USA Hockey

USA Hockey believes in teaching progressively increased body contact for six years, from 7 years old through 12 years old, so players will be better prepared to give and receive legal body checks. True to its skill development and safety commitment, USA Hockey was the first govern- ing body in North America to modify the allowable age for body checking. As a result, USA Hockey does not permit body checking in girls hockey or at the 8U, 10U and 12U levels. USA Hockey first permits body checking in games at the 14U level. This decision was based on extensive medical, physiological and sports science research, including the fact that 9 to 12 years of age is a young athlete's optimal window for skill development. As a reminder, the purpose of a body check is to separate the opponent from the puck, not punish the opponent physically. A player cannot legally contact an opponent in the head, face or neck. The onus is on the player delivering the check to avoid making contact with the head, face or neck. Only the trunk (hips to shoulders) shall be used to deliver a body check, and the delivery of a check must come from the front or side of an opponent. The USA Hockey body-checking standard is designed to improve the proper skill of legal body checking or contact at all levels of play and will not remove the physical component of the game. A hard body check (in body checking-approved age classifications) should not be penalized as long as it is performed within the rules. THE PURPOSE OF A BODY CHECK IS TO SEPARATE THE OPPONENT FROM THE PUCK, NOT PUNISH THE OPPONENT PHYSICALLY. Body Checking: A Key Skill 13

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