U13 Body Checking Announcement

In a letter to the membership in May 2013, Hockey Alberta announced that it would be eliminating bodychecking from the U13 Division, beginning in the 2013-14 season.

In 2012, the Board of Directors established a Body Checking Review Committee and tasked it with reviewing relevant scientific research, member feedback from past annual general meetings, and a recent survey and the positions of other Hockey Canada branches as they developed recommendations on options for body checking in Minor Hockey.

The Committee made the following recommendations that were approved by the Board:

1. Create an overall Player Safety Strategy that includes a focus on the reduction of serious injuries in the game at all levels.
2. Continue to work within the guiding principles of the Long Term Player Development (LTPD) and allow these principles to frame the decision-making process around player development programs at all levels.
3. Remove body checking from all categories of the U13 age group (11-12 years old).

Resources

• Letter to the Members
• Body Checking Fact Sheet
• Canadian Pediatric Society Position Statement
• Hockey Alberta - Recommendations, 2003
• Hockey Alberta - Survey Results
• Hockey Calgary - Final Report
• Hockey Canada - Discussion Paper