Jablonski Articles - Point/Counterpoint

[YouthHockeyHub]

I wrote my opinion piece yesterday on what Minneapolis Hockey is doing in response to the Jack Jablonski injury. See Below.

http://youthhockeyhub.com/minneapolis-takes-a-stand/

As I was writing it, I got a call from an acquaintance who was not happy about the reactionary approach MPLS Hockey was taking. Here's his piece below. He obviously spent some time on this one.

http://youthhockeyhub.com/as-expected-m ... i-tragedy/

Tony Scott
Editor

[elliott70]

Well, I don't have a child or a grandchild playing hockey, but otherwise my quote was accurate.

[elliott70]

I sent the Minneapolis Hockey pledge report to all in District 16.

What I asked of them is to review their policy, procedures on educating coaches, players, parents of the type of actions that cause serious injuries.

We are not dictating that additional action be taken but trying to emphasize the need to continually talk about and train to be less violent but just as aggressive in proper checking.

BUT as I stated, I hope it is continual and not just something everyone feels the need to do in the wake of a tragedy.

[SWPrez]

I wrote my opinion piece yesterday on what Minneapolis Hockey is doing in response to the Jack Jablonski injury. See Below.

http://youthhockeyhub.com/minneapolis-takes-a-stand/

As I was writing it, I got a call from an acquaintance who was not happy about the reactionary approach MPLS Hockey was taking. Here's his piece below. He obviously spent some time on this one.

http://youthhockeyhub.com/as-expected-m ... i-tragedy/

Tony Scott
Editor

Tony,

I have emailed you privately, but your friend's counterpoint doesn't seem to get what we are doing and is seriously misleading, nor has he signed his name to it.

He should pull his thoughts until the Jack's Pledge documents come out early next week. Then he can republish with his name attached to it.

Stevej

[hockey_is_a_choice]

It is interesting to note that the NHL can dole out multi-game suspensions for illegal hits and NHL suspensions are impacted by repeat conduct, but folks contend that youth and high school hockey should not have the same discretion to police the game.

As a parent who has a son who isn't afraid to dig the puck off the boards and out of the corners, I've watched my son take numerous checks from behind. Sometimes the refs call the infraction as a 2 and a 10, sometimes refs only call a 2-minute penalty and sometimes refs call nothing at all. Coaches love the fact that my son will dig the puck out. Me, not so much. My son is playing in his first game in two months tonight; he suffered a concussion in early November when he was checked from behind.

Folks, clean hitting is part of the game and always should be, but hits from behind are not part of the game and should not be tolerated. None of us can--or want to--imagine the Jablonski family's plight, but giving youth and high school hockey programs the authority to dole out increased penalties or suspensions for illegal hits isn't reactionary it is necessary to preserve the integrity of a great sport.

[Toomuchtoosoon]

We also need to get coaches to stop telling the kids to turn their back to draw a penalty. Too many want to draw penalties, even though the kids are put at risk.

I also ask the refs to not call all "contact" from behind. Many kids hold up and just jostle along the boards. I have seen these called as checking from behind which defeats the purpose of the penalty. It used to be why hold up if I am going to get a penalty anyway.

Tragic, tragic accident. I would be a complete mess if it was my kid who took the hit or gave the hit. This was not a cheap hit from everything that I have heard, but we are very lucky not to have more spinal cord injuries due to the emphasis on charging in Bantams and above (that is what it is, whether it is called or not). Lets get rid of the human missiles who's job it is to fly around and hit everything that moves. If the HS coaches want those players, they will inadvertently develop those players. IT IS UP TO THE COACHES TO GET RID OF THE HITTING FOR INTIMIDATION.

If there is any blame, it is the coaches that want to have that "energy"line. It is fine in the NHL since they know how to prepare themselves for the hit, though we may not be that far off from a similar injury at that level.

[old goalie85]

Any coach caught "teaching" or telling kids to turn their backs to draw a penalty should be kicked out of the sport !!!

[gorilla1]

I agree with SWPrez. The article, quite frankly makes little sense. I tip my hat to the Minneapolis Assoc. This problem would be significantly reduced by two things happening. Refs making te calls and the penalties being more severe. On any team, it tends to be the same kids engaging in the type of behavior trying to be curtailed. Sit them for this behavior. Make it 5 minutes majors and a game disqualification at a minimum. The behavior will end quickly. The hits will never be eliminated. But so long as all you get is a 1:30 in youth hockey, what is the penalty?

[YouthHockeyHub]

For the record, the email Steve speaks of has been returned.

As I said to Steve in the email. The content of the piece was well thought out and an opinion of a lot of people (not me, I applaud MPLS Hockey for what they are doing). Which is exactly the purpose of our editorial - so we published it.

We will never publish rude, obnoxious or threatening content. Nor will we allow it on our comments sections or our message boards.

Furthermore, Steve was invited to write his own reply/retort for our site as well. We hope he takes us up on the offer in due time.

Best,

Tony Scott

[Kyndrachuk]

No question, tougher penalties (and refs who enforce them) are the answer. And judging by some of the responses here, there have been many injuries attributed to checking, whether legal or illegal. However, creating new policies or pledges won't change the nature of a game that has inherent risks.

A 100 lb, 12U player on skates padded from head to toe traveling at 5-10 mph is a deadly weapon. Don't forget that.

[Mite-dad]

I think coaches have the most control. They should not tolerate a kid that is out there looking to blow everyone up or has a tendency to hit in the back. Sit them for games at a time. Our coach told the refs to give one of his own kids a game misconduct for a bad check. I don't think the refs were going to.

[Defensive Zone]

It is interesting to note that the NHL can dole out multi-game suspensions for illegal hits and NHL suspensions are impacted by repeat conduct, but folks contend that youth and high school hockey should not have the same discretion to police the game.

As a parent who has a son who isn't afraid to dig the puck off the boards and out of the corners, I've watched my son take numerous checks from behind. Sometimes the refs call the infraction as a 2 and a 10, sometimes refs only call a 2-minute penalty and sometimes refs call nothing at all. Coaches love the fact that my son will dig the puck out. Me, not so much. My son is playing in his first game in two months tonight; he suffered a concussion in early November when he was checked from behind.

Folks, clean hitting is part of the game and always should be, but hits from behind are not part of the game and should not be tolerated. None of us can--or want to--imagine the Jablonski family's plight, but giving youth and high school hockey programs the authority to dole out increased penalties or suspensions for illegal hits isn't reactionary it is necessary to preserve the integrity of a great sport.

I have to agree. MSHSL and Minn. Hockey have a chance to do something positive. Reading all the ideas on this forum, I just keep going back to the education piece. You also could add a lack of responsibility on the player and/or their parents. Think of this...What if a player is penalized or suspended in a game because of an illegal hit (a check that could cause catastrophic injury, paralysis, or even death). That player cannot play in the next game until they and their parents go in front of a board (either association based or high school) for a re-entry meeting which meets once a week. This eequired meeting includes, but not limited to, a safety piece, rules interpretation, positioning, physical play, question and answers, etc. After the re-entry portion, the player can return to the next game. There would be a window of additional suspensions of games do to repeated offenses.

[Cdale]

It is interesting to note that the NHL can dole out multi-game suspensions for illegal hits and NHL suspensions are impacted by repeat conduct, but folks contend that youth and high school hockey should not have the same discretion to police the game.

As a parent who has a son who isn't afraid to dig the puck off the boards and out of the corners, I've watched my son take numerous checks from behind. Sometimes the refs call the infraction as a 2 and a 10, sometimes refs only call a 2-minute penalty and sometimes refs call nothing at all. Coaches love the fact that my son will dig the puck out. Me, not so much. My son is playing in his first game in two months tonight; he suffered a concussion in early November when he was checked from behind.

Folks, clean hitting is part of the game and always should be, but hits from behind are not part of the game and should not be tolerated. None of us can--or want to--imagine the Jablonski family's plight, but giving youth and high school hockey programs the authority to dole out increased penalties or suspensions for illegal hits isn't reactionary it is necessary to preserve the integrity of a great sport.

I have to agree. MSHSL and Minn. Hockey have a chance to do something positive. Reading all the ideas on this forum, I just keep going back to the education piece. You also could add a lack of responsibility on the player and/or their parents. Think of this...What if a player is penalized or suspended in a game because of an illegal hit (a check that could cause catastrophic injury, paralysis, or even death). That player cannot play in the next game until they and their parents go in front of a board (either association based or high school) for a re-entry meeting which meets once a week. This eequired meeting includes, but not limited to, a safety piece, rules interpretation, positioning, physical play, question and answers, etc. After the re-entry portion, the player can return to the next game. There would be a window of additional suspensions of games do to repeated offenses.

I agree. I hope something like this is implemented sooner than later. It hurts noone to make some drastic changes regarding these checking from behind hits & penalties now. Two kids down in past 2 weeks....make the changes, and reevaluate/twirk in off season.