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Body Checking in Minor Hockey, yes/no at what age?


johnnyhasbeen

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I would like to know other peoples opinions on this matter and reasoning behind it. This seem likes the perfect form to get some opinions from around the globe and nation wide in Canada. I would be interested to hear when it is introduced in Sweden Russia, Slovakia etc.

What would be real cool would be if one of the stat magicians on here was to give a breakdown on concussions by nation and age nations introduce it.. Then I think my opinion on the matter would be justified. I say Crosby and Lindros before him were guilty of skating with their heads down. I learned my first game in Squirt, now called Novice what happens when you do that. No, I didn't cry, yes I was helped off by my coach and yes my mother was terrified. I was 7, hit by a 8 year old. Teach hitting on day one of ice hockey, Novice B and up. That leaves Novice C or Rec for learn to skate. I remember lots of kids getting the wind knocked out of them, not any serious injuries. We all had fun and a higher percentage of kids were playing than are now. We had a way higher percentage of players continue in midget than we do now or it seems so to me. I think introducing it at Bantam just scares kids out of hockey. I was against introducing it as late as PeeWee.

Taking a check is a survival skill like swimming. Learn it young. My opinion. Very open to hear yours.

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Oh I am from Sids town where it was introduced to him at PeeWee. Recently raised to Bantam. Great, the years where you are trying to learn your balance on skates after growing a foot over the summer, now the kids a year older and with contact experience are hitting you. The kids you have played against every second year. 3 seasons into hockey my son has personal rivals in local towns. I have raised him from day one how to do it right. He had a kid lined up for a perfect open ice hip 2 games ago. took two steps in, hip came out, everyone gasped and he stood up right in front of the guy. He can't wait...

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  • 2 weeks later...

At the mini mite level, they hit all the time! Although most of it is just from falling over. My son started playing this year. I wouldn't be comfortable with it in my current situation. They lump all kids 8 and under into 3 main categories. There's potential that, say, a 5 year old will be playing against an 8 year old. The size difference between those age groups is too large.

I'm all for teaching the act of checking, and how to take a check. But I'd probably bump it up a bit in age, especially when in the under 8 bracket, lots of kids here are still learning how to skate. My son just learned the art of the crossover last weekend. I know youth hockey in Canada (much like my hometown in northern NY) is much larger and age brackets may be a bit more segmented.

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  • 1 year later...

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