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Write Your Legislators!

By AAHA, 09/02/20, 6:30PM EDT

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Let Hockey Play!

With ice rinks, gyms, health clubs and other recreational facilities reopening across most states and the return of contact sport, it's time to Let Hockey Play.

The National Federation of State High School Associations has classified ice hockey as a moderate risk sport for COVID-19 transmission. USA Hockey has provided scientific research that indicates players spend less than 3 seconds in close proximity to another player, and less than 3 minutes total during the entire course of a game.  Let your legislators know that you want to return to the rink and that USA Hockey’s Atlantic District has a plan for the safe return of full participation in the sport of ice hockey.

We’ve created a platform for you to easily contact your legislator based off entering your home address. We need to write a brief personal letter; just a paragraph along with a few talking points that we have provided here.

Important points you can mention:

  • Allow hockey games to occur following the plan submitted by the Atlantic District to the Governor's Office.
  • Exempt Team Personnel and Game Officials from the overall number of people allowed in an ice rink at once.

Some facts/figures you can include:

  • An ice hockey rink is 200- by 85-feet: that's 17,000 square feet of space just in the playing surface, with the overall averaging 25,000 Square feet.
  • Under current restrictions in PA, NJ and DE, other more riskier sports are able to fully resume, in much smaller buildings.
  • 50 people in a rink means 500 square feet per person. This is WAY more than restaurants, gyms, entertainment facilities, tattoo parlors, and more. This is also way more space per person than all other sports.
  • The National Federation of State High School Associations classifies ice hockey as "Moderate Risk" along with basketball, volleyball, soccer, field hockey, girls lacrosse, and 7-on-7 football.
  • Hockey players never share equipment, do not touch the puck, and there is no skin-to-skin contact.
  • Research from Eastern Michigan University shows that during a typical hockey game player-to-player close proximity is limited to 3 seconds.