USA Hockey postponed full checking until the age of 13 (Bantam)

It looks like Murph and his buddy Colton from the AZ Runners won’t be throwing any checks this year.  Today USA Hockey passed a rule that will allow for more body contact and training in the “pre-checking” years and postponed full checking until the age of 13 (Bantam). The rule change, know as the Progressive Checking Skill Development Program will aim to gradually introduce youth players to the contact aspects of the game in the pre-checking years of development (Mite, Squirt and Pee Wee).

Specifics of the Rule Change (From USA Hockey)

• It encourages more bodycontact in the pre-bodychecking age categories by providing more training and support for coaches and referees; and encouraging more legal bodycontact in the pre-bodychecking age categories through “Point of Emphasis” rule #1 passed by the Board.
• It tightens the standard of play for intimidation hits in the legal body checking age categories. Beginning in the 2011-12 season, legal body checking in games will begin at the Bantam age level (ages 13-14).
• Beginning in 2011-12, each USA Hockey coach will be required to take an age-specific training module which will provide training information consistent with long-term athlete and childhood development principles for the age category the coach will be engaged with. Each module will include training information for body contact and checking.
• Each season, USA Hockey officials attend clinics that review points of emphasis relating to the standard of play. These 2011-12 clinics will focus on allowing more body contact consistent with the rules in pre-checking age categories and a tighter standard of play for roughing, cross-checking, boarding, charging, high-sticking and other intimidation hits in the legal body checking divisions.
• USA Hockey will monitor the on-ice management of games with regular reports from local referee-in-chiefs, coach-in-chiefs and Association Coaching and Education (ACE) administrators to USA Hockey’s national office staff in Colorado Springs.
• USA Hockey will conduct research on the effect of the Progressive Checking Skill Development Program on risk reduction and skill development. The results of the research will be published when completed.
• The Board also passed rules that prohibit any check that comes in contact with the head or neck. The goal of this rule is to make the player more responsible for actions that make contact to the head or neck similar to rules now in place for stick infractions to the head.

The full article and additional information about the ruling, can be found on the USA Hockey Website.

It was good to spend a couple of days working with Holly at Kids First Hockey at the Gilbert Polar Ice.  Hockey First is run by the Phoenix Coyotes to introduce new players to the best game in the world, HOCKEY!

Click On to Play

My favorite part is when the Coach Mike Lewis is motivating the California Wave players in the locker room. “From the drop, to the stop, do not quit! Get it in your hearts, get it in your minds, from this day forward guys we roll!”

I played Sunday’s game at Polar Ice Gilbert, against the Tucson Stampede Squirt B team with this quote stuck in my head. It worked out really well for me. I had a total of 4 points with 2 goals and 2 assists. One of our centers was sick and I played every other shift; I was really in the game, I set up plays, made passes and had a handful of shots on goal. I was motivated!!

My Coach told us after that game that it was the first time in the Sonoran Youth Hockey League that a Mite Team had beaten a Squirt Team. Pretty Impressive for a bunch of Mite A Players. The final score was 7-4.

Some Highlights from the game:

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In a nutshell; this Coach sums up the importance of not neglecting your skating skills!  I attend a couple of power skating sessions a week.  I can tell you from my experience that power skating class, in addition to your regular team practices, really does pay off.

My Mom and Dad thought it would be a good idea to start the blog too, so that players just starting out could learn about what it takes to play youth hockey.

I started out in hockey when I was just three years old. It was a “Kids First Hockey” program hosted by the Phoenix Coyotes at my local Ice Rink and sponsored by Bauer/Nike. The program was one day a week, for one hour. The great thing was, the program was free and included all hockey gear/bag and each player received a free “Kids First Hockey” jersey.

The first night in full hockey gear was pretty tough. I had to lean on a skating bucket most of the night, so I didn’t fall down. I hated falling down, because I couldn’t get up without help. But before long I was moving around pretty good, and eventually chasing the pucks they brought onto the ice.

That is all it took! I was hooked! Chasing pucks!

Shortly after that class; my Mom and Dad purchased my used hockey equipment at Play it Again Sports. I also got my new skates and a stick at a local hockey equipment store, Behind the Mask in Arizona.

By the time I was four and a half years old I was taking a weekly power skating class and had been working my way through Hockey Concepts 1, 2 and 3. I did each one a couple of times to insure I mastered them before moving onto the next.

In early 2005, I joined the Mini-Mites and by the Fall 2005 at the age of five; I was playing Mite half ice, while I continued to take power skating classes once a week without fail.