The Haliburton Curling Club strongly recommends all individuals wear a helmet at all times when on the ice surface.
We recognize that some categories of individuals are more at-risk of either falling on the ice or the injuries sustained from a fall could be more serious than for others.
- Junior Curlers and Junior Curler Coaches
- Haliburton Curling Club requires all member curlers under the age of 18 to wear a helmet at all times when on the ice surface.
- All coaches of Haliburton Curling Club must wear a helmet when on the ice coaching as part of the Youth Curling program.
- New Curlers
- A new curler is any member of the Haliburton Curling Club who has been a curler for 4 or fewer sessions.
- New curlers must wear a helmet at all times when on the ice surface.
- It is highly recommended that they continue to wear a helmet after this mandated period.
- Seniors aged 80 or greater
- Haliburton Curling Club requires all member curlers who have reached the age of 80 as of the first day of the curling season to wear a helmet at all times when on the ice surface.
- A member may have this requirement waived upon receipt of a doctor’s note which authorizes the member to curl without wearing a helmet. Such a note will remain a valid exemption for two curling seasons, after which the note must be renewed or the helmet requirement will be reinstated.
- Regular Members – Assessed as Not Vulnerable
- During registration, each member will be asked to agree to the safety commitment. Any member who agreed to the safety commitment is expected to wear a helmet at all times when on the ice surface.
- Members who choose not to agree to the safety commitment and are not identified as vulnerable will be permitted on the ice surface without wearing a helmet.
- Regular Members – Assessed as Vulnerable
- Members who are identified as vulnerable, based on the curler’s answers to assessment questions asked during the registration process, will not be permitted on the ice without wearing a helmet unless they acquire prior approval from the Board.
- Such approval will also require signing an additional waiver specific to their decision to not wear a helmet.
- Board approval is applicable for the current curling year only, and is subject to be withdrawn at the board’s discretion.
- Ice Maintenance Team
- Members of the ice team must wear protective helmets whenever they are on the ice surface for the purpose of any ice maintenance activity, including floods, scrapes, pebbling, etc.
- Visiting Curlers
- All curlers who are guests but not members of the Haliburton Curling Club are encouraged but not required to wear a helmet while on HCC’s ice surface.
Member curlers who are required to wear helmets will not be permitted on the ice if they are not wearing, at minimum, “acceptable” headgear.
Equipment Recommendations
Helmets
A number of different styles of helmet can be effective at offering protection from a head injury sustained by hitting your head on the ice.
Highly recommended:
- CSA approved helmets for use on ice and/or snow (ex. hockey helmets, snowboarding helmets, full curling helmets)
- CSA approved helmets for skateboarding and/or equestrian activities.
Acceptable (but not preferable):
- Curling headgear (toques or ballcaps) with built in impact plate (tested to CSA standards) with chinstrap
- Bicycle helmets
* With all headgear – chinstraps must be fastened properly when on ice
Not Acceptable
- Halos/Headbands
Helmets specifically designed for curling may be purchased through the club pro-shop.
Helmet Replacement
The majority of helmets used in curling are CSA rated for ice usage but are “single impact” only. If you fall and hit your helmet, it has done its job in protecting you, but needs to be replaced as it no longer offers the same high degree of protection. In the interim, members may borrow one of our club “learn to curl” helmets, replacing them back in the cubbies after each use.
Questions
Any questions on this policy should be directed to the President or Director of Membership.
