Great new Nike ad, which feels sorta like a plea to the pro hockey powers that be.
Blog Archives
The Body Contact in Hockey Debate
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The Body Contact in Hockey Debate
A hockey mom in Markham is looking to ban body contact in “boys” minor hockey and I find myself solidly on the fence on this one. The Boy has always played with body contact and the Devil has not, though a friend who came out to one of her recent games would likely choose to argue. He noted there is plenty of body contact in girls hockey, just not body checking and that’s why I’m Switzerland when it comes to this issue. There are also many non-body contact league options popping up around the country. There has been one in our centre for as long as I can remember; though an admittedly lower level of hockey is played there.
With both kids we’ve been very fortunate to not have seen any major injuries in 12 years. Last year it was the Devil and not the Boy who suffered a mild concussion when she “accidentally” ran into an opposing player and fell backwards on the ice. Likewise, one of the Devil’s teammates is currently out with a concussion not incurred as a result of any “body check”. I then think back to a teammate of the Boy, a goalie from a couple of years back, who was concussed when an opposing player accidentally ran into him and caused him to fall back on the steel net he was protecting. Hockey is a very fast game played on a slick surface and injuries like these are bound to happen. And yes, I understand taking hitting out of the game altogether will reduce the likelihood of such injuries occurring. However, I contend that we assume some risk of injury when we put our kids in any sport; be it soccer, football, basketball or gymnastics. Not to sound too much like an old-fashioned, ill-informed hockey purist, but body checking to remove someone from the puck is part of the game. I’m fairly certain taking it out at all levels would have an effect on registration, which is already heading in the wrong direction (a fact more likely related to the escalating cost of hockey).
As the article states, most kids like the physical aspects of the game and yes I know this is not a decision to be left to the children who do not necessarily understand the risks. Another of the Devil’s recent games was officiated in a way, which allowed for more body contact than normal and I believe most people who witnessed it would say it was one of the most entertaining games of the season thus far.
I certainly don’t have the definitive answer on this contentious issue, but my general reaction is if you want to ensure your children have no chance of being injured, keep them out of physical sports. I’m certain a comment like this would draw the ire of many parents. Ultimately, we all make choices regarding the level of risk we are comfortable with introducing to our kids’ lives and we do it every time they step out of the door, onto the ice or into so many other situations in an uncertain world.
#imahockeydad
Will Changing the Culture of Minor Hockey Reduce Injuries?
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Will Changing the Culture of Minor Hockey Reduce Injuries?
A new Canadian medical study makes recommendations related to body-checking and aggressive penalties as they relate to the rate of injuries in minor hockey. Changing the culture of the game appears to be at the root of the study, but this is something that will obviously not happen overnight and the study apparently did not discuss the feasibility of instituting changes.
Girls Getting the Upper Hockey Hand?
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The High Price of Minor Hockey
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The High Price of Minor Hockey
No doubt it’s an expensive game, but so is competitive anything these days – soccer, dance, gymnastics…you name it.
Big Kid Playing Peewee Hockey in the Big Nickel
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First hockey team to play home schedule outdoors debuts
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First hockey team to play home schedule outdoors debuts
Better this hockey than no hockey…and watching in shorts is never a bad thing.
First hockey team to play home schedule outdoors debuts
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First hockey team to play home schedule outdoors debuts
Better this hockey than no hockey…and watching in shorts is never a bad thing.
Minor Hockey Back to the Basics
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Minor Hockey Back to the Basics
Simply put – we need more kids playing house league hockey and simply having fun, but at this point that’s much easier said than done.
As Long As They’re Playing
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Great article from Ken Campbell at The Hockey News espousing the virtues of house league hockey and its importance in keeping the game alive. My kids have both played competitive hockey all their hockey lives, but we’ve always said it doesn’t matter what level you play at as long as you’re playing…and having fun! Competitive/rep hockey should really just be about having kids of like abilities play against each other and be challenged to keep them interested in the game. For some players, house league simply doesn’t provide that, but for others it’s plenty. Just get them playing and keep it fun!
#imahockeydad