LETS TALK ABOUT BODY CONTACT
FIERCE physical competition has always been one of the hallmarks of great hockey.
I have enough passion about hockey to ramble on for pages about this topic. Those of us from an "old time hockey" background & newer players in the hockey community all share enthusiasm for the grit and warrior-like aspect of the game that involves body checking and all manner of physicality for competitive edge in hockey. It is one of the sharpest edges of the game, and it also holds high emotion and tradition to the culture of aspiring, performing, and former hockey-warriors alike. The edge stays sharp because there is a constant balance between the rules & regulations for body contact as well as the passionate heat of real-world competition that will always have us at the edge of our seats in exclamation as well as hair-pulling tension.
We must balance the two.
It's good that hockey is becoming more aware of long term risks involved in such a physical sport! As the game improves beyond what we thought was possible 10 years ago, it's fitting that the consciousness toward the safety and longevity does too. Our young and top notch players alike must mature in an environment that takes their long term health as seriously as the lives of the athletes involved.
However.
IF WE THINK THAT MORE SAFETY AT THE EXPENSE OF COMPETITION OR SKILL IS A LONG TERM SOLUTION WE ARE IN TROUBLE. We will cripple a whole generation of hockey players if we remove the fundamentals of competition and skill from their repertoire. If our young and aspiring players lose their ability to compete for the sake of staying "safe", then they will be effectively removed from the competitive chase for the next step in their development as athletes AND AS PEOPLE.
It's critical that hockey keeps players as safe as possible. But not at the expense of what will cause our young players and future societal leaders to grow and learn in ways that will make them capable people. let me be direct..
WE CAN AND SHOULD MAKE HOCKEY SAFER. BUT LIFE IS NOT 100% SAFE AND NEITHER IS HOCKEY.
"How dare you say that safe hockey isn't possible! You don't care about our youth players and their well being!" Slow down, this is a touchy subject in the game today. The very nature fo the game is rough and dangerous. There are 10 players with sharp blades on their feet and weapons in their hands on a slippery surface battling for domination. THIS IS A VOLATILE COMBINATION. But despite the stakes there can be great respect and purity to the competition.
If we send our athletes onto the ice and we haven't taught them how to handle the risks, then we are not doing our best to keep them safe. Although we must continue to build good habits of safety for hockey's athletes, we must never neglect the necessity for effective technique. If you are going to compete, you must understand physicality.
SO HOW DO WE DO IT RIGHT?
We all can relate to the following exclamation to our athletes;
"You must concentrate! Just focus in and make the right play!"
But there is a critical question to ask first; "Has the athlete been taught HOW to concentrate & focus?"
In today's game the athlete must be more intelligent and effective than ever before. It is not enough to be a goon that body checks everything in sight. Nor can the athlete neglect physical competition and remain unskilled. Both extremes are becoming irrelevant VERY quickly. So we focus on the techniques that ready the athlete to use their strength, skills and body position to the greatest possible advantage. We teach the athlete HOW to be safe and compete before we ask them to perform it. It's impossible to make hockey (or life) totally safe 100% of the time, however we can always make the athlete stronger and capable to handle the risks. This is the vision and ideal of GRIT Hockey.
GRIT Hockey uses the approach that physicality is more than bumping into your opponent. Rather it involves skillful skating, game sense, smart stick position, focus on the puck, and awareness of game situation. This requires a conscious athlete who knows their own skill and has respect for the other athlete's skill and safety as well. We encourage, coach, and lead athletes to build the entire skill set of physicality. This is the athlete that is contributing to his team and protecting himself while also respecting opponents and competing fully. That is GRIT hockey.