Q: Do you have any body-checking recommendations for players transitioning from 12U to 14U?
A: Above all, it’s essential to understand what body-checking is and how it’s applied to hockey today. Its singular purpose is to separate an opponent from the puck.
Hopefully your child has experienced body-contact progressions throughout their hockey experience and has an idea of what to expect at the next level. That’s the intent of USA Hockey’s progressive programming.
At 8U, cross-ice hockey is designed, in part, to increase body contact in an age-appropriate way to begin teaching players the concepts of using their bodies in contact situations, e.g., angling, 1-on-1 puck battles, etc.
At 10U, small-area competitive games should have contributed to their growing awareness of angling, steering and navigating through congested areas and body-contact situations.
At 12U, we recommend implementing safety, angling, contact confidence training and controlled full body-checking in practice to continue the preparation for body-checking at 14U. If your child’s hockey coaches have followed this progression, the transition should be quite smooth.
On the other hand, if players haven't experienced this, here are a few recommendations that might help you and your child:
And, keep in mind that these suggestions apply to both male and female players. Body contact is a component of both the men’s game and the women’s game, even though full body-checking is not allowed in women’s hockey. Learning and improving the body-contact skill through proper progressions and gained knowledge will enable both boys and girls to become more efficient players and enjoy enhanced performance.
The author, Guy "Goose" Gosselin, made his NHL debut with Winnipeg in 1988. He is a two-time United States Olympian and was inducted into the University of Minnesota Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.
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