The highly controversial issue of body-checking in hockey will be front and centre at a national meeting of hockey officials this week.
Hundreds of delegates from hockey associations across the country are meeting in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The primary issue involves minor league hockey and banning body checking for peewee and other minor leagues for players under 13 years old,
In recent years, there has been more evidence revealed that the hitting is resulting in many injuries to players ranging from minor to serious and including concussions and brain injuries. Indeed, researchers at the University of Calgary have found that bodychecking in peewee hockey triples the injury risk for player.
Alberta, Quebec, and Nova Scotia have already banned bodychecking for peewee players, who are 11 and 12 years old.
It has been a bitter debate with some concerned about the injuries, and others saying checking needs to be taught at an early age.
Hockey Canada President Bob Nicholson has said, “Checking is a skill that we have to teach. We’d love to have consistency coast to coast on where bodychecking can be introduced.”
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