CHECKING AND PHYSICAL PLAY IN HOCKEY
There are many parts to checking and physical play in the game of hockey. A short list includes: stick checking, poke checking, body checking, steering, angling, body positioning, net front clearing, leveraging, etc.
The other side of body checking and physical play is the ability to take a check while protecting the puck and most importantly protecting your safety.
It would take way too long to cover all of the topics above so for the purpose of this article we will discuss the theory behind physical play and safety in hockey. We will also talk briefly about concussions.
PHYSICAL PLAY. Most of us have heard that the only reason to check another player in hockey is to separate them from the puck. While this may be one of the primary reasons to check, in reality it is not the only reason. We all must face the fact that hockey can be an extremely physical and sometimes dangerous sport. In reality, another reason to check a player is to intimidate them or otherwise soften them up. If a player is physically outmanned consistently they typically think twice about being first into the corner to retrieve a puck. This will typically lead to less possessions by the team and player that gets intimidated.
Players must be taught the proper checking techniques to be effective in this game. Physical play in hockey is a fact of life and there are very few teams that practice these skills enough. Even in the girls game where “checking is illegal” the play can get very physical. Whether it is the boys or the girls game a player must learn and apply almost all of the same principles.
PLAYER SAFETY. As a parent we are all concerned about our children’s safety. It is vitally important to give your child the chance to be taught, by a qualified instructor, the ins and outs of being on the receiving end of physical checks. I have seen, way too often, the results of players that have no idea how to protect themselves. In our clinics we teach the importance of proper vision, positioning and angling when receiving a hit. We must realize that plays in hockey happen in the blink of an eye. In order for a player to be safe they must rely on their training to react quickly in any situation.
As uncomfortable as these conversations can be, we teach players that “the last place on your body you want hit is the top of your head”. Players must protect the top of their head at all costs. Head and neck injuries are far to common in this game. The good news is that they are preventable with the proper training. Every year in our spring clinics we take the time and effort to instruct players on the techniques needed to avoid getting hit in this area. Our advice is to take this message seriously and provide your child with the necessary tools to protect themselves in this game. It is absolutely worth the time and effort to find a program that teaches our players to be safe.
CONCUSSIONS. It is our contention that the number one reason a player gets concussed is that they don’t see a hit coming. In the open ice (away from the boards) if a player gets a concussion it usually happens when they are skating with their head down while stickhandling. (see our article on eyes up stickhandling) The other time a player most frequently gets concussed is when they are near the boards and they are not in the proper position to receive a hit. There are very very important things a player must know when getting hit near the boards.
We teach our players that getting hit in hockey is similar to boxing. If a boxer sees a punch coming their chance of concussion is lower. It is the punch they don’t see coming that does the damage. Hockey is very similar. We need to teach our players to put themselves into position to see everything coming their way.
Thank you,
PRO PERFORMANCE HOCKEY STAFF