Checking

[Bullseye]

My question for everyone is; What do you think of the checking in the games you are seeing?

The sophomores this year are the players who had checking their first year of PeeWee's and then could not check their second year. What I am seeing is a lot of these kids are afraid to take a check or don't know how to take one and most don't know how to properly execute a check. We have a few kids who understand the checking part of hockey but for the most part a lot of them don't. Now in their defense, they never really have been taught how to nor have they really worked on checking. I see a lot of slashing and hooking when they could just keep moving their feet and separate the man from the puck by taking the body.

Most of the teams we play are in the same boat. I look at the rosters and usually find that the kids who give and accept the checks are the older kids.
Are you seeing the same things? Just curious.

[Defensive Zone]

My question for everyone is; What do you think of the checking in the games you are seeing?

The sophomores this year are the players who had checking their first year of PeeWee's and then could not check their second year. What I am seeing is a lot of these kids are afraid to take a check or don't know how to take one and most don't know how to properly execute a check. We have a few kids who understand the checking part of hockey but for the most part a lot of them don't. Now in their defense, they never really have been taught how to nor have they really worked on checking. I see a lot of slashing and hooking when they could just keep moving their feet and separate the man from the puck by taking the body.

Most of the teams we play are in the same boat. I look at the rosters and usually find that the kids who give and accept the checks are the older kids.
Are you seeing the same things? Just curious.

Interesting! The players (freshman/sophomores), that I have been familiar with this year have had some shoulder injuries do to being checked either at mid-ice or against the boards. I always thought the injuries are due to a lack of physical strength and maybe still so. But your point about learning/or not learning the fundamentals of checking while at the youth levels could have some merit.

[nahc]

There is a huge lack of physical play in a lot of games I have seen this year. Players truly don't know how to give a check or receive one either. I know injuries/concussions are a concern and need to be taken seriuosly but my view is you teach kids to check starting at early squirts where the body size and speed is not there yet for the vast majority of the kids so the changes of injury are greatly reduced and the kids get the experience they need prior to entering puberty and THEN you see a HUGE difference in the size of the kids........

[Sats81]

There is a huge lack of physical play in a lot of games I have seen this year. Players truly don't know how to give a check or receive one either. I know injuries/concussions are a concern and need to be taken seriuosly but my view is you teach kids to check starting at early squirts where the body size and speed is not there yet for the vast majority of the kids so the changes of injury are greatly reduced and the kids get the experience they need prior to entering puberty and THEN you see a HUGE difference in the size of the kids........

Exactly.

[SCBlueLiner]

There is a huge lack of physical play in a lot of games I have seen this year. Players truly don't know how to give a check or receive one either. I know injuries/concussions are a concern and need to be taken seriuosly but my view is you teach kids to check starting at early squirts where the body size and speed is not there yet for the vast majority of the kids so the changes of injury are greatly reduced and the kids get the experience they need prior to entering puberty and THEN you see a HUGE difference in the size of the kids........

Agree that is the way it SHOULD be. However, you have all seen those hockey moms (and dads) in the stands go nuts when their precious child is knocked to the ice by incidental contact during a Squirt or even Pee Wee game. Imagine if there was actual checking at Squirts. USA Hockey knows it would result in less registered players that is why they moved the checking age back to Bantams.

[IGotDibs]

The Seniors and Juniors are wrecking kids especially the younger kids, and you can tell alot of the younger teams are stuggling when they have an older team that is making sure they make a play on the body everytime they hit. A ton of younger kids are throwing their bodies around, but you only get good at something through practice and repitition, well these kids lost a year.

[jg2112]

The Seniors and Juniors are wrecking kids especially the younger kids, and you can tell alot of the younger teams are stuggling when they have an older team that is making sure they make a play on the body everytime they hit. A ton of younger kids are throwing their bodies around, but you only get good at something through practice and repitition, well these kids lost a year.

Both USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey recommend teaching body contact at the Mite level. Then programs can introduce the use of the body (pinching, rubbing someone to the boards) in the U10 / Squirt age range, and teach more advanced concepts at U12 / PeeWees before formally introducing checking at Bantams.

Of course, whether coaches do this or not is another story. My daughter's coaches spent a grand total of 12 minutes of practice time last season (13-14) teaching effective body contact.

The best place to go to learn how to check or to receive body contact is probably MN Made, through one of their summer clinics or their Super Leagues, where they have ongoing checking clinics throughout the season.

[WestMetro]

I agree that checking should be put back to earlier ages where it used to be, however in many of the games I've been to this year I have seen the highest level of contact in many years for sure since the 2012 rules change.but come to think of it as I think back on things, there are a couple first pair sophomore D man whereI don't recall much blue line checking

[IGotDibs]

I agree that checking should be put back to earlier ages where it used to be, however in many of the games I've been to this year I have seen the highest level of contact in many years for sure since the 2012 rules change.but come to think of it as I think back on things, there are a couple first pair sophomore D man whereI don't recall much blue line checking

Do you think that is because kids arnt as strong of skaters? or don't quite know how to use their body vs. kids who do? Because what ive noticed when watching alot of pro and college hockey a huge hit where you feel it from your seat at home or at the game rarely happens and that is because everyone is a strong skater. Just a question to see what you guys think.

[SCBlueLiner]

The Seniors and Juniors are wrecking kids especially the younger kids, and you can tell alot of the younger teams are stuggling when they have an older team that is making sure they make a play on the body everytime they hit. A ton of younger kids are throwing their bodies around, but you only get good at something through practice and repitition, well these kids lost a year.

Both USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey recommend teaching body contact at the Mite level. Then programs can introduce the use of the body (pinching, rubbing someone to the boards) in the U10 / Squirt age range, and teach more advanced concepts at U12 / PeeWees before formally introducing checking at Bantams.

Of course, whether coaches do this or not is another story. My daughter's coaches spent a grand total of 12 minutes of practice time last season (13-14) teaching effective body contact.

The best place to go to learn how to check or to receive body contact is probably MN Made, through one of their summer clinics or their Super Leagues, where they have ongoing checking clinics throughout the season.

Part of the problem is how rules are enforced at the youth level. I can tell you there is a heck of a difference in how Pee Wee games are called up in the Fargo area, versus the Minneapolis area, versus Wisconsin. In Fargo almost anything goes, might as well be Bantams. The Cities area is probably the best as bumping, grinding, rubbing, and seperating a player from the puck is allowed. Wisconsin and some of the southern areas you better not even bump a player or your getting called. Players don't know what is allowed and not allowed from game to game and the solution becomes to not touch anybody. I've seen nice ruboffs get called and I've seen open ice checks let go. I actually feel bad for the refs and tell them I don't envy their jobs as it is very hard calling a game with rules set up like that.

Enough about youth hockey and to bring this back full circle, yes, the rule changes at the youth level have affected the high school game and I think things will only get worse.

[IGotDibs]

The Seniors and Juniors are wrecking kids especially the younger kids, and you can tell alot of the younger teams are stuggling when they have an older team that is making sure they make a play on the body everytime they hit. A ton of younger kids are throwing their bodies around, but you only get good at something through practice and repitition, well these kids lost a year.

Both USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey recommend teaching body contact at the Mite level. Then programs can introduce the use of the body (pinching, rubbing someone to the boards) in the U10 / Squirt age range, and teach more advanced concepts at U12 / PeeWees before formally introducing checking at Bantams.

Of course, whether coaches do this or not is another story. My daughter's coaches spent a grand total of 12 minutes of practice time last season (13-14) teaching effective body contact.

The best place to go to learn how to check or to receive body contact is probably MN Made, through one of their summer clinics or their Super Leagues, where they have ongoing checking clinics throughout the season.

Part of the problem is how rules are enforced at the youth level. I can tell you there is a heck of a difference in how Pee Wee games are called up in the Fargo area, versus the Minneapolis area, versus Wisconsin. In Fargo almost anything goes, might as well be Bantams. The Cities area is probably the best as bumping, grinding, rubbing, and seperating a player from the puck is allowed. Wisconsin and some of the southern areas you better not even bump a player or your getting called. Players don't know what is allowed and not allowed from game to game and the solution becomes to not touch anybody. I've seen nice ruboffs get called and I've seen open ice checks let go. I actually feel bad for the refs and tell them I don't envy their jobs as it is very hard calling a game with rules set up like that.

Enough about youth hockey and to bring this back full circle, yes, the rule changes at the youth level have affected the high school game and I think things will only get worse.

Same goes for Southwest Minnesota, you get a hit and youre headed strait to the box

[preferhockey]

Yep, a good check goes immediately to the box. Johnny needs to learn to keep his head up. Also, too many dives to try to draw 5 minute.

Need a rule if injury and need to stop play player needs to sit out 5-10 minutes... All have seen it play is stop, 5 minute penalty and injured player that caused ref to increase penalty from 2 to 5 is back out next shift. Integrity has been lost.

[Gov78]

Yep, a good check goes immediately to the box. Johnny needs to learn to keep his head up. Also, too many dives to try to draw 5 minute.

Need a rule if injury and need to stop play player needs to sit out 5-10 minutes... All have seen it play is stop, 5 minute penalty and injured player that caused ref to increase penalty from 2 to 5 is back out next shift. Integrity has been lost.

Good idea in concept but you then end up with lesser player running best opponent in trade off of time on bench as you're essentially labeling all players who get dinged as guilty of diving.

[RRubberbeeskit]

Yep, a good check goes immediately to the box. Johnny needs to learn to keep his head up. Also, too many dives to try to draw 5 minute.

Need a rule if injury and need to stop play player needs to sit out 5-10 minutes... All have seen it play is stop, 5 minute penalty and injured player that caused ref to increase penalty from 2 to 5 is back out next shift. Integrity has been lost.

Prefer Hockey: I agree that something should be done with kids taking a dive as I am sick of seeing it and then back out on next shift. The officials are in a nonenvious position having to determine game changing major penalty calls.
The checking game certainly is not what it once was. It is a shame that you have players on your team that are very good checkers and play it the right way and they are not checking for fear a march to the Box will come.
Getting back to taking a dive. Maybe the player taking a dives infraction should equal the one committing it if It can be determined. That may prevent dives by the sissies.

[84Govie]

My theory is that because of the over reaction to checking from behind, we have taught a generation of players to turn their back on the defender when they get the puck. So when so many puck carriers have their back turned, you can't hit them. Checking from behind has turned (get it?) into a self-fulfilling prophecy. A guy goes for a clean hit, puck carrier turns his back and there is a major penalty against the guy trying to play the game correctly. The guy that created the dangerous situation gets rewarded with a power play. I would love to see a rule penalizing a player for turning his back.

[Marty]

Checking accounts for most injuries (including concussions) in the NHL ranks ?

Mid ice collisions accounts for many of the more serious injuries ?

Some pros are relentless and fearless along the boards and in front of the net ... others no so much.

[GoBigorGoHome]

My theory is that because of the over reaction to checking from behind, we have taught a generation of players to turn their back on the defender when they get the puck. So when so many puck carriers have their back turned, you can't hit them. Checking from behind has turned (get it?) into a self-fulfilling prophecy. A guy goes for a clean hit, puck carrier turns his back and there is a major penalty against the guy trying to play the game correctly. The guy that created the dangerous situation gets rewarded with a power play. I would love to see a rule penalizing a player for turning his back.

The primary means of protecting the puck is to turn your back and shield the puck with your body, so to have a penaly for it seems a little far fetched. Judging whether or not someone did it for the purpose of drawing a penalty is way too subjective of a call for referees to make it accurately on a consist basis. The pros don't hit from behind because their brains are mature enough to realize the potential consequences. Unfortunately, even at Bantams the brains of many kids still can't process the consequences of their actions. Consequences being a penaly, or even worse a broken neck.

[SCBlueLiner]

How about this resolution to avoid diving? When there is a stoppage of play for an injured player that player must sit out for 10 minutes of game clock. If the injury sustained was severe enough to warrant stopping play then surely the player should be held out of the game for a sufficient amount of time for on-site medical personnel to assess their condition and determine whether they should return to the game.

Seems simple to me. That should stop anybody from taking a dive. Those who are truly injured should not be returning to the game anyway.

[GoBigorGoHome]

I agree that checking should be put back to earlier ages where it used to be, however in many of the games I've been to this year I have seen the highest level of contact in many years for sure since the 2012 rules change.but come to think of it as I think back on things, there are a couple first pair sophomore D man whereI don't recall much blue line checking

Do you think that is because kids arnt as strong of skaters? or don't quite know how to use their body vs. kids who do? Because what ive noticed when watching alot of pro and college hockey a huge hit where you feel it from your seat at home or at the game rarely happens and that is because everyone is a strong skater. Just a question to see what you guys think.

The reason these bone-rattling hits rarely happen at the pro level is because it is virtually impossible to make one without taking yourself out of the play defensively. They do happen occassionaly, but not that often. The transition game is so fluid and fast that most pros don't risk putting themselves out of position for the sake of a highlight reel hit.

[WestMetro]

This has been a very interesting thread to read. As I think back on it, another thing I've been noticing is more missed or partial checks on the boards, Where the checker himself is taking more board impact because of the miss. I don't know whether this is just a miss perception, whether the checkers are trying to be more cautious so it doesn't appear to be a full hit from behind or whether the kid getting hit is becoming better at dodging