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I was just wondering if there were any other people who felt the same as I do. My daughter played boys hockey when she was 4 and switched to girls when she was 14. She finds it very difficult to not use her body (checking, not anything cheap). Many people argue that all girls should play boys hockey but the game isn't the same as girls. Is there anyone else who finds this frustrating?

I don't think that girls have to play boys to be "great" anymore like some people believe... But I know that the girls have some trouble/frustration with the transition/acclimation... And that will be especially difficult with the new rules being enforced this year to "clean up" the game like the NHL did, USA H is preaching, etc.

Is there a movement in girl's hockey anywhere to introduce checking into the game? The girl's hockey parents I've talked to seem appalled by the prospect--but how about coaches and players? And more importantly, the powers that be at USA Hockey... One thing I've noticed since my daughter switched to the girls' game is that more of them skate with their head down.

It is different competition and can provide learning.

During the CODP festival they had the Eagan Bantam A team playing. It really showed the differences in boys and girls hockey it was interesting to see the girls adjust their game and quickly play on par. We scheduled games in August with our U16 team against Bantam teams allowing no checking only body contact while playing the puck. It taught our girls to fill space quicker, spread the ice and be more vertical with our puck movement to compete.

A few of our players played in the Bantam 4X4 at SPA this fall and said it was a great experience and they saw differences and learned from playing the boys.

ruprecht wrote:Is there a movement in girl's hockey anywhere to introduce checking into the game? The girl's hockey parents I've talked to seem appalled by the prospect--but how about coaches and players? And more importantly, the powers that be at USA Hockey... One thing I've noticed since my daughter switched to the girls' game is that more of them skate with their head down.

A friend of mine did his thesis on female hockey. In part he had a group of student do a survey of 500 parents with a mix of would be new to female hockey and or have siblings in hockey. The question was would you register your daughter in female hockey if full contact was allowed. Only 2% said they would.

A friend of mine did his thesis on female hockey. In part he had a group of student do a survey of 500 parents with a mix of would be new to female hockey and or have siblings in hockey. The question was would you register your daughter in female hockey if full contact was allowed. Only 2% said they would.

So you're telling me there's a chance... [/quote]

i personally think there should be checking i think we are able to handle it and it would give girls hockey more respect. Why shouldnt there be checking is a part of hockey(and a good part)

I think Checking should stay out of the game. IF checking is put into the game your taking away from those who have very good skills in the game. Girls hockey is more of a skillfull game then boys.

My greatest fear would be that injuries woudl go up and participation would go down as a result. You'd drive some of the most skilled players from the game I fear, and instead have the biggest/strongest/but not the most skilled???

it woul dnot take awway but you woul djust have to adjust there are many skilled players in boys hockey that check and they dont find a problem

girlhock19 wrote:it woul dnot take awway but you woul djust have to adjust there are many skilled players in boys hockey that check and they dont find a problem

True.

I guess I'm more worried about the parents saying no with increased injuries at all levels, but especially youth. I still think we fight the idea that hockey is a sport with the most injuries, etc. I would say that just as many if not more happen in Soccer, etc., but with checking there would be a period of acclimation, and with a period of acclimation to more body contact would come more injuries (I think the most dangerous years in boys hockey are the first years of checking when boys are learning the speed/angles/approach needed to do so in control/not from behind/etc.). This would be the case at all levels that we allowed checking for girls, and the first years at all body contact levels would more than likely have many more injuries - which would fall over time with acclimation, but would it happen quick enough to continue checking and would the participation #'s be badly impacted as a result??? Unknowns. What's the added benifit of checking anyway? I think it's fine as is and a more finesse game.

I believe that checking should be allowed. Why can't the girls check? I know girls that have stopped playing hockey because they didn't want to play for a girls team when they went to highschool. I know that sounds lame but they tried the girls thing and quit right away. .... any way moving on. I think that a start could be possibly letting girls check if it agianst the boards and if the girl has or is going after the puck. I think the open ice stuff could get dirty with the smaller younger girls that play.

RhinstoneDangler wrote:I think that a start could be possibly letting girls check if it agianst the boards and if the girl has or is going after the puck. I think the open ice stuff could get dirty with the smaller younger girls that play.

Even in boys/men you cannot check away from the puck carrier - that would be interference.

And I think there are far more girls who don't get into hockey in the first place (because they or their moms think it's too rough) than girls who quit when they are done playing boys hockey. If they quit then they really can't like the game that much.

I have a hard time believing any girl who loves the game would quit just because they can't check!

I don't think adding checking to the girls game would improve their game. However, there is one instance where I wish the girls could hit. That is when a player is the recipient of a cheap shot; a hit from behind, an unexpected hit, etc. The players have no real recourse to get back at the offending player. In boys hockey, they take the player's number and there will be payback; and often times it can be a totally legal (usually hard) hit. Girls do not have that option. They can not get back at the offending player with a hard legal bodycheck.

hockeya1a wrote:I have a hard time believing any girl who loves the game would quit just because they can't check!

My point was that fewer girls would start playing hockey in the first place - many parents already believe that hockey is too rough for girls and players get hurt all the time. If checking were allowed it would just add that perception.

My opinion is that checking should be allowed in girls hockey starting at the U-14 level. I have not attended or listened to a girls HS hockey game this year where there has not been several penalties for checking. If checking was allowed the players would expect the hit and not just wonder if they might get hit which would better prepare them for it. Thus I do not see checking making the game any more dangerous. Rule changes at all levels have controlled the cheap shots/stickwork and made hockey more of a finesse/speed game. There is always figure skating for those of you who disagree but I would suggest you still wear your helmet.

ghshockeyfan Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

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My greatest fear would be that injuries woudl go up and participation would go down as a result. You'd drive some of the most skilled players from the game I fear, and instead have the biggest/strongest/but not the most skilled??? [/img]

my opinion on this is that girls should be allowed to check,as a player myslef, it is really frusterating when you are riding a girl along the boards and the ref calls a checking penalty on you. now whether taht is the referee's fault or it actually is a check is one thing, but there are a lot of penalties that come out of that, meaning stoppage of the game. that jsut takes away from the whole atmosphere in which the game is being played in, and it doesnt not allow the game to go on properly and in the manner that is it supposed to be conducted in. with checking there would not be a lot of stoppage of play. that would be a VERY good thing. for everyone who is associated w/girls hockey.

Also if you are worried about the more "skillfull" players....they are in the game of hockey if the parents or that player is afraid or worried about them getting hurt then you either should not be playing or you should not have signed your daughter up to play hockey. hockey is an agresive game, your going to get banged up once in awhile, get used to it or get out. and if the "skillfull" players are really that good then they will find away to get around the bigger girls. and if they cant then they are not that skillfull then are they?