Hockey Traditions: The Orange Helmet

The orange helmet tradition has evolved over the years but one thing remains true: you don't want to be wearing it. The Syracuse ice hockey team holds a shootout at the end of practices before game days and the loser must don the dreaded orange helmet during pregame warm-ups.

The tradition began in the program's first year as a hand-me-down from Plattsburgh State.

"Erin O'Brien, an assistant in the program's first year, played and coached at Plattsburgh State and brought the idea with her," head coach Paul Flanagan explained. "It's a tradition up there."

Throughout the last six years, the team has upped the ante by transitioning from shaming the player in practice to during warm-ups before games, home or away.

"It started before my freshman year," senior captain Margot Scharfe said. "It's lots of fun and the goalies play around too. Everyone tries some pretty funny moves and the goalies mix it up and do some fun saves."

Having a neon orange reminder that you lost isn't the only thing at stake in the shootout, the class of the player with the helmet also earns the responsibility of cleaning the bus at the end of road trips.

What most people don't know, however, is that there are two orange helmets in the SU equipment room. The team also has a hardhat, given out to the hardest worker after each game. That's the helmet you want sitting in your stall.

"If you have the hardhat in your stall, you know you had a good game and you should be proud of it," Coach Flanagan said. "They're two really good traditions that are on opposite ends of the spectrum."

Syracuse University Athletics

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