Bodychecking helps players learn: Thunder Bay coach

A long-time Thunder Bay minor hockey coach says he's concerned about Hockey Canada's decision to ban bodychecking for 11- and 12-year-olds.

Darryl Blazino, said learning how to properly give — and take — a hit should be taught at an early age.

"It's something that has to become second nature," said Blazino, who coaches teams in several 12-and-under age groups and has coached Bantam (ages 13-14) teams that have seen players end up in the NHL.

"But if you play 14 years without any body contact and, all of a sudden, it's allowed in an instant, there's going to be a lot of players that potentially could get hurt in a worse manner.

"Once it does start, all these players have gone their whole lives without any body contact, and now you have these big, strong, fast players that are looking to lay out some big hits."

Putting the focus 'on playing'

Blazino said a recent tournament involving one of his teams from a non-contact league illustrated his fears.

"We were no body contact but then, in one of the tournaments, which were regional, they allowed body contact," he said.

"[For] our players, it was like a different sport. Nobody was focused on playing until finally halfway through our first game, I said 'no one on our team is allowed to hit anymore,' because they just weren't playing hockey."

At the peewee level, Blazino said he favours limited contact in battles for the puck, with a ban on more violent hits.

"It's really the really forceful hits and the hits of an unprotected player along the boards that I think we should be really focusing on," he said.

'Is it worth it?'

Blazino noted the issue is a complex and difficult one, with good arguments on both sides — and that he understands why Hockey Canada made the decision it did.

"I think one of the biggest issues was a study that came out … showing that concussions at an age of 12-and-under were much more severe than for teenagers," he said.

"I think [Hockey Canada's] philosophy is a very small percentage of players are going to go on, certainly to the NHL or professional of any level, and even onto a scholarship.

"Is it worth it to put a large number of players, potentially at risk, potentially have life-lasting effects for a very small percentage of that will go on to play the game as a profession?"

Blazino spent five years coaching the Thunder Bay Bantam Triple-A Kings, which featured Thunder Bay NHL players like Eric Staal, Patrick Sharp and Taylor Pyatt.