And remember before anyone embarrasses themselves -

"Once the hitting starts" is universally translated as "My kid is a poor skater, has hands like feet and his hockey hopes are fading rapidly. Maybe once he can start running kids, people will notice him."

lolol... exactly

Some folks do seem to forget that in order to hit someone, you actually have to be able to skate over to him first. Hitting changes the game for a few players but if your kid can't keep up, hitting air or glass doesn't make him a useful player.

To the OP, puberty isn't a great equalizer either, same rules apply. If your prepubescent 02/03 can't be a useful player against those that have matured earlier, growing isn't going to help much. It means your kid is either slow or doesn't have a solid grasp of the game compared to his peer group, neither is going to change with some hair and a few extra pounds.

Dead wrong. People often confuse height/size with man strength. Once testosterone enters the mix, all bets are ON! Average size, weight and speed and CAN change over night.

Yeah once the hitting starts, my kid became a better player as he could skate by those cones that were looking to run kids him simply because he was 10x the skater they were. LOL. I die laughing every time someone says that phrase

Those kids are completely exposed and don't play hockey much longer "once the hitting starts"

So, according to all you experts, hitting doesn't change the game?

Then why does everyone say checking should start earlier than it does?

The introduction of hitting absolutely changes players. Most players, in fact.

Some boys that were considered "elite" suddenly don't win puck battles. Some are afraid to go into the corners. They find out that, guess what, you can't just carry the puck the length of the ice any more. Some won't go to the dirty areas.

And then on the other side, you have the kids that love to battle - and that isn't defined by size alone. They learn about using strength and leverage. They learn about using proper positioning to offset speed.

It becomes a much better, faster, more highly skilled game. When the hitting starts. Which is what the person generally means.

Actually, it means the game completely changes at this stage, some kids can handle it and continue to progress and some can't. No way to know until they get there so, speculating is a waste of time.

Using your impeccable logic, you probably judge future D1 football players by how they perform in flag football in first and second grade.

Ahhhhh, what? Either you have low reading comprehension or the whole logic thing escapes you. Read it a bit more slowly and take a breath, give it some thought and then figure out what to post.

Easy there genius. The analogy is completely correct. Flag football and little league baseball equate roughly to youth hockey prior to checking, in that the game that is played up to a certain point is completely different, then played roughly the same way through the professional levels. That's a lot for you to absorb. If you have trouble understanding words of more than one syllable, look them up.

You are literally babbling. Can you take Mongo and the rest of the unathletic big "checkers" and go play with them in a corner or something? Set up some tacking dummies and yell into a bull horn at them. Get them ready for this new game of hockey where big hits surpass, talent, skill and speed.

Thanks.

So to get Daddy Mongo's logic he still thinks at these high level hockey games there are 25-30 huge collisions / checks per game? Daddy Mongo, go out and watch a high level midget or high school game. Maybe there will be 2-3 solid hits per game but if you look around there is not one fat kid and there is not one kid that is less than an average skater.

Now compare that to your tackle vs. flag football. How many big hits are there per tackle football game? 20? 30? 40? And how many fat kids are there? How many kids are there on the field that are slower than average?

It's like comparing Barbara Bush to Melania Trump. . . and even Daddy Mongo can see the difference there.

Jesus you're borderline illiterate. Name calling absolutely makes your point. Oh wait, it just makes you sound stupider. 2-3 solid hits per game - yes, in women's hockey. Big, or solid, hits vs contact is a largely irrelevant point. I have no idea what you're watching. Players, especially the less skilled, seek contact when they're about to get beat, which is often. 40 big hits per tackle football game? Are you out of your fg mind? There'd be so many injuries the game would already be outlawed. Get a grip and understand you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

Ok, are you 03 dads who sound like moms done talking about hitting yet? Your kid hasn't stepped into a high school game yet and your talking about how checking changes the game? really? Your kid is going to get pounded by kids who can both skate and have a size advantage, your kid is going to have to get up and decide if they are going to keep playing or throw in the towel. Either way, lets not clutter up the High school board with this ridiculous conversation. Thank you, Dad of 99 and 01 players.
Some free advice, If your kid loves the game and has some decent talent, he will be fine as long as you dont screw it up. 03's are freshman this year, don't get your panties in a bunch over ice time, they aren't going to get much, don't complain to a coach, they don't really care about 9th grade moms and dads. Use this year to teach your son's about the value of practice time, focus on getting better as they grow and mature, and being responsible teammates. It's all going to be ok, after all do you truly want your little guy battling with 17/18 year olds in a game situation..No.

10:40 AM poster here. My kid is a 2000. So, yes, I am talking about how checking changes the game, based on personal observation. Just like you.

It's a crock of **** that the parents that say "once the hitting starts" are parents of galoots that can't skate. "Once the hitting starts," hockey becomes hockey.

I think you're going after the wrong poster. The guy you quoted was pretty much on the money. Especially the second half of his post you left out. I believe he was saying checking does change the game, but it's not reliant on size alone. If two kids have equal ability and one is 6" taller and 30 pounds heavier, than yes, size will probably win out on that one. But high school coaches are about winning, and your opinion as a parent means nothing. So in the end, kids that can skate and move at game speed, think and react at game speed and go to all areas of the ice at game speed, will be the kids that get the most ice time, no matter what size they are. Really not rocket science. Most public's will play two primary lines throughout the season, while you'll probably get three primary lines at Catholics and Preps. Will some coaches play favorites. Yes. You can encourage your kid to work through it, or you can take your puck and go home. Your choice. And if you're expecting your kid to get significant playing time as a Freshamn on any varsity squad, then there is sure to be a lot of soul searching and heart ache to follow. I'm pretty sure your kids birth year is not uniquely talented, and you have to remember there are 3 or 4 birth years worth of players in front of him that are competing for the same roster spots that Jr is vying for. So welcome to high school board. We try to keep it real here. With a little luck and a lot of hard work, maybe you'll make it to the junior/college board some day. For now, just sit back and enjoy, because for most of us, it will all be over too soon.

This is what makes the high school board a breath of fresh air. All those crazy youth board parents with their future D1 superstars suddenly realize their stud isn't so special and if they were, they'd make 1st line varsity as a freshman, which is just not reality for 99% of them. Certainly dedication and hard work can help get them there at the end.

As long as you don't peak "too" early you'll be fine.

It's all so silly. OK Kiddie Board parents, yes there is checking at older levels. That's it. Every kid hits and gets hit eventually, 99% of the time they laugh it off. It is not a defining difference in hockey like most kiddie parents think it is.

My defensemen son (6'3" 185) noticed right away that as the game progressed and he played at a higher level the 'forwards almost became too slippery to line-up.' Meaning yeah a player would like to catch a kid occasionally but if you missed it was an odd man rush going the other way. Yes I've seen high school D-2 and D-3 hockey and there it looks like half of the football team is trying to play hockey but good d-1, prep & junior hockey it is all about skating. . . for EVERYONE. Big kids, little kids, forwards, dedfensemen it doesn't matter. Skating is everything.

They all hit and they all get hit...even the big fat kids. It's really no big deal.

...and the better athletes rise to the top.

A wise man once said hitting doesn't make anyone better, but it makes some worse...

Great post. Skating is everything sums it up. For the parents that think the little fast skilled guy in youth hockey is going away when hitting starts.. think again. That speed is now also used for forchecking and backchecking. The game is getting faster and faster.