minor hockey in Canada votes to delay bodychecking until bantam

[puckhead]

pro: focus on developing puck skills up to 12 y/o without worrying about getting your head taken off
con: the learning curve at Bantam (13+14 yr olds) level will mean that some kids are going to get absolutely smoked by some pretty big players, without knowing properly how to take a hit. especially true of the rookies to the level when facing the 14 year olds.


big onus on coaching to prepare these kids (who are already skating pretty fast) to properly deliver and accept hits. It's not an easy skill to pick up.



@DarrenDreger
For the record, Saskatchewan was the only "no" vote registered in opposition of removing bodychecking from Pee Wee hockey in Canada.

- But what's a Canadian farm boy to do /WZ

 

[juliansteed]

When I was in Peewee and Bantam (early 90s), Bantam was the age that checking was introduced. Peewee was when you could start taking slap shots. At least that's how it was in NB, not sure when they changed it to Peewee. I'm rather indifferent about this. Whether it's at Peewee or Bantam there is going to be some major size variance among these kids. Whatever level they introduce body checking I think should be divided into 2 age groups, each including players born in 1 calendar year only as opposed to the current 2 year format. The good news is that I believe it is only at the rep level that you can body check so kids/parents that might be afraid of body checking can still have fun at the house/recreational level.

 

[puckhead]

When I was in Peewee and Bantam (early 90s), Bantam was the age that checking was introduced. Peewee was when you could start taking slap shots. At least that's how it was in NB, not sure when they changed it to Peewee. I'm rather indifferent about this. Whether it's at Peewee or Bantam there is going to be some major size variance among these kids. Whatever level they introduce body checking I think should be divided into 2 age groups, each including players born in 1 calendar year only as opposed to the current 2 year format. The good news is that I believe it is only at the rep level that you can body check so kids/parents that might be afraid of body checking can still have fun at the house/recreational level.

yeah, I'm having a tough time working up any indignation one way or the other.
provinces will have the choice of whether "body contact" will be OK. the women's game has body contact allowed (giggidy), but not body checking. As I understand it, that means you are allowed to angle a player off of the puck, but not hit perpendicular into the boards or a head-on collision.

where I grew up, there was never an age-limit on slapshots, because kids for the most part couldn't shoot worth shit under 11-ish year old anyways. As the goal was to raise the puck, the wristshot was always the first to be developed.
Hitting was introduced at Peewee (11-12 y/o), but only in the rep leagues as well (For those unfamiliar, 'rep' was competitive while 'house' was for fun - you had to try out for the rep teams). I don't recall too much of a transition into the hitting game, though there were certainly some big ones thrown right off the bat. It's a learning curve - which is why part of me wants that learning to be done before the kids are big enough to do too much damage.

 

[forty_three]

Pee Wee was always when slappers and checking started getting allowed. Now and back when I played.

Not sure how I feel about it. I can see a need to develop more speed and handling skills, but the size difference can be massive by 13.

Wonder if maybe they should do it at the house level, but for AA or above / travel leagues they can allow it. Once you get up in the select teams, the variance between the kids skill level is not as big.

 

[IPostedWhat]

I don't think this will catch on in Russia.

 

[juliansteed]

I don't think this will catch on in Russia.

How is it that the Britts are the voice of reason?

 

[puckhead]

Manitoba, reserving the right to concuss our children
Sun News : Rogue Manitoba peewee league will offer bodychecking after Hockey Canada ban

- But what's a Canadian farm boy to do


honestly if this takes off, it will be very interesting to see how the hitting/no hitting players integrate into bantam, with a bunch of them having a headstart.
how long will that developmental advantage last for? if there is one at all.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Pee wee was the age that hitting was introduced when I played in the Buffalo area growing up. That was actually what pushed me to move into the net. I was already thinking about it after having rotated as a goalie my first few years playing, but my parents encouraged it for my own safety because I was - quite literally - the smallest player in the league that year. My first year in pee wee and we had a D on my team who was 6'2" (that's like 2M for you Canadian hosers).

So I'm not sure the size difference at bantam will matter as much and might help. These players will be better skaters and puck handlers and will be much better developed for being able to skate around some of the big guys that are going to be out there.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Pee wee was the age that hitting was introduced when I played in the Buffalo area growing up. That was actually what pushed me to move into the net. I was already thinking about it after having rotated as a goalie my first few years playing, but my parents encouraged it for my own safety because I was - quite literally - the smallest player in the league that year. My first year in pee wee and we had a D on my team who was 6'2" (that's like 2M for you Canadian hosers).

So I'm not sure the size difference at bantam will matter as much and might help. These players will be better skaters and puck handlers and will be much better developed for being able to skate around some of the big guys that are going to be out there.

there is the issue ... the player safety issue goes hand in hand with the keeping kids registered issue. The size disparities you bring up at the peewee level make alot of kids drop out at 12 and 13 or play in house leagues that dont allow hitting

 

[forty_three]

there is the issue ... the player safety issue goes hand in hand with the keeping kids registered issue. The size disparities you bring up at the peewee level make alot of kids drop out at 12 and 13 or play in house leagues that dont allow hitting

Wow, what a tough issue. If you go and make it legal to hit at PeeWee on AA and above, then all you're doing is encouraging teams of very large goon types (who will be able to play somewhat) and some talented kids will stay in house or go play lacrosse.

On the other hand, you delay it all and then they get to Bantam and go up against Americans or that one WCan league that has been hitting since PeeWee, your boys are at a huge disadvantage.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Wow, what a tough issue. If you go and make it legal to hit at PeeWee on AA and above, then all you're doing is encouraging teams of very large goon types (who will be able to play somewhat) and some talented kids will stay in house or go play lacrosse.

On the other hand, you delay it all and then they get to Bantam and go up against Americans or that one WCan league that has been hitting since PeeWee, your boys are at a huge disadvantage.

my son is not in the system yet but talkin to a friend who has his son registered at the North Shore Winter club and the bold is exactly the case in his experience ... that the house team could legit beat the rep team
and the talented kids (and the parents) on that house team get chirped that they are pussies lol

9000 emergency room visits across canadian peewee hockey of which 400 were critical injuries ... iirc quebec is the only association that holds registration numbers for 12-13 year olds while the rest of canada sees declining registration at this age bracket ... and oh yah Quebec already has banned hitting in peewee

 

[dash]

Might as well drop this here (a tweet from Farhan Lalji):

FarhanLaljiTSN: Here's one I found stunning: Hockey in Canada has experienced low participation growth rates recently & 90% of families chose not to play

Do they chose not to play or is the choice made for them because they can't afford to play?

 

[mattola]

Might as well drop this here (a tweet from Farhan Lalji):

FarhanLaljiTSN: Here's one I found stunning: Hockey in Canada has experienced low participation growth rates recently & 90% of families chose not to play

Do they chose not to play or is the choice made for them because they can't afford to play?

that has to be part of it Dash. That and the health concerns. Football will be seeing alot of that as well. Hell even Matt Dunigan doesnt let his kid play as far as I know

 

[blindbaby]

Might as well drop this here (a tweet from Farhan Lalji):

FarhanLaljiTSN: Here's one I found stunning: Hockey in Canada has experienced low participation growth rates recently & 90% of families chose not to play

Do they chose not to play or is the choice made for them because they can't afford to play?

I'd probably say the cost.

My son doesn't play hockey but if he wanted to, I'd have a tough time financing a season of rep. As it is, rep baseball runs us about $2500 for the season (most of that is travel and hotel costs), whereas rep hockey here will run you upwards of $10,000 - $15,000. For us, the baseball is "just" doable.

House hockey would probably be doable for us, but I'd bet that a lot of families can't put their kids in that when the cost per season would still be at least $1500 per kid.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I hate to say it, but long term the cost of hockey will doom the sport.