Quote:
Originally Posted by cam_wmh
They aren't removing it, they're delaying the implementation by two years.
You mention that you were licking your chops at it, and use that as a reason for why it should still be allowed. Realistically, this decision should not be left to the kids to decide. They aren't privy to the same analysis as those within Hockey Alberta.
Of the limited data that is available, that data shows it's best to have them start hitting in Bantam. This coming from someone who, also played contact both years of PeeWee, and agree with the ban. It was certainly fun to hit, but I understand why they would choose to delay the implementation.
That data in Alberta, was for the higher skilled players, (Div 1-4), yet the data again indicates that injuries are more prevalent.
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I have been a coach at the bantam level for a number of years and I can honestly say that I would fear for the safety of some of the smaller kids a lot more knowing that they have no experience taking or throwing a body check. Mix that with the fact that you may also have a player who is 6'2 220 (yes I've seen it), who also has no experience taking or throwing a body check, you could end up with some devastating collisions.
And too my point, that big man-child will now even have a stronger yearning to be introduced to the physical part of the game. I've been around players this age for a long time, I've seen how they think and what they want the game to be, and the kids like the hits. So the kids throw the hits. And everyone cheers the hits. It's just the way it happens. So their going to to it to each other, now for the first time, at an age when there is much larger size discrepancies than any other age group.
That being said, I don't really look at this as a safety issue as much as a developmental issue. I have stated that I think the possibility of injury is something that is inherent in even playing non-physical sports and the participants must understand this. I feel this will deter a lot of very skilled, but small players, from doing something they are very good at because there is recklessness around them, rather than two previous years experience.
I would have no problem keeping hitting above a certain division and taking it out of the lower ones, but for the kids that want that part of the game it needs to be introduce at an age when they are least likely to seriously injure each other. Pee Wee players are mostly the same size and generally go at a much slower pace than players in Bantam. I would like to see it introduced into Atom, but obviously that's not happening.