Hockey Edmonton bans hitting at lower level Bantam/Midget

[Zarley]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

Yes, that is what the thread is about.

I thought this thread was about competitive leagues banning contact?

When I was playing minor hockey there was the option to play competitive hockey (contact pee-wee and up) or recreational (non-contact with fewer practices). I'm wondering if that option still exists, and if so, why is it necessary to limit hitting in competitive leagues?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I thought this thread was about competitive leagues banning contact?

When I was playing minor hockey there was the option to play competitive hockey (contact pee-wee and up) or recreational (non-contact with fewer practices). I'm wondering if that option still exists, and if so, why is it necessary to limit hitting in competitive leagues?

Because it's a different world than when you and I played minor hockey. Enrollment is down. Injuries, concussions and otherwise, are a large reason why. Rec leagues, from what I remember, are independent of community association teams. The community league teams likely get priority access to ice, and they're not about to let a large chunk of their business just disappear because they insist on mandating hitting.

If a kid is good enough to play Royals/Canucks/Buffaloes, they can learn to hit when they get there. It's the easiest thing to learn in the entire sport.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Zarley

I thought this thread was about competitive leagues banning contact?

When I was playing minor hockey there was the option to play competitive hockey (contact pee-wee and up) or recreational (non-contact with fewer practices). I'm wondering if that option still exists, and if so, why is it necessary to limit hitting in competitive leagues?

Sorry, I thought city leagues where considered non competitive or "rec" leagues in minor hockey. I umderstand what you mean. In Red Deer they have a Pond Hockey league. One ice time every saturday at the same rink.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

In Red Deer they have a Pond Hockey league. One ice time every saturday at the same rink.

But what if that is not enough for the player?

What if they want to play more than that?

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

But what if that is not enough for the player?

What if they want to play more than that?

Bingo. Lots of kids want to play hockey. Fewer want to get knocked around. And it's not right to insist children put themselves in harm's way because they want more than one ice time a week.

[Lubicon]

I have not seen any confirmation posted anywhere but at our local minor hockey AGM one of the Executives commented off hand that Hockey Calgary has apparently voted to ban body checking from the bottom two tiers of Midget this year which would be Div 5 and 6. Again, I don't have independant confirmation other than a verbal statement and I may have misheard it (perhaps they are just voting on the motion to remove it).

[Lubicon]

Received a confirmation email from our local MHA. Body checking has been removed from the lowest 2 divisions of Midget for the coming year. They also provided some stats from last season for the Bantam divisions that checking was eliminated:

Positives:
1. general atmosphere at the games was better. Less crowd animosity.
2. fewer after whistle incidents and as a result more games were completed in the allotted ice time.

Oddly there was no evidence to categorically state that injuries were down and this was one of the main reasons that checking was eliminated. Admittedly one season is a small sample size but thus far there is no evidence that removal has resulted in fewer injuries.

A few other stats regarding penalties called in these divisions:
1. Head Contact penalties reduced by 67%
2. roughing down by 25%
3. Cross checking down by 28%
4. Boarding down by 88%
5. CFB down by 87%
6. Charding down by 95%
7. Unsportsmanlike Conduct down by 40%

So some pretty significant reductions in penalties called which would make a huge difference to the flow of the game and definately speed things up.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Received a confirmation email from our local MHA. Body checking has been removed from the lowest 2 divisions of Midget for the coming year. They also provided some stats from last season for the Bantam divisions that checking was eliminated:

Positives:
1. general atmosphere at the games was better. Less crowd animosity.
2. fewer after whistle incidents and as a result more games were completed in the allotted ice time.

Oddly there was no evidence to categorically state that injuries were down and this was one of the main reasons that checking was eliminated. Admittedly one season is a small sample size but thus far there is no evidence that removal has resulted in fewer injuries.

A few other stats regarding penalties called in these divisions:
1. Head Contact penalties reduced by 67%
2. roughing down by 25%
3. Cross checking down by 28%
4. Boarding down by 88%
5. CFB down by 87%
6. Charding down by 95%
7. Unsportsmanlike Conduct down by 40%

So some pretty significant reductions in penalties called which would make a huge difference to the flow of the game and definately speed things up.

If you virtually eliminate CFB, head checks, boarding and charging in one year, that has to go a long way to reducing injury rates long term.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

If you virtually eliminate CFB, head checks, boarding and charging in one year, that has to go a long way to reducing injury rates long term.

I completely agree.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

If you virtually eliminate CFB, head checks, boarding and charging in one year, that has to go a long way to reducing injury rates long term.

And yet, in the short term, injury rates aren't down. Possibly risk compensation is a factor. Possibly there are other factors not yet known. It would be extremely naive to assume that the elimination of checking is the only factor that can possibly be relevant.