Youth to wear safety gear

ALL players aged 17 and under will be required to wear a helmet and faceguard in both youth and senior shinty competitions from the start of the season.

The Orion Group and sportscotland’s Sportsmatch scheme are sponsoring the introduction of the ruling with £8000 funding allowing the Camanachd Association to distribute an initial allocation of free helmets to all clubs.

The sanction has been in place for a several years for players aged 14 years or under and has proven successful in reducing injuries.

“Shinty is a physical and challenging game but it’s equally important we recognise the importance of safety for our young players,” said Scott Burns-Smith, Orion’s head of marketing and communications.

The youth season starts on Tuesday 16th April.

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