Minor hockey in the Lower Mainland will see some big changes in the way the game is played come next season - changes that I think are for the better.
On Sunday, delegates representing the 42 Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association's (PCAHA) member minor hockey associations, including the Sunshine Coast Minor Hockey Association, voted 123-39 in favour of eliminating body checking at the 'C' level starting in the 2012/13 hockey season, which will get underway in August. This means that hitting will be eliminated in the "fun recreational" levels of hockey, while checking will still be allowed at the rep level played by older, advanced players.
Hockey Canada already bans body checking below the pee wee age level (11 to 12 years old) and in female hockey. Concerns about injuries, in particular to the head and concussions, led to the discussions at the provincial, national and regional levels about what is the appropriate age to introduce body checking skills and whether or not body checking is necessary at younger levels such as 'C' house hockey.
Through a review, which started last October, a committee was struck by the PCAHA to look into the matter, taking into account injury rates, and that summary report was provided to all of the associations. Those associations then voted on the matter themselves, and that mandate was taken to Sunday's meeting.
At the junior and pro levels, huge hits and injuries are becoming almost an everyday occurrence.
Arguably the best player in the world, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has missed close to 60 games since he was hit with a high elbow by a Washington Capitals player during the Jan. 1 Winter Classic game. Crosby did return to the Penguins line-up in late October, but after a few games, he was hit again. The concussion symptoms that sidelined him for the remainder of the season last year are plaguing him again, and he's been out of the line-up ever since.
Another top player, Chris Pronger of the Philadelphia Flyers, also suffered a concussion earlier this year. He was shut down and will not play again this year. Given his age, he may never play again.
The mounting medical evidence shows that body checking can triple the risk of injury, and when you see what is happening to some of the best players in the world, it's hard to ignore these statistics.
There is no question that hockey is a fast and rough sport, and there is a place in the game for body checking. But is there a place for it at such a young age when players are still developing their skills and their bodies are still developing? It's an interesting debate, one with arguments on both sides. One could say that it's hockey, and body checking and body contact are part of the game. How is anyone supposed to learn the game properly if they don't learn to check at a young age? Point taken. But here's the counterpoint. Some players develop more quickly - their bodies develop sooner than others - and when you have a larger, more aggressive 14-year-old player checking a smaller 13-year-old player, don't you run the risk of a serious injury? At this level of hockey, I think it's safe to say that body checking can be a safety risk and it's better to err on the side of caution.
I qualify my statement by saying that I have never played hockey, albeit for some pick-up games and road hockey when I was young, but I've covered minor, junior and semi-pro hockey for more than 15 years in various communities for various newspapers, and I've seen more injuries caused by inexperienced players body checking at younger levels of hockey than I wish to have seen.
These new rules will make the game safer and reduce injuries at a younger level, which is a good thing. And as the players move up through the age divisions, body checking can be introduced in a safe way when the players themselves have the skills and the body size to take a hit and deliver a hit properly.
