The Virginian-Pilot
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The superintendent of Virginia Beach public schools has decided that he won’t require the city’s interscholastic soccer players to wear mouth guards.
In an e-mail received Monday by high school principals, Dr. James Merrill said “the very clear majority” of soccer parents opposed the use of mouth guards by their children and there would be no such requirement for Virginia Beach soccer players.
Merrill’s decision comes after giving parents the opportunity to comment about his earlier decision that he would mandate the use of mouth guards for soccer players.
Many Beach District coaches had expressed opposition to the possible mandate.
“If it was passed, we would have followed it 100 percent,” Landstown girls coach Scott Cray said. “We wanted to know why it was just for soccer.
“There’s a lot of contact in basketball. And in baseball there are collisions at home plate. ... It’d have been easier to accept if it was for all sports across the board.”
After receiving a letter from the superintendent, soccer parents were given until Saturday to voice their opinions.
Merrill estimates he received nearly 300 responses, with the overwhelming majority being against mandating mouth guards, according to Kathleen O’Hara, assistant superintendent for media and communications for Virginia Beach public schools.
John McKenzie, a parent of a Landstown player, said he has spoken out about the issue at previous school board meetings and has been active in getting parents involved in speaking out about the mouth-guard proposal.
McKenzie raised concerns with the school board about his son, John, who has asthma, having to play with a mouth guard and the limitations of protection “boil and bite” mouth guards would provide.
McKenzie, along with Gail Thomas, the mother of All-Tidewater midfielder Caleb Thomas of Cox, and Susan George, the mother of two prospective Ocean Lakes players, Alex and Mary, also had questions about statistics provided by Merrill in his letter to parents.
George is also a U.S. Soccer Federation official.
“I wasn’t surprised that the parents got involved,” Cray said “They’re very educated in terms of the game. … If something gets popped in their laps, they’re going to step up and do something about that.”
Attempts to get further comment from Merrill on his decision were declined by the Virginia Beach public schools office.
Carly Jones, a Bayside girls player, is excited about not having to wear a mouth guard.
She helped spread word of the potential mouth-guard rule by starting an online petition. There are more than 600 entries, some anonymous, attached to the petition.
“I got a lot of help from my Virginia Rush teammates,’’ Jones said. ''They go to different schools, and they helped spread the word.
“I honestly don’t know what I would have done if it had gone through – it would be going against my beliefs.”
With spring practice starting in two weeks, Virginia Beach soccer players no longer have to worry about mouth guards.
“I just got done with my preseason warm-up with my kids, and they are happy about it,” Cray said. “It would’ve been a big challenge for us.’’
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heybobingermany
hey roberta,
ahhh, the great sissification of American kids. All these rules, making kids into big sissies. I've played soccer for 35 years, never had a mouth or tooth injury, never seen an injury to someone else in that area either. I've watched soccer on tv for many years, and nope -- never seen an injury to the mouth area, not ever. Now I am not saying it doesn't happen, because I have read reports where it has, so I know it does happen. But really, this is about reasonable risk assessment, right? It's about the risk factor. I mean, it is reasonable to wear a seatbelt because serious accidents happen in cars, and seatbelts clearly save lives. But wearing mouthguards in soccer because a tooth might get chipped?? It really doesn't happen that often to justify mandatory mouthgaurds. Stop making these kids into pansies. Roberta, you want to protect the kids so much? How about we save kids from overprotective, idiotic parents, and people like you, that make them into little babies.
Hey bobingermany
If you are truly interested in preventing injury to children and not paying attention to statistics, then you advocate no sports at all. Why stop at mouth guards? More than one soccer player has suffered a knee injury so does that mean everyone should wear a knee brace? Baseball pitchers have injured their arms throwing. Does that mean players should hit off of a tee? The stupidity can go on and on. The bottom line is that injuries for particular sports should be weighed for risks and when the risk is substantial, then protective measures should be taken. The risk of mouth injuries in soccer is not substantial and the superintendent couldn't prove that it merited mouth guards. The correct decision was made pending further evidence.
Mouth guards
As with anything else in the school system, this rule could have easily passed if it had a waiver attached to it. The superintendant could have strongly suggested the use of mouth guards and parents could have made the decision whether it was right for their child or not. Parents sign numerous waivers each year including those that allow their kids to be video taped and/or photographed in school, and for the use of the internet. But this rule was introduced as MANDATORY and that did not sit well with parents, players, or coaches. Secondly, all VB high school coaches were asked prior to the ruling if they would support a mandatory mouth guard rule. They overwhelmingly did not. But somehow the rule was passed anyway. Rumors began to spread that this issue originated from a school board member who's child was injured during a high school soccer match. And that for the good of all soccer players, mouth guards should be worn. Again, this did not sit well with the soccer community. VB coaches were warned that they could possibly lose their coaching jobs if they spoke out against this rule. So we kept quiet. Luckily, the parents became involved and voiced their opinions. As a
Your beliefs?
One student is quoted as saying the use of mouthguards "...goes against my beliefs." What the heck does that mean? Honey, believe in evolution, believe in free enterprise, believe in the basic goodness of human nature, believe in things like that..... but don't "believe" (or disbelieve) in a hunk of plastic.
I agree that all school sports should require mouth guards for kids, not just soccer. There will be a few 'transition' years while the kids get used to wearing them, but the school division needs to require mouthguards for ALL sports where risk of contact (with player or eqipment) can be reasonably expected. Kids need to be outfitted wit mouth guards, and paents wo wish to "opt out" should be required to sign a lengthy release, preferably one so full of legalese that the parents need to hire a lawyer to fully understand it. Will they pay hundreds in lawyer's fees or a $3 for a mouth guard?
Inaccurate or Not....
The kids should be protected in soccer as well as all other sports. If parents/teachers don't lead them in taking care as to not to be hurt while playing a sport who will? Who cares about statistics when it comes to protecting our children? Even if the chance was one in one thousand who can guarantee that the "one" would not be your own daughter? Are you more concerned about the statistics and inaccuraces than you are safety?
For you information I have 2 residences. On in Chesapeake, VA and one in Germany so I have as much right to be there as you do.
bobingermany get your facts straight
My daughter was one of the students affected. The letter sent out by superintendent was full of inacuracies. The issue was why soccer was singled out in the name of child safety when sports like basketball and baseball were statistically signicantly more likely to suffer mouth injuries but were ignored. Additionally, he did not provide a rate of injury for soccer players in the city and he tried to compare soccer to football. His argument with good intentions was poorly supported by the evidence.
As far as making my daughter wear her seatbelt etc., the car doesn't get turned on without it. So, stay in Germany and mind your own business.
We care that's why we spoke out!
My kid wears a mouth guard by HER choice! She is a keeper and at a greater statistical chance to get a mouth injury compared to a field player. The Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Assoc's Rule 75.1.5 is where the proposed rules were copied from. You'll also note that the MIAA rules are based on a 20 yr old study. MIAA doesn't provide enough data to state how the summary rationale was formed & neither did Dr. Merrill. I'm glad I was finally asked what I thought about the proposal. Those in the soccer community have spoken and have been heard. It's our job to protect & educate them on the potential hazzards associated with their sport. By high school they know these hazzards & play knowing that things can happen.
Some really caring parents.....
I am sure glad that none of the ones who don't want their kids to wear mouth guards were not my parents. What is so wrong in protecting a childs mouth and teeth while playing soccer? I would sure rather my son to wear protection for his mouth than have him face the agony of having his jaw and/or teeth rebuilt or replaced. These are probally the same parents that don't make the kids wear seat belts in the car.