Ensuring the safety and functionality of equipment is a shared job, regardless of who owns the equipment. Parents, coaches, and athletes should work together to ensuring that equipment is in good functioning order
Below are Four easy checks to keep athletes safe:
- Check an athlete’s helmet to ensure that it not cracked
- This is especially important to do after a crash
- Check the sole, toe piece, and hard back of an athlete’s boots
- The sole of the boot should not be pulling away from the leather
- The plastic toe piece should not be too worn and definitely not cracked
- The hard back of the boot should be intact and not broken in any place
- The bar that holds the heal piece should not be too worn or broken/cracked
- Check an athlete’s bindings to ensure all screws are secure
- The toe piece should be flush with the ski and solidly attached. Pull up on the toe piece to ensure it is not pulling away, indicating stripped screws.
- The post with the heal clip should be securely fastened to the ski.
- Attach the heal clip to the bar on the boot and pull up to ensure a tight fit.
- Heal clips should snap onto the bar on the boot and should not wiggle.
- Check the surface, side wall, and base of an athlete’s skis.
- These surfaces should be free from cracks, delamination, or major blemishes.
