In an effort to keep young players on the ice and out of the emergency room, the Ontario Hockey Federation is banning bodychecking for recreational players between the ages of six and 21.
The rule change announced earlier this week by the largest provincial branch of Hockey Canada affects house league players drawn from all skill levels as well as the select teams comprised of the top house league players. Players in the federation's higher level "rep" teams are not covered by the ban, however.
In a statement, the OHF said its ban should "bring the focus back to the basics" of the game. "The removal creates a safer environment for new players that join the game at any age to develop the fundamental skills of skating and puck handling without the concern of being intentionally hit by another player," the OHF said. "At the end of the day hockey is a sport intended to give health benefits and life lessons to participants, and the OHF wants to highlight these core attributes of the game." According to OHF Executive Director Phil McKee, the decision reflects an "evolution" of thinking in the sport. "
A lot of our associations have removed it from house league hockey over the past ten years. And we decided this is the time to standardize it across the Ontario Hockey Federation," he told CTV News Channel on Friday, explaining that the new rule is intended to improve player recruitment, retention, skills development and safety. Reacting to the rule change, one of the first researchers to demand a ban on bodychecking in recreational hockey leagues said it was a step in the right direction. "I know some parents keep their kids out of hockey, especially out of competitive hockey, because they worry about the injuries that might ensue when kids are allowed to bodycheck," York University health professor Alison Macpherson told The Canadian Press on Thursday. "Kids are more likely to play if they think they're not going to get hurt," she added. "Which is great because we have an obesity epidemic." Several studies have linked body contact to increased injuries among players, including one published last year that found youngsters allowed to check their opponents were not only more than twice as likely to get injured, they were more likely to suffer concussions.
Comparing the experience of Pee Wee players in Alberta where bodychecking is allowed, and Quebec where bodychecking is banned, researchers concluded that removing body contact could prevent 1,000 game-related injuries and more than 400 concussions. But some believe learning to deal with bodychecks early is essential for anyone who wants to excel at the sport. University of Buffalo brain injury researcher Barry Willer is among those who extol the merits of young players learning how to give and take a bodycheck. "If you introduce it to them when they're young, you get much more minor injuries and the kids learn to bodycheck and they learn to take a check better, earlier," Willer told CTV Calgary.
Acknowledging that the contentious debate is far from settled, McKee said fans and players of the sport should not see this change as a step towards eliminating checking from the game altogether. "It's a move to remove it from a level where the focus should be on skating skills, puck development," he said. "And if you want to move to a level with bodychecking, we have those levels at minor peewee and above for players at representative levels and that will continue to be in place in the future."
While Hockey Canada sets the rules for the game nationally, provincial branches who seek permission to research the issue can set their own rules. So far, only the OHF, the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and the Ottawa District Hockey Association have applied for the permission and funding to do so. According to Hockey Canada's rulebook, bodychecking is first permitted among the 11- and 12-year-olds playing on Pee Wee division teams. "There will always be those who object," McKee said. "We believe it's a positive decision for hockey, for players and for parents as well as administrators." The OHF represents approximately 40 per cent of the registered players in this country. Of those, approximately 70 per cent, or more than 150,000 play recreational hockey.
I'm all for initiatives that reduce injuries, but this is ridiculous. Hockey is a contact sport. Deal with it. If you want to get on the ice and have no chance of being hurt, take up curling.
It's only for houseleague and select, so the higher competitive ranks will continue as usual. But think about this. You have a kid that excels at the select level, so he makes the jump to "A" or "AA". He'll be playing with players who have been "bodychecking" for years. He's going to get smoked. I grew up playing extremely high level hockey and it's part of that game. Get caught with you head down, and your going to end up concussed. It's your fault. But believe me, once you make that mistake once, you better belive it won't happen again. Political correctness FTL.
What do you guys think?
bcope
i think its fine. how many kids make the jump from house league to AA at an age late enough for this to be a factor? hockey isnt really a sport where people have miraculous jumps in skill level in their late teens...by the time you get to that point chances are you are either good, and have been playing rep for a while, or you're not and you don't.
even on the off chance that one or two late-blooming prodigies *might* get caught up in this rule and have to acquaint themselves with checking at a later age, i dont see it as being a bad thing compared to how many less-skilled players wont be hurt because they try to take someone into the boards, miss and concuss themselves or worse.
Summerlover
quote:
Originally posted by LightsOut
Get caught with you head down, and your going to end up concussed. It's your fault. But believe me, once you make that mistake once, you better belive it won't happen again.
Ummm really? Mind explaining why even professionals get recurring concussions? You're saying it's all their fault that these injuries happen? For someone that's played hockey, you sure sound like you've taken too many hits to the head yourself.
In all honesty, I don't think this is a bad decision. They do say it's for "house leagues". House leagues are created for people who want to play hockey for fun. And that's the main reason this was done, to encourage our kids to participate in a recreational activity. Hockey is hardly a competitive sport when there's 6 year olds involved. If you want to play competitive hockey at a high level, then that's the risk you run. It's better than assuming the risk while just trying to have fun.
I do think that 21 is a little old though. Minor hockey. Should be 6-18, 19-21 is hardly minor.
LightsOut
quote:
Originally posted by Summerlover
Ummm really? Mind explaining why even professionals get recurring concussions? You're saying it's all their fault that these injuries happen? For someone that's played hockey, you sure sound like you've taken too many hits to the head yourself.
It's not ALL their fault. It depends on the play. A dirty hit is a dirty hit. Hitting from behind and boarding (taking a run at a player), have always been a penalty and not part of the game. But hockey is a contact sport and bodychecking is part of the fabric of the game. When a player is left concussed from a "clean" bodycheck, it usually is because he was caught with his down or admiring a pass....
quote:
They do say it's for "house leagues". House leagues are created for people who want to play hockey for fun. And that's the main reason this was done, to encourage our kids to participate in a recreational activity. Hockey is hardly a competitive sport when there's 6 year olds involved. If you want to play competitive hockey at a high level, then that's the risk you run. It's better than assuming the risk while just trying to have fun.
I guess I'm just a purist. The game has changed to much in the past 10 years or so. Now if you even touch someone with your stick its a penalty.
The days of giving your opponent a friendly slash on the back of the leg as you skate away just to remind him your there are gone. :tongue2
One thing I really don't like about this ruling is it makes "real" hockey an almost elitest/class specific sport. Hockey is expensive enough at even the most basic level. Now, if you want your kids to play hockey with body checking, it has to be at a "rep" level, which is a considerable commitment (minimum 4 days/week), and upwards of $20,000 once you factor everything in (tournaments, jackets, registration fees, extra ice & conditioning). Just to play our national sport the way it was meant to be played. Before this ruling, many local associations offered both contact and non-contact options at a house league level. Now, parents don't have that choice.
What's next? All football MUST be flag?
Summerlover
quote:
Originally posted by LightsOut
One thing I really don't like about this ruling is it makes "real" hockey an almost elitest/class specific sport. Hockey is expensive enough at even the most basic level. Now, if you want your kids to play hockey with body checking, it has to be at a "rep" level, which is a considerable commitment (minimum 4 days/week), and upwards of $20,000 once you factor everything in (tournaments, jackets, registration fees, extra ice & conditioning).
Again I disagree. It's not becoming an elitest sport, it's becoming a sport where there's a lot more competition to advance. It sorts out who "can" play at certain levels of hockey, and it's not just a free-for all.
Also, throwing completely random numbers like $20k to play rep is a useless arguement. What's so different than the way it is now then? It's no difference if there's contact or not.
Maybe an amazing player doesn't have the funds to play rep hockey, then it sucks for that person. But I'm sure there will be a whole new system of scouting that will take place, where we don't let that talent go to waste. Someone will take care of it, whether it be teams or a league that will invest in their talents. (at least that's what I'm thinking/hoping)
Sly_Guy
we should ban skates too, because people can twist their ankles walking on the rubber mat from the change room to the ice.
Injury is a risk in any sport. Teach those wanting to play how to play safely with contact, don't take contact out of the game!
LightsOut
quote:
Originally posted by Summerlover
Again I disagree. It's not becoming an elitest sport, it's becoming a sport where there's a lot more competition to advance. It sorts out who "can" play at certain levels of hockey, and it's not just a free-for all. Also, throwing completely random numbers like $20k to play rep is a useless arguement. What's so different than the way it is now then? It's no difference if there's contact or not.
If I want my kids to play hockey the way its meant to be played, it now has become elitest, because they ONLY have that option at a competitive level. Before, I could choose which association suited their needs best, as it was up each one to determine if they wanted to offer contact or non-contact, or both. And I said upwards of 20K a year for competitive programs, once everything gets factored in. That's VERY realistic.
Summerlover
quote:
Originally posted by LightsOut
If I want my kids to play hockey the way its meant to be played, it now has become elitest, because they ONLY have that option at a competitive level. Before, I could choose which association suited their needs best, as it was up each one to determine if they wanted to offer contact or non-contact, or both. And I said upwards of 20K a year for competitive programs. That's VERY realistic.
Please tell me where 8 years olds are playing contact hockey. I would think that you're puting your own kids at risk if you shove them into contact hockey at an early age. I didn't start playing contact hockey until I was probably 12-13 I think (sorry, using the gf's accnt cuz I cbf to make my own lol). And by that time, it should really be up to your kids whether or not they want to continue to pursue the sport, or play at the level that best suits their needs. Not the parents.
GGM
I think it makes sense for house league, but I'd leave it in select as there's a small chance those kids can make it to the NHL where it would be a huge disadvantage not growing up with contact.
-g-
people who are saying it's a contact sport and it's just part of the game don't understand that it is a contact sport only because the rules say so - rules can be changed.
before you boo-hoo this, you might actually pause to think a little about it.
recent studies have shown that even non-concussive blows to the head(ie the ones where you just get your head 'rung' and you're perfectly conscious), have been proven to cause dementia, permanent neural damage, and significant loss of motor control very early on in life.
denying this isn't some kind of yardstick for toughness of ability - it's just ignorant and stupid.
and i say this as a guy who played hockey for for 15 years and got banged up in a whole host of pretty violent sports.
it simply doesn't need to be this way.
LightsOut
quote:
Originally posted by Summerlover
Please tell me where 8 years olds are playing contact hockey. I would think that you're puting your own kids at risk if you shove them into contact hockey at an early age. I didn't start playing contact hockey until I was probably 12-13 I think (sorry, using the gf's accnt cuz I cbf to make my own lol). And by that time, it should really be up to your kids whether or not they want to continue to pursue the sport, or play at the level that best suits their needs. Not the parents.
I started playing hockey at the age of 4 in the Oak Ridges system, because my city (Richmond Hill), wouldn't let you start till you turned 5. At such a young age your just trying to stand up let alone thinking about who to body check. But education starts young. From the beginning your taught what a fair check is, how to position yourself properly to take a hit, and basic hockey awareness. I played until I was 17 and was never forced into anything. I was good enough that I made the jump to the competitive system when I was 7. I love the game. I always understood it's a contact sport and with that, their is always the chance for injury. It's not about determining which level of play suits your needs. Rep is rep for a reason, either your good enough, or your not. But now, if you want to play contact hockey, you better hope you are good enough, or your outta luck.
What worries me is these kids that are "late" bloomers. Say you have someone who doesn't start playing hockey till they're 10-12 years old, and after a year in house league or select they're doing really well and genuinely want to make the step towards rep. That first tryout they have with kids who have been playing competitive contact hockey for 5 years already, are going to light them up. Now, that's dangerous.
PS: Great Hit here. Stamkos knows its coming, prepares himself, and gets up and gets on with it. Nobody hurt. Just good clean playoff hockey.
Dr. Z
Finally!
Hockey is making it's way to becoming a team sport, from being just a brawling match.
