Hockey B.C. will once again consider whether or not to remove bodychecking from elite boys peewee hockey programs at its annual general meeting next month.
This is the second straight year the bodychecking issue has been debated among the British Columbia minor hockey associations, said Barry Petrachenko, executive director of Hockey B.C. Last year, the board voted to maintain bodychecking among peewee level players (age 11-12) in elite boys hockey but some members weren't satisfied and a new motion was brought forward by the Okanagan district that will be debated at the AGM, which runs June 7-9 in Kamloops.
"When it came forward last year much of the data that has come forward in the last calendar year wasn't yet available on injuries and safety for players at that level," said Petrachenko.
The new information includes recommendations made by the Canadian Pediatric Society that the age of bodychecking be raised to at least the bantam level (age 13-14) to reduce the number of fractures and concussions. Based on those recommendations, Hockey Alberta and Hockey Nova Scotia have already banned bodychecking from peewee hockey starting with the 2013-14 season.
Bodychecking is only allowed in elite boys leagues, while girls leagues and many recreational leagues in B.C. ban bodychecking at all ages. Every hockey association, about 140 in the province, and each team will be given the opportunity to vote on the body-checking resolution.
"It's tough to say [what will happen] in any vote because you just never know," said Petrachenko. "I can tell you that the vote was extremely close last year and there wouldn't have to be a high amount of swing votes for it to pass this year."
Bodychecking wasn't allowed in boys elite peewee hockey programs in B.C. prior to 2009 when the province revised its rules to match those of Hockey Canada. Quebec already bans bodychecking in peewee hockey while there is a resolution in Ontario to discuss the issue.
Petrachenko said it's possible the bodychecking issue, which stirs up a lot of passion on both sides, may be a moot point by the time Hockey B.C. decides as Hockey Canada could implement new rules for all provinces and territories at its AGM, set for today and Saturday in Charlottetown, PEI.
"An important factor to all of this, and why I'm hopeful that Hockey Canada will issue a directive on it, is that I believe that the entire country should play by the same rules," said Petrachenko, adding a rule change would only affect about 10 to 15 per cent of Hockey B.C.'s membership.
Paul Carson, vice president of hockey development with Hockey Canada and a former teacher at Prince George secondary school, said the issue will likely come up for discussion next week.
"There's a very strong appetite for considering a change that would create a safer environment for players and that would create better opportunities for skill development at the age of 11 and 12," said Carson. "I think at this point and time we really have to understand the changing nature of the game and the things we can do to create as safe an environment as possible, things we can do to promote a safe and positive experience for players so that we're able to recruit more players and we're able to retain players at those older age levels."
Carson added the bodychecking debate isn't new, as he's heard variations of it throughout his years in hockey from an assistant coach at the triple-A midget level in Prince George in the 1980s to his nine seasons as coach of the UBC Thunderbirds men's team to his current role with Hockey Canada. He said the argument that leagues with body-checking in peewee hockey are more successful then those without it has been disproved.
"In 2003 I coached Team B.C. in the Canada Winter Games and we had under-17 players from around the province who did not body-check at the peewee level," said Carson. "We played against a number of teams across the country whose players did bodycheck at the peewee level. We finished fourth and Hockey Quebec, who also didn't allow bodychecking at the peewee level, won the silver medal. Of the top four teams, two teams didn't have bodychecking in the peewee level and two teams did (Alberta and Ontario), yet those four teams were very much on an even playing field."
Carson said according to the research they've studied at Hockey Canada, there is no difference in the reduction of injuries at the bantam level between associations that allow or don't allow bodychecking at the peewee level.
"With that statistic you know that early introduction of bodychecking doesn't necessarily lead to less risk of injury, all it does is that it ensures that you have a greater risk of injury at the level you first introduce body-checking," said Carson.
Alec Hartney, president of the Prince George Minor Hockey Association, was out of town and unavailable for comment.
