You guys are so clueless. The rule for pee wee is no checking, but USA hockey does in fact promote body contact at Squirts and they even go so far as to promote coaching checking at the Pee Wee level.

Where it falls apart is the coaches who say there is no longer coaching in PeeWees, so they can not coach it with the assumption they will teach them at the next level when-it is too late, or too intimidating for kids. If your kids coach is not teaching proper checking, doing some drills which involve checking at the pee wee level, then they are doing your kid a disservice.

This is definitely the problem. The coaches don't know how to coach body contact at the lower levels. Also, the refs don't know how to officiate it either. It's supposed to be played and officiated like a girls/womens league, no full checks but plenty of contact in the corners and bumping off the puck to stop a rush. There can be plenty of contact at the younger ages if the game is coached correctly and officiated correctly.

To be clear, I'm advocating checking at the highest level only. The vast majority of players would still be playing a non-checking game until bantam. Shoot, take it out of bantam for all I care, just let the kids who are supposedly at the top tier play the game the way it was meant to be played at an earlier age, as opposed to waiting until the age when player size differential is at its greatest.

USA Hockey should just start a 'Powder Puff' no checking league as they think it would make the participation numbers swell. The problem will be most kids would never do it. Kind of like how popular would Flag Football be at the high school level...the stigma of being a wussy is too great at that age.

have you seen intramural flag football at most high schools. about half the school plays because it is fun and there is little chance of getting hurt. if USA hockey promoted the no checking league numbers would not fall off even remotely like they do now. that being said i agree that for the higher levels they need it and should have kept it at pee wee. I see many bantam players not knowing how to check and then play in HS and get crushed because they dont skate with their head up and/or dont expect to take a hit in the corner. I think that is more dangerous than what they are trying to prevent with the concussion issues.

"have you seen intramural flag football at most high schools"

Glad our high school isn't one of the 'most.'

your kids school must be real manly then. hope it works out for him.

Actually, not a bad idea but how about USA Hockey does the exact opposite and start a 'Goon Meathead' league so all the kids with size and/or little hockey skill and IQ can beat the sh*t out of each other. Their parents will feel good, the kids will still think they're playing hockey, and the players with real skill will actually get to play hockey and learn the tactics of checking in the way it was intended to be played. In fact, USA Hockey can make more money because I'd pay to watch two teams of all meatheads beat the shi*t out of each other, and you could be a coach!

already have it. its called "Midgets"