Body Checking - What's the age in your Country?

[dave1927p]

What age group does body checking start for ice hockey in Sweden, Russia, Finland, Cze, UK, USA etc?

In Canada for REP hockey it is now minor bantam which is 13 year olds. When I played it was 10...and ever since they moved it up and down for each providence. Only recently has Hockey Canada made it the same nationwide.

I'm quite curious what the rest of the world is doing and I can't seem to find that information anywhere for other countries.

[CJ]

I'm not sure but I think it's 13 here in Finland?!

[stone169]

They're looking at getting rid of contact in the lowest level of rep in the GTHL. I think it's A, not sure. They polled the parents. I think they should've polled the kids instead, especially minor midget and up. Some parents, not all, don't exactly like it when their kids get hit.

[philou21]

Am I the only one that think that if they do this, kids will get destroyed in the AHL/NHL?! I mean, if they don't learn how to take a hit when they're young, this could end badly.

[stone169]

The GTHLs thinking that they figure that kids who play A/B are more than likely ending up in the beer league as adults. Whereas kids who play AA and AAA are more than likely to make a career out of hockey.

I personally think this is BS. In some cases it's a money issue as to what level of rep a kid can play. Sometimes it's politics. And other times kids are late bloomers. And you have the ones that are going to beer league once their done minor hockey.

[dave1927p]

I've been coaching an Atom AA team this year and we've had 4 players with "Reported Concussion Symptoms". Crazy for a non contact sport but at the same time I see so many players turning their backs on the play, not looking over their shoulders going into corners and not going in on an angle. I truly think that with body checking coming at later ages is even more dangerous. In my mind, Rep hockey, OMHA, GTHL etc, should all be contact. Non contact should remain in house league and also extend to "Select"

I played with the Burlington Eagles and I can name quite a few players who went from A to AA to AAA through the years and some on to OPJHL, NCAA, and OHA Sr. It's a major disservice the GTHL is doing if they go through with it.

I can see more of an argument for having body checking in at the second youngest age in REP instead of later years. I always get a kick at watching the Tim Hortons timbits kids during an AHL intermission...those kids are playing contact...it's just not on purpose because their still trying to figure out how to skate.

All that leads to me wondering what age other countries are starting. I'd be willing to bet that having it at a younger age is far better for developing players than older but that's just a hunch. You also would learn how to play the game safer that way opposed to being thrown in at 14 when kids can really hurt each other and do.

[batdad]

Problem is...no coaches teach the kids how to take a hit and focus solely on the punishing aspect of the hit. Hits are not meant to punish. They are meant to separate player from puck. This is not something that needs to be over aggressive. Angling is efficient, and the step up hit is not needed in the game. This has only really become a predominant factor in teaching by coaches in the last 20 years. It needs to stop! Teach kids how to protect themselves, and teach kids how to take a check, and angling. The big nasty hits....they do not need to be in the game.

Problem is....we now have 2 generations of morons who think that hitting is supposed to be Scott Stevens style. What it needs to be and SHOULD be is....Jyrki Lumme style. Angling...and moving the guy to the wall, and away from the net. SEPARATION OF PLAYER FROM PUCK. NOT BANG CRASH> Not needed.

As for when body check should start....it does not need to start at the young level, IF AND ONLY IF....the coaches are QUALIFIED ENOUGH to teach the kids proper angling and proper technique for going to the corners and along the walls. AND TO KEEP THEIR HEADS UP....and NOT To do the Daniel/Henrik face the wall and protect puck....UNLESS they have the biggest strongest core in the history of the world, and do it in the right places. COACHES DO NOT TEACH PLAYERS HOW TO GO INTO THE PUCK ON AN ANGLE IN THE CORNER AND ON THE WALL.


And even when they do...some do not listen or get it...until it is too late, and some Bettman coach on the other team has not taught his kids what angling and hitting really is.

I am proud to say...I have coached over 15 hockey teams, and over 20 seasons....and I have had EXACTLY ONE CONCUSSION on my teams, and EXACTLY TWO on another team.

THe one on our team was a freak accident, where kid lost edge and banged head on the ice.

ONe on other team was an idiot kid on my team....who went for a step up hit because well...thought he was Scott Stevens. Elbow up into face. No penalty. No nothing. Kid on my team? SAT ON BENCH FOR REST OF THAT GAME, and 1/2 of the next game. Hmm....did it happen again?

One was a nasty collision between two guys with heads down, and kid on other team facing the wall thinking he was DAniel. Sticks tied up in feet...and boom into wall head first. Total accident, but had a LONG CHAT with coach of other team after the game....and as we all know....that did not go well as other coaches think they know more than anyone else.

The teams I have coached have varied from Tyke and Novice all the way through Midget AAA. Some hit, some non hit.

But the common denominator was each and every kid was taught

1/ how to protect themselves....positioning, angles in corners, head on a swivel, head up....do the right thing...respect others.
2. respect others.
3. Do not take advantage of others.
4. No ridiculous over hits....which is what I called the wind up to knock a guy down...not needed.
5. how to properly angle.


Key to angling? Foot work and body position. 1x1 shoulder positions to force kid to go outside....and then when you do have the proper and quick footwork to pivot, skate and keep him outside and into corner. Lean...not brace and drill.

[CeeBee]

Body checking is a lost art. I suppose we can thank rockem sockem Donald S Cherry for making the big hit popular and the modern media for keeping it going. Too bad none of the people in a position of power would ever listen to you Batdad cause your are spot on!

[dave1927p]

we are non contact, and a big part of what I teach the defense and forwards is angling and playing the body. Just because you can't body check someone doesn't mean there is no contact. Hockey is a contact sport no matter what. Like you said though, it's still separating the man from the puck. The difference with our team is that you can't throw your weight around.

lol one of the "concussions" on our team was in practice this kid was banging his stick on the glass several times as he was skating, then it got stuck and basically close-lined him. Funniest thing ever!

I agree with you on all except #4, Batdad. If you can knock the guy down with a clean hit without taking yourself out of the play, then do it. That takes him out of the play but it's a tough skill and few players can do it.

I have to admit with your #3, as a coach I agree with you 100 percent. But when I played, there was nothing I loved more then seeing a player on the other team carrying the puck with his head down.

[batdad]

TO part one...do you teach your players how to deal with someone bumping or leaning? If not..still going to have issues (Will anyway..but less chance, mitigate issues). My point is that if coaches do not teach kids how to work on response to contact OR hitting....they will suffer more issues and injuries. Safety first...positioning on wall, and going to the wall, position of body when opponent approaching, how to push back against the hit. Feet moving vs feet not moving. Etc etc.

Contact or no contact...hit or contact, hit or no contact...does not matter...have to teach properly or you are putting players at risk.

And no...not saying you cannot take em out...saying that it is stupid to overdo the hit....and stupid to not do what you are supposed to ...separate man from puck...anything more than that....increases chance of imjury.. Knock em down...hits head on ice...yeah not cool. SLides into boards...anytime encouraging hitting to knock people down you are uncategorically saying that hitting to potentially injure someone is okay. No need for that.

And of course my thoughts on this have evolved over time. BEfore knowledge of concussion etc when I was younger....I would hit hard, and expect to be hit hard. Now I just teach and do what I need to to separate man from puck. No need to go overboard. Maturity, and more knowledge has led me to this philosophy...and had a ton of success with it.

[dave1927p]

that I can agree on.

Yes, We try and teach about bumping and leaning / pinning and rubbing players out. Both how to do it and how to take it. Not every kid cares to listen though which is the most frustrating part with coaching...well, besides the parents!

Last night I watched the age group just before body checking begins, and I just cringed. Those kids are all in for a wake up call next year.

[batdad]

AH...but if not every kid listens...then that is their issue is it not? Then they have to be taught how to listen to their coaches...I can think of a few ways to do that. Ask Mr Zack Kassian.

GTMHL bans bodychecking at the top Bantam level. That is okay out east where the OHL draft is in midget, and you can see how things work out. But out west, if they do that...it is going to make the WHL Draft a mess, unless they up the age to 15 for the draft, which is difficult out here because of college recruitment for the WHL. If they take it out in Bantam, and then try and draft guys. .... gonna be alot of flops. Cause some guys who have tons of skill etc....are TOTALLY different players and TOTALLY disappear once checking comes in to play. LIke never see a corner. Chicken.

I see giving families/players a choice to do what they want with proper education to the players prior to making that choice. Then the elite level guys will still get the hitting, and still get the proper experience they need to deal with it as they move up the ladder, and the rest will play for fun as they do now, with less chance of injury. BUT.....darn....taking it away from everyone...that is gonna cause issues in the future. Less experience with it leads to MORE DUMB and MORE accidental things happening.