More recently than ever on the news we're hearing stories of players receiving serious blows to the head and spine which force them to be carried off on a stretcher. The crowd is silent and players stand on the sidelines with an empty look in their eyes. This is the situation that arises during the time of crisis and while medical attention deals with the victim. All the steps of precaution must be taken to ensure the athletes safety. The crowd rises to its feet and gives a loud cheer for the player's health as he is carried away from the game. Millions of thoughts race through a player's head, "Am I going to walk again?" "Is this going to affect my mental ability?" Nobody should have to be in that situation at all. Sports are supposed to be a friendly competition that is safe and gives a great deal of enjoyment. Head and Spinal injuries are the most dangerous injuries that can be produced in sports and that is also why we must make precautions.
             Many people today don't understand what can be done to solve the problem. Some say that players should be suspended as long as the player is hurt and others say that they should put a stop sign on the back of a players helmet/jersey. What needs to be done is a better respect for ones opponent. Today with players wearing as much equipment as they, nobody has respect for their opponent. They swing their sticks, hit hard as possible without thinking of what damage you can do to a player. When there were no helmets and no padding, players had a mutual respect for each other and freak accidents were the only ones that happened. Today in the inflationary world of player salaries and winning is the only result; players take their aggressiveness to another level.
             I believe that only once a player respect ones opponent, can a mutual respect be made to care for the other players health, because to an athlete, that could always be you lying on the ice n
             ...