to be a tremen- dous supporter of youth and disabled hockey programs in Minnesota. The Prairie Island Indian Community has been involved with program sales at Minnesota Wild games since the 2008-09 season, which supports community-based associations throughout the state. Over the last eight years, Prairie Island Indian Community has also made annual dona- tions to Minnesota Disabled Hockey, help- ing it become the largest hockey program for people with disabilities in the nation. Prairie Island Indian Community has played a major role in making it possible for every person in Minnesota, regardless of ability, to play hockey. Thank you for assuring that hockey in Minnesota is for everybody! PRIMARY PREVENTION FOR HEAD IMPACTS Concussions are never far from the news (and parents' minds) these days. Recently the Mayo Clinic hosted the third edition of its Sports Medicine Ice Hockey Summit in Rochester. Concussions were the focus of the event. An interesting study presented at the Summit found that there is a powerful new weapon in the arsenal of those seek- ing to prevent concussions. The research, from Dr. Thomas Buckley of the University of Delaware, suggests that off-ice cognitive training in the form of a software program called Hockey IntelliGym has significant impact on reducing head impacts. Dr. Buckley's study included a test group, using IntelliGym, and a control group that performed a different comput- erized task. The results were that those who trained with IntelliGym saw 50 percent reductions in head impacts versus those who did not. "Results are promising," said Dr. Buckley. While IntelliGym is a cognitive trainer that has also been shown to improve overall perfor- mance on the ice, the fact is players who are more mentally and spatially aware not only play better, but play safer due to them suffering less unanticipated contact. A promising note suggesting primary pre- vention for avoidance and absorption of contact is possible. CONCUSSION REPORTING & RETURN TO PLAY Starting with the current season, Minnesota Hockey has instituted a new Concussion Reporting and Return to Play form that must be completed when a player sustains a concussion or exhib- its concussion type symptoms while par- ticipating in team activities. Team coaches are responsible for reporting the injury and notifying the team manager and the player's parents. Then, the player's parents must have the return to play portion of the form complet- ed by a qualified medical pro- fessional before the player can be allowed to participate in any team physical activities. In addition to providing Minnesota Hockey, USA Hockey and their medical partners with data on the occurrence of concussions in youth hockey, the form will ensure all concussions are managed properly, and players are not allowed to return before they are ready. The Minnesota Hockey Concussion Reporting and Return to Play form, as well as additional information on concussions, can be found at minnesotahockey.org/ concussions. USA HOCKEY EXPANDS GOALIE COACH RESOURCES USA Hockey has launched a series of goaltender development resources on their website, usahockeygoaltending.com. The site now features detailed breakdowns on how to teach basic goaltending skills, including descriptions of common terms and videos, a full season development plan with a progression of practice plans and webinars with tips from some of the top goalie coaches in the country. With these new resources available, all coaches, regardless of what posi- tion they played themselves, now have the tools they need to help their goal- ies improve on a daily basis. USA Hockey encourages coaches to incorporate goalie development into every practice plan. By ensuring their goaltenders work on skating, funda- mental saves and game situations each time they hit the ice, coaches can have a positive impact on goalie development over the course of the season.