Maine high school soccer players no longer have to wear mouthguards

By Sam Canfield, Bangor Daily News Staff

The Maine Principals’ Association has voted to remove the mouthguard mandate for middle school and high school soccer, effective immediately.

The mandate was originally instated in 1999 to help prevent concussions during headers and slide tackles, and remained in place to reduce the risk of dental injuries. Mounting dissatisfaction from coaches around the state — citing their players’ inability to breathe and communicate properly — led to the MPA’s revision of the rule. 

Players are now “strongly recommended” to wear fitted mouthguards during competitive play, in accordance with the National Federation of State High School Associations’ guidelines.

Up until Sept. 4’s decision, Maine was the only state in the country with the mouthguard mandate for middle and high school soccer, after medical research in the 2000s debunked the claim that mouthguards significantly mitigated serious head injuries in soccer. The mandate was never put in place by club or premier soccer associations in Maine.

“There was an ongoing request from coaches, and it was worth discussion,” MPA Assistant Executive Director Mike Bisson said on Sept. 3. “High-level athletes wear them without a requirement. We’re hoping people will take the time to have them fitted and actually use them, instead of trying to enforce a rule that’s distracting to everyone.”

Middle and high school soccer referees had been responsible for monitoring players’ mouthguard usage when they made a play for the ball, in addition to officiating regular gameplay. 

Infractions of the mouthguard mandate were tracked by officials, and cards had to be issued to players that repeatedly violated the mandate.

“[There was] almost too much referee focus on the mouthguard being properly in the [players’] mouths at all times — there were multiple occasions where games were stopped,” Hampden Academy boys soccer coach Madison Hartley said. “It literally got to the point where they couldn’t even take it out for a second to breathe without possible consequences. I’ll still strongly encourage my players to wear them, especially if they have braces or other things like that.”

Sanitation also became a concern when players indifferent to the mandate used mouthguards as “chew toys” which often fell onto the ground.

Dave Hamel, Maine Soccer Coaches Association vice president and Orono head boys soccer coach, polled coaches earlier this summer about the mouthguard mandate. He reported “roughly 93 percent” of head coaches wanted the mandate removed.

“Dental injuries do happen, but not at the rate or severity where wearing mouthguards was proven to be the answer,” Hamel said. “I am of the belief that mandatory mouthguards was the solution to a problem that didn’t exist.”