Checking being moved on to later ages.

[Barts66 0]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=536328

Well, sounds like pretty much everybody wants to move checking on to later ages. I personally think it is a great idea, as from where I am from kids can start checking their first year of Peewees. Brains are still developing and don't need to be messing anything up in there at such a young age. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Chadd 916]

Whatever age you pick, you're going to have kids out there just trying to destroy the other guy. I always hated reffing early season peewee games because nobody knows how to check but they all want to drill someone.

[twolinepass 0]

When I first started playing the rink did not have enough kids to have mite/squirt/peewee so they split up squirt and the younger kids played mite and the older kids played peewee. I got stuck playing peewee and I was always a smaller kid and I was drilled a few times and it took me awhile to "take a hit" to make a play.

[Barts66 0]

Whatever age you pick, you're going to have kids out there just trying to destroy the other guy. I always hated reffing early season peewee games because nobody knows how to check but they all want to drill someone.

Exacatly. Peewees are 10ish? Starting checking at 10 is too early. Parents are going to pressure there kids so much to try to go out and nail someone instead of making the right play. They want their kids to be noticed for the big hits.

[Chadd 916]

Exacatly. Peewees are 10ish? Starting checking at 10 is too early. Parents are going to pressure there kids so much to try to go out and nail someone instead of making the right play. They want their kids to be noticed for the big hits.

From what I've seen, it's probably better to allow it from the start. That way it won't be a big deal when they're actually old enough to do any damage to the other kids. Unless you're just going to ban it entirely until juniors.

[DarkStar50 679]

What's next? No tackling in Pop Warner/Jr football?

[puckhoggy 0]

Around me, checking starts at PeeWee Level for HouseLeague, but for Rep Hockey it starts at Atom if I'm not mistaken, AND that is too early.

[troy 12]

Skill development is always a priority, but playing hockey effectively while hitting and getting hit is a pretty integral skill in a physical game. To me, the issue isn't really when kids can begin checking, it's how kids are taught to check and how infrequently officials penalize illegal hits. The majority of "hits" I received in my minor hockey career consisted of two gloves striking me squarely in the cage.

[Chadd 916]

Skill development is always a priority, but playing hockey effectively while hitting and getting hit is a pretty integral skill in a physical game. To me, the issue isn't really when kids can begin checking, it's how kids are taught to check and how infrequently officials penalize illegal hits. The majority of "hits" I received in my minor hockey career consisted of two gloves striking me squarely in the cage.

As someone with more than ten years wearing stripes, I couldn't agree more with that. Referees do not call the penalties as they are written.

[raganblink 82]

Skill development is always a priority, but playing hockey effectively while hitting and getting hit is a pretty integral skill in a physical game. To me, the issue isn't really when kids can begin checking, it's how kids are taught to check and how infrequently officials penalize illegal hits. The majority of "hits" I received in my minor hockey career consisted of two gloves striking me squarely in the cage.

100% agree.

kids these days check by lifting both arms straight into the other player's high upper body, or more frequently, underneath/right at the cage. going for that explosiveness....

we need to either work on making sure kids check correctly b/c the problem wont fix itself making them wait till bantam. although i think doing the combination of the two would help wonders. push them back 2 years and extreme nazism on teaching kids how to check CORRECTLY.

[goblue9280 33]

What concerns me about moving the intro of checking to bantams is the disparity in size due to the onset of puberty. Most kids at the peewee level (11/12) either haven't started or are just starting puberty... so most are similar in stature. If I were a late bloomer, I'd rather learn how to take a hit before I'm in a league with 14 year olds who are 6'1" and 200lbs.

[raganblink 82]

Even at peewee though there is that disparity, and before that too. a kid in my area at age 12 was already 6'. At 13 he's 6'4. I get what yore saying but imo it doesn't matter, you have at disparity no matter what. there is almost always a solid foot in height between smallest and tallest kid on team... from mites to pros. during peewee, bantam and midget minor that's probably the greatest disparity.

[Fisticuffs 0]

What concerns me about moving the intro of checking to bantams is the disparity in size due to the onset of puberty. Most kids at the peewee level (11/12) either haven't started or are just starting puberty... so most are similar in stature. If I were a late bloomer, I'd rather learn how to take a hit before I'm in a league with 14 year olds who are 6'1" and 200lbs.

I'd rather have the kids learning how to check, and check well, a bit younger. In youth hockey, I would estimate 75% of the checks made are bad checks. The player making the check too often fails to either get the puck, or create an opportunity for his teammates to get the puck. I think part of this is because of the age at which they start checking. The kids' hormones are going crazy, and they check out of aggression rather than checking because its a smart play.

Coaches also need to be instructed on proper technique, so they can teach their players how to properly receive and give checks.

[Jason Harris 31]

Kerry Goulet is the Director of Hockey for Shoot For A Cure (and Play It Cool), which is a Canadian non-profit that raises funds to research spinal chord injuries and neurotraumas. He's no doctor but has kept somewhat abreast of the latest news as it flows into the organization. When I was with him for a Shoot function in L.A. this summer, he was saying pretty much what you just said, Fisticuffs. I can't remember what age he was suggesting that kids be allowed to hit, but he did say their position is the kids need to be taught how to take a hit or fall almost from the start of playing.

[chippa13 1844]

I think the danger of letting kids hit very early is that you'll lose a lot of kids. At an early age they're just struggling to stay on their feet on their own, having other kids trying to knock them down is going to add a level of frustration and lack of enjoyment that could have a lot of mites/squirts quitting the game.

[goblue9280 33]

I agree there is size disparity in all levels of hockey... but from my experience, there is a significant increase in disparity at the bantam level over the peewee level.

And let me expand on my previous statement... "learn how to take a hit" was an oversimplification on my part. The solution to the concussion problem should begin with teaching proper checking technique, followed by strict and consistent enforcement of the rules. Those should be the two priorities. Then learning to take/avoid a hit or learning to avoid risky habits that lead to hits will come naturally from game experience.

[Fisticuffs 0]

Kerry Goulet is the Director of Hockey for Shoot For A Cure (and Play It Cool), which is a Canadian non-profit that raises funds to research spinal chord injuries and neurotraumas. He's no doctor but has kept somewhat abreast of the latest news as it flows into the organization. When I was with him for a Shoot function in L.A. this summer, he was saying pretty much what you just said, Fisticuffs. I can't remember what age he was suggesting that kids be allowed to hit, but he did say their position is the kids need to be taught how to take a hit or fall almost from the start of playing.

I was pretty fortunate in that I had two older 2nd cousins who were stud hockey players, and my Dad had a shot prior to blowing out his knee at 18 (just before arthroscopic surgery started becoming mainstream, he lost his NCAA scholarship when his knee got torn up). As soon as we could skate well enough to whack at a puck, they were working on our skating to ensure my brothers and I had a wide base to help us better absorb checks, even though they wouldn't come for many more years. When they coached our pee-wee teams, they would bring out football style blocking bags, and have us skate down the boards while protecting ourselves from checks. We also practiced checking the bags, which helps you learn to check with your shoulder, as you'll have better balance, and deliver a more powerful check than using your hands; and once you complete the check, you'll be in better position to gain possession of the puck.

Granted, those aren't things that average hockey parents think to teach, but those are things that can be taught to youth coaches, who can then teach youth players those skills. In doing so, you're better preparing players for the hits they will eventually face, and you teach them real purpose of a body check: to separate your opponent from the puck. The emphasis on sound technique on both sides of the check lessened our risk of injuries from opponents, and prevented us from making dangerous checks that could put us at a disadvantage on the ice.

To me, its not unlike drinking in the US. Kids get into all kinds of trouble when they get access to alcohol, because they have no respect for it, and no experience with it. If they were exposed to it in a more responsible setting earlier in life, I suspect you'd see fewer of the problems we have with drinking today.

[bostonjuniorblackhawks 1]

Last year was my younger cousin's first year of checking. He left his feet every time he tried checking someone. I bet his coach spent alot of time teaching the proper way to check someone.........

[iceNsteel 0]

What I would like to see in a mix between the two. I think at the Peewee level kids should go to the checking clinic and begin learning how to properly give and take checks. But their first year of contact I would like to see something like this (it's a little rough, sorry):

Inside the box between the face off dots would be a no checking zone to prevent the most dangerous open ice hits. While allowing the kids to make contact in areas were game speeds are typically slower. At the Bantam level it would become full ice contact.

[chippa13 1844]

To be honest, when kids don't know how to throw or take checks correctly and are gun shy about getting hit, checks closer to the boards can be the most dangerous.

[Barts66 0]

iceNsteel, open ice hits in peewees dont occur often in my opinion. The bad hits come in peewees when a kid has his head down along the board or is skating in the "danger zone" being 1-2ft. away from the boards.

As for the disparity issue, thats everywhere you go. Theres always going to be big kids and small kids in age groups no matter where you go.

[raganblink 82]

Agreed.... if anything that needs to be inverted. around the boards is where u see broken backs and shit.

[Fisticuffs 0]

I think TORHS (an inline tournament series) used to allow "body contact" along the boards, basically allowing checking along the boards. Contact was allowed so long as it occurred directly on the boards. Seemed to prevent some of the dangerous boarding situations.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Here in Aus checking is only started at bantam age. I assume due to numbers that the age range in Pee Wees (8 to 12 year olds here) that its not really viable to allow kids at that age to check. I coach Midget and do find myself having to teach about 90% of the kids that have come up from bantam on how to hit properly/cleanly. Allot don't know when to take steps towards a check, how to check on or near the boards. Boarding isn't a big issue, but its comes up occasionally. What we see really is either very weak checkers and very strong ones. With such a polarisation of ability you do get the odd bell rung by one of the more skilled kids in the league.

Allot of kids are scared and teaching them proper technique, giving or taking a hit, is so important. One kid in particular I coached this year is 17, 80Kg and 6'2 never used to hit in games. After a 5 min instruc. session he now hits textbook! No penalties and 8 out of 10 times seperates the puck from the player.

[IniNew 53]

One kid in particular I coached this year is 17, 80Kg and 6'2 never used to hit in games. After a 5 min instruc. session he now hits textbook! No penalties and 8 out of 10 times seperates the puck from the player.

Is there where you tell me it's only 19.99?

It's already been touched on several times, but kids out there looking for the big hit to impress a coach is a huge problem. Combine that a severe lack of personal attention to individual skills in some systems and it creates are strong need to stand out, and lack of ability to do so.