The cup check

[shesulsa]

How do you do it? I have a new policy requiring groin protection be worn 100% of the time. I'm a female instructor with mostly male students and while I personally wouldn't be embarrassed to ask for the "knock-knock" check, it's a new world out there and I'm not interested in a lawsuit for inappropriate or suggestive discussion/behavior. What's your across-the-genders approach to the cup check?

 

[Gnarlie]

"Are you wearing the required protective equipment?"

Have a sign-off list of required protective equipment in your joining pack, with GROIN PROTECTOR in capital and bold listed as absolutely compulsory with no exceptions, and a disclaimer that anyone who participates in training without wearing appropriate protective equipment does so at their own risk. Make sure the student returns the signed list before they begin training.

The words 'No Protective Equipment - No Training - No Exceptions' are clear and in my experience work well.

 

[K-man]

Couldn't have put it better than Gnarlie. So .. what he said!

 

[arnisador]

Nothing good could come of you physically checking...even if you were male. I'm with Gnarlie.

I often signed those but never wore one. I don't like them. Haven't enforced would be a negative for me. I wonder if one of the prof. orgs. has advice on this--NAPMA or the like--since hiring a lawyer for your club is likely financially infeasible, I assume.

 

[Touch Of Death]

When I started we had one of the colored belts run around hitting people with a stick and laughing, "Cup Check!" But that may not go over so well these days. However, the idea is that it was a game and it was teenagers, not the teacher; so, you would have to go after the child if you didn't like the atmosphere. The positive thing was that cup checks were the least of your concerns in those days; meaning, people were more likely to quit after you put their teeth through their lip.
Sean

 

[Touch Of Death]

Nothing good could come of you physically checking...even if you were male. I'm with Gnarlie.

I often signed those but never wore one. I don't like them. Haven't enforced would be a negative for me. I wonder if one of the prof. orgs. has advice on this--NAPMA or the like--since hiring a lawyer for your club is likely financially infeasible, I assume.

They can be a crutch. ... a crutch for the...(oh never mind), but seriously at a certain belt level you need to lose the cup and just be untouchable.
Sean

 

[oftheherd1]

They can be a crutch. ... a crutch for the...(oh never mind), but seriously at a certain belt level you need to lose the cup and just be untouchable.
Sean

That would be nice. I don't know anyone like that myself. Accidents happen.

Still, I don't recall ever being told to wear a cup by an instructor. Other students might mention it to a newbie; before or after an accident. I guess it was just taken as common sense.

 

[Touch Of Death]

That would be nice. I don't know anyone like that myself. Accidents happen.

Still, I don't recall ever being told to wear a cup by an instructor. Other students might mention it to a newbie; before or after an accident. I guess it was just taken as common sense.

That's just it; you need to expect accidents and position yourself against the potential accident. Don't wait until you are jumped in a parking lot to play with this idea. Or you could just wear a cup 24/7.
Sean

 

[shesulsa]

Insurance requirement.

 

[ballen0351]

Insurance requirement.

I just make them sign a waiver saying they are wearing it and understand they are to wear one at all times. Then keep the waiver in their file. I wouldn't check it. Checking is just asking for issues you don't need.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I just make them sign a waiver saying they are wearing it and understand they are to wear one at all times. Then keep the waiver in their file. I wouldn't check it. Checking is just asking for issues you don't need.

What wrong with asking the students to do their own cup check? As in, "I wanna here the sound of your cups! Start knocking!"

 

[Touch Of Death]

Incidently, knocking your own cup during a point fighting match will get you the point.

 

[ballen0351]

What wrong with asking the students to do their own cup check? As in, "I wanna here the sound of your cups! Start knocking!"

Like I said issues you don't need. All it takes is for you to piss off soneone by not promoting them or something and for them to complain "they made me touch myself". True or not once the claim is made its a lot of bad press and reputation. Easier to have them just sign the form and be done with it. Were all adults here I don't need to check up on you. You sign that's good enough for me.

 

[jks9199]

How do you do it? I have a new policy requiring groin protection be worn 100% of the time. I'm a female instructor with mostly male students and while I personally wouldn't be embarrassed to ask for the "knock-knock" check, it's a new world out there and I'm not interested in a lawsuit for inappropriate or suggestive discussion/behavior. What's your across-the-genders approach to the cup check?

Have them do the tap... though a lot of the time, you can probably tell by looking.

 

[arnisador]

Insurance requirement.

Will the ins. co. give you guidance on this? Is a waiver enough for them?

 

[arnisador]

Still, I don't recall ever being told to wear a cup by an instructor. Other students might mention it to a newbie; before or after an accident. I guess it was just taken as common sense.

Bill Wallace.

 

[chinto]

ask if the guys have their cups on, and if you require jills for the girls ( in the SCA at least I think the girls still have to make their own groin protection..and it is required) you ask them the same thing... but physically checking .. not something I would recommend at all!! even for the same gender, let alone the opposite gender!!!

 

[shesulsa]

Will the ins. co. give you guidance on this? Is a waiver enough for them?

I was told they weren't going to offer me how to ensure the cup is worn. All students have to sign a waiver anyway stating they will wear the correct protective gear, etc. But some just don't wanna.

 

[Swifty20]

I was told they weren't going to offer me how to ensure the cup is worn. All students have to sign a waiver anyway stating they will wear the correct protective gear, etc. But some just don't wanna.

I'm confused. Are you still liable if they don't wear a cup even after they've signed the waiver saying they will? I would have thought you'd be in the clear liablity wise after they signed it.

 

[Balrog]

I'm confused. Are you still liable if they don't wear a cup even after they've signed the waiver saying they will? I would have thought you'd be in the clear liablity wise after they signed it.

The reality is that the waiver isn't worth the paper it's written on. If someone's gonna sue you, they're gonna sue you, period.

The best way, IMNSHO, is to ask at the start of every class: is everyone wearing ALL their protective gear? And then list off, ending with guys, are you wearing your cups? That way, if you get sued, you can call all the other students as witnesses that you do a safety check at the beginning of each and every sparring class and that will show that the student suing you lied about wearing his cup.