Minor Hockey Moments

Monday, March 4, 2013

No hurt hockey for Canadian kids?

The debate over body checking in minor hockey is back in Canada.
For years, the norm in most areas of the country was to introduce body checking at age 11. Now, many ban it from house leagues at all age levels. Some want it banned for all skill levels until age 16.
The rationale is clear enough: No one wants kids to be hurt playing a sport.
If only kids would be coached - or would follow the instructions of coaches - to use body contact effectively as part of the game strategy and not as an intimidation technique.
When my son grew out of competitive hockey and into house league juvenile, the game seemed lacking, sometimes silly ... but safer. Definitely quieter, from the sound of the boards to the behaviour of the parents/fans.
I doubt body contact will be eliminated from elite Canadian AAA minor hockey and doubt it should be. Can you seriously imagine arriving in major junior at age 16 having never played rough-and-tumble contact hockey?
For everyone else, the game might be ready to evolve into one of skating and shooting ... and no body checking.

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