Another crazy parent that thinks checking is such a big deal. At the higher levels it's really not much of a factor, you will see once your kid gets there. Skilled kids are too slippery to catch very often so the focus remains on playing the game. Low level & especially Town hockey you have kids taking runs at others all of the time. Go watch a Prep or Super 8 type game and you will only see a couple big hits per game which the kids shake off usually.
The kids that don't pass the puck are the ones that are impacted most by the switch to checking. It's the hockey gods' way of meting out justice.
Exactly. If your kid is one of those types that likes to skate the length of the ice with the puck, he will get blown up when checking starts. So they better learn how to pass and skate with their heads up. See it all the time. Some kids don't mind it and just keep going. But other kids don't like contact at all. And when the kids on the other team figure out that your superstar skater and stickhandler doesn't like contact, they will be hitting him the whole game.