Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/374170
STARRINKS.COM SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2014 / 35 inherent risk in the things that we do. But if the Look-Up Line can create additional awareness for players as to their location on the ice surface, it will give them the opportunity to act in a safe manner. An additional potential benefit of the Look-Up Line is that it will help create awareness for another major safety initia- tive started by USA Hockey called "Heads Up, Don't Duck." HUDD was formed on the premise that spinal-cord injuries can be significantly reduced if a player simply lifts his or her head up when contact with the boards is unavoidable. If players see that they are within the Look-Up Line area, their first instinct should be to lift their head up. USA Hockey addressed the Look-Up Line at their Annual Congress held this past June. A rule proposal was submitted that would make the Look-Up Line mandatory. The rule proposal was not passed, and no formal recommendation was made by USA Hockey in regards to the Look-Up Line. However, facilities that choose to install the Look-Up Line are permitted to do so, and encouraged to share their observations with the USA Hockey safety task force. Massachusetts Hockey felt that we could help further this program by establishing a $500 subsidy for any rink in the state that chose to install the Look-Up Line. This subsidy is designed to encourage rinks to install the Look-Up Line and provide feedback to the USA Hockey safety task force. Based on the figures available to us, the $500 subsidy should offset the cost of the paint (Pantone 151c Orange — the internationally recognized color for safety) and the associated shipping of the paint. We tend to be a fairly traditional group in hockey governance and rink management. Change does not come easy, even when something seems to make sense on the surface. But we also have a responsibility to explore and examine new ideas when they come to us that may have the potential to improve the safety and overall experience of our players. Tom Smith has created an idea that is worthy of that exploration in our opinion and we hope that the information collected by the USA Hockey safety task force over the next couple of seasons proves that the Look-Up Line is an effective deterrent in injuries in our sport. J Kevin Kavanagh is the Executive Director of Massachusetts Hockey. "BASED ON THE FIGURES AVAILABLE TO US, THE $500 SUBSIDY SHOULD OFFSET THE COST OF THE PAINT (PANTONE 151C ORANGE — THE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED COLOR FOR SAFETY) AND THE ASSOCIATED SHIPPING OF THE PAINT." , Mass Hockey believes the Look-Up Line will create additional on-ice awareness.