ear buds worn WHILE playing

[shoeshine boy]

just curious if any of you are seeing people trying to play with ear buds/Air Pods in their ears?
some background: we have a goalie in our Rec League (draft every season, all skill levels together, goalies play in a time slot rather than a set team) who plays with Air Pods in his ears. as a league, we've been looking the other way and it's not really been a problem. recently a skater wanted to know if they could wear them while playing as well. The Board (we are independent, not run by a rink) discussed it and said no and we told the goalie that he'd have to stop. the goalie basically stomped off in a fit.
we play by USA Hockey rules but are not USA Hockey affiliated. the closest USA Hockey rule is the one about jewelry but IMO, that doesn't apply. in the end, we can do what we want but we have determined that it is a safety issue. not only because the ear buds aren't secured but also because the player needs to be able to hear what's going on around him.
I was just wondering if any of y'all had dealt with this issue. TIA.

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[Smirnov2Chistov]

I mean.. I’m seeing people where them everywhere I go (AirPods/Galaxy Buds)

I went to the orthodontist, and the Hygienist was wearing them. Went to the ophthalmologist - same thing.

I could never wear AirPods or any wireless buds out on the ice or roller rink. With my luck they would fall out and get busted or lost. I worry about them even when I go to the gym LOL.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

I've thought about doing this (in non-league games) but decided that it's surely a safety issue at minimum.

Beyond that, strategically, one of the goalie's primary jobs is to communicate effectively with his skaters.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I have the same reaction as everyone else so far... it's a safety issue. I can kind of see it for goalies, but even then it's expected that they can hear the referee at all times. As an example: goalie catches a puck with nobody pressuring him, referee is screaming "play it!", he needs to hear that command clearly.

 

[MeHateHe]

No.
Safety hazard if/when they fall out of his ears.
Playing hazard in that how is he supposed to effectively communicate if he can't hear?
Goalies, man.

 

[puckpilot]

IMHO, you're making the right call. It is a safety issue. Aside from the buds falling out and someone slipping on one and crashing into the boards, hearing helps players be more aware of their surroundings. For example, sometimes an opposing player isn't paying attention and their d-man feeds them a suicide pass. When that guy is my check, I'm yelling "heads-up heads-up", so they know I'm there, and I don't annihilate them.

If they have their earbuds in and don't hear me, sorry, I'm not getting out of the way. Not because I'm trying be an ass, but from my experience, trying to avoid a collision can sometimes be worse than taking it. Trying to avoid can end up with body parts like knees sticking out and colliding, which is worse. OR I try to avoid and end up getting the shit end of the stick.

To me, stuff like this is getting silly. There's people using phones while driving. I'm now seeing people use phones while cycling. Now this? There is definitely natural selection concurring here.

I remember a friend telling me how someone died at the intersection in front of their work. They were standing on the corner waiting to cross, but instead of paying attention to what was going on, they were playing with their phone. An 18-wheeler tries to make a right handed turn around the corner, but jumps the curve, and that was the end of that.

 

[beedee]

Sounds like a terrible idea.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I understand listening to music or a podcast when you're doing something boring - but isn't hockey supposed to be fun and enjoyable? And isn't being part of a team and communicating with your teammates part of that fun and enjoyment?

I don't know if the practice needs to be actually banned - but just shake my head at why you'd want to.

 

[Neutrinos]

just curious if any of you are seeing people trying to play with ear buds/Air Pods in their ears?
some background: we have a goalie in our Rec League (draft every season, all skill levels together, goalies play in a time slot rather than a set team) who plays with Air Pods in his ears. as a league, we've been looking the other way and it's not really been a problem. recently a skater wanted to know if they could wear them while playing as well. The Board (we are independent, not run by a rink) discussed it and said no and we told the goalie that he'd have to stop. the goalie basically stomped off in a fit.
we play by USA Hockey rules but are not USA Hockey affiliated. the closest USA Hockey rule is the one about jewelry but IMO, that doesn't apply. in the end, we can do what we want but we have determined that it is a safety issue. not only because the ear buds aren't secured but also because the player needs to be able to hear what's going on around him.
I was just wondering if any of y'all had dealt with this issue. TIA.

So, deaf players aren't allowed to play in your league?

If the buds were taped in place, or unable to fall out due to the goalie's helmet, I don't see why you or anyone else would care

Seems like you created a problem - and an unhappy goalie - over something you simply didn't like

 

[shoeshine boy]

So, deaf players aren't allowed to play in your league?

If the buds were taped in place, or unable to fall out due to the goalie's helmet, I see why you or anyone else would care

Seems like you created a problem - and an unhappy goalie - over something you simply didn't like

honestly, we have no deaf players so that's an issue that hasn't presented itself yet. we do have a couple of legally blind players but that's apples and oranges.
I personally didn't care and like I said, we looked the other way on the goalie for months. since we informed our members, and this is a league of around 2000 players, a few people have told me they witnessed refs having issues communicating with the goalie because he couldn't hear them.
I wouldn't have cared at all if the skater hadn't said, "but I want to wear them TOOOOOOO!!!!"

 

[tarheelhockey]

I understand listening to music or a podcast when you're doing something boring - but isn't hockey supposed to be fun and enjoyable? And isn't being part of a team and communicating with your teammates part of that fun and enjoyment?

I don't know if the practice needs to be actually banned - but just shake my head at why you'd want to.

I can see it being a bit different for goalies. Music can help a person stay in a mental zone. Same reason people like to listen to music while exercising. And goalies, for the most part, don't spend a ton of time interacting with their teammates during gameplay. The ones who do a lot of talking would probably not be the ones wearing earbuds.

So, deaf players aren't allowed to play in your league?

If the buds were taped in place, or unable to fall out due to the goalie's helmet, I see why you or anyone else would care

Seems like you created a problem - and an unhappy goalie - over something you simply didn't like

If they were somehow secured in place, that would remove the safety issue from having them bouncing around on the ice. But you'd still have the problem of being unable to effectively communicate with the referee.

 

[Neutrinos]

honestly, we have no deaf players so that's an issue that hasn't presented itself yet. we do have a couple of legally blind players but that's apples and oranges.
I personally didn't care and like I said, we looked the other way on the goalie for months. since we informed our members, and this is a league of around 2000 players, a few people have told me they witnessed refs having issues communicating with the goalie because he couldn't hear them.
I wouldn't have cared at all if the skater hadn't said, "but I want to wear them TOOOOOOO!!!!"

And if a deaf goalie wanted to play in your league, the refs would have difficulty communicating with him as well

But, that would be a problem between the goalie and the refs, not a problem which requires league intervention

Simply put, you wouldn't prevent a deaf player from participating in your league, so the argument that "they can't hear" doesn't hold up

Have you offered any sort of compromise? Ask the goalie if he'd be okay wearing just one secured ear bud

If they were somehow secured in place, that would remove the safety issue from having them bouncing around on the ice. But you'd still have the problem of being unable to effectively communicate with the referee.

Which is a problem everyone would easily accept and live with if the player was deaf, so it's really only a problem if the league wants it to be

 

[tarheelhockey]

Which is a problem everyone would easily accept and live with if the player was deaf, so it's really only a problem if the league wants it to be

People are not deaf by choice. The officials and players make accommodations for people who are deaf because otherwise they would not be able to play. They should not be required to make those accommodations for every single person who creates that scenario by choice.

 

[Neutrinos]

People are not deaf by choice. The officials and players make accommodations for people who are deaf because otherwise they would not be able to play. They should not be required to make those accommodations for every single person who creates that scenario by choice.

You missed the point...

 

[tarheelhockey]

You missed the point...

I got the point, that if you can accommodate a deaf person then you can accommodate earbuds.

I’m saying that the accommodation for a disabled person is an extraordinary measure taken in order to provide access. That is not the same as being obligated to take the same measures just because some guy wants you to.

 

[Neutrinos]

I got the point, that if you can accommodate a deaf person then you can accommodate earbuds.

I’m saying that the accommodation for a disabled person is an extraordinary measure taken in order to provide access. That is not the same as being obligated to take the same measures just because some guy wants you to.

Nope, still a swing and a miss...

Would you like to take another run at it?

 

[Rich Nixon]

Nope, still a swing and a miss...

Would you like to take another run at it?

No, he nailed it. It's common sense grownup brain shit.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Nope, still a swing and a miss...

Would you like to take another run at it?

If you’re intending to say something other than what you wrote, please go ahead.

 

[ChuckLefley]

I’ll also add that someone who is deaf is used to having to communicate without hearing and thus understands and is actively looking for communication that isn’t based on hearing, such as hand signals and body language. Someone wearing earbuds is not. I have a 13 year old and see this at home all the time. When he has his airpods in he has no clue what’s happening around him.

 

[Neutrinos]

No, he nailed it. It's common sense grownup brain shit.

It must be, which is why I'm gonna have to dumb it way down for you and @tarheelhockey ...

Since a deaf person would be welcome to play in the league, the ability to hear is not a requirement for participation, therefore, it shouldn't matter if the goalie is able to hear or not

It has nothing to do with accommodating a player, it's simply a matter of not worrying about something that's not worth worrying about...

 

[Rich Nixon]

It must be, which is why I'm gonna have to dumb it way down for you and @tarheelhockey ...

Since a deaf person would be welcome to play in the league, the ability to hear is not a requirement for participation, therefore, it shouldn't matter if the goalie is able to hear or not

It has nothing to do with accommodating a player, it's simply a matter of not worrying about something that's not worth worrying about...

Yeah the point is people DO worry about it. That's the whole point of accomodating: They take extra measures to make it work, because they have to so that deaf person can play. Again, your argument is dumb and naturally abstracts to "people should let me ride around in a wheelchair because I feel like sitting down more."

 

[Neutrinos]

Yeah the point is people DO worry about it. That's the whole point of accomodating: They take extra measures to make it work, because they have to so that deaf person can play. Again, your argument is dumb and naturally abstracts to "people should let me ride around in a wheelchair because I feel like sitting down more."

What accommodations are being made exactly?

 

[Rich Nixon]

What accommodations are being made exactly?

Players and officials would be made aware of the player's hearing disability and would be expected to take extra care in situations that may result in an avoidable collision or injury, for instance. Because it's a rec game, and it ultimately doesn't mean anything, participants would be willing to alter their approach somewhat when that player is on the ice to ensure everyone's safety.

Don't play dumb.

 

[namttebih]

I understand listening to music or a podcast when you're doing something boring - but isn't hockey supposed to be fun and enjoyable? And isn't being part of a team and communicating with your teammates part of that fun and enjoyment?

I don't know if the practice needs to be actually banned - but just shake my head at why you'd want to.

I personally wouldn't wear them to play, but maybe it gets them extra hyped up.

I love listening to punk rock or drum and bass when I snowboard as it jacks me up. I only do it on low- traffic days on the slopes though.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I personally wouldn't wear them to play, but maybe it gets them extra hyped up.

I love listening to punk rock or drum and bass when I snowboard as it jacks me up. I only do it on low- traffic days on the slopes though.

But snowboarding isn't a team sport! So if you put the safety issue aside (big "if") I could totally see snowboarding while listening to music.