The entire operation is built and managed to a) support it's own staff and b) place teams and players into international competition (US National Team) which also ensures little international junkets.
The whole 'no checking until Bantams' was a ploy to keep more kids (meaning more revenue) in the sport longer. This doctor, that study, the health of the kids brains...what a crock. Under no circumstances can you make the case for waiting until the size differential of the players is at it's ultimate! There are 4'9" 120 pound kids and 6'3" 190 pound kids at Bantams. Never since or never again will the difference be that large.
Just wait...
2 years there will be no checking in bantams as well. Already been discussed at USA executive meetings.
The concussion thing is out of control. Right or wrong the executive board will approve it and sell it to members as being proactive and that this is the direction the game is going and we are getting out ahead of it.
We all played I'm sure- youth, high school, juniors, college etc. The contact we are talking about is not the NFL or even NHL style and never will be, lave the game alone, let mites learn to hit and be hit and by the time they are big enough to do any damage everybody will be on equal ice. checking won't be such a focus as it is now for a 14 year old kid getting to try and bundle somebody for the first time even though he's played the game for 6+ years already.
The whole 'no checking until Bantams' was a ploy to keep more kids (meaning more revenue) in the sport longer. This doctor, that study, the health of the kids brains...what a crock. Under no circumstances can you make the case for waiting until the size differential of the players is at it's ultimate! There are 4'9" 120 pound kids and 6'3" 190 pound kids at Bantams. Never since or never again will the difference be that large.
the town hockey board is over on the other page buddy. select league's won't go for the no checking at bantams. look for a break away from usa hockey again for select programs.
the town hockey board is over on the other page buddy. select league's won't go for the no checking at bantams. look for a break away from usa hockey again for select programs.
They should have done it when they took away checking at the PeeWee levels. If they didn't do it there, they won't do it over this. They want to compete in the Nationals tournaments. So they won't leave because they take checking out of Bantams.