Player safety is one of the most important aspects of being a coach or a parent, and the checking clinic coming to Barrhead will teach the coaches how to ensure their players stay safe while on the ice.
Player safety is one of the most important aspects of being a coach or a parent, and the checking clinic coming to Barrhead will teach the coaches how to ensure their players stay safe while on the ice.
The Barrhead Minor Hockey Association's System's Development Coordinator, Dave Bondarchuk said injuries that occur during a check can vary from insignificant to severe.
In response to the number of concussions occurring, Hockey Canada has mandated a program, which teaches coaches about body checking, and how to safely conduct, and receive physical contact during hockey play.
“The checking clinic is mandated by Hockey Alberta, and Hockey Canada as well,” Bondarchuk said, later adding that the program involves a number of different teachings surrounding the safety of body checking.
“It reviews and educates them on the basic tools required and the four phases of checking,” Bondarchuk said.
The four phases of checking include positioning and angling, stick checks, contact confidence, and body checking, also in the course is checking safely, checking skills drills and roles and responsibilities.
The clinic emphasizes on basic training on checking skills, and the importance of confidence, respect and awareness, Bondarchuk said.
Teams as young as Atom, Bantam, and Peewee are no longer allowed to body check, but are still taught how to properly, and safely give and receive this form of contact.
“Last year was the first year they took out body checking from Peewee level, but that being said, Hockey Alberta has told us they still want us to have all of the head coaches to take the course from Atom up, and to teach the kids how to properly receive a hit,” Bondarchuk said, adding that the players are taught how to protect themselves.
“Once you get to the Peewee level the coaches show them how to give a hit properly,” Bondacrhuk said. “All tied to safety, how to do it safely, to do it legally.”
The association provides these teachings in order to ensure the players know how to accept, and give a check safely.
“It's just to prevent injuries, concussions are a big thing these days in hockey, so that's why coaches need to be trained so they can properly teach these kids how to give and receive checks properly, and at the same time to do it legally,” Bondarchuk said.
A concussion is considered one of the most common, and least serious forms of traumatic brain injury, and is often caused by improper checking, whether it is a head against the boards, or hitting the ice.
The action of the head snapping back, forward, or to the side, causes the brain to move within the skull, causing alterations in brain function, hence the symptoms that often follow suit. Headaches, dizziness, dazed, nausea, and even depression are some of the many symptoms seen in those suffering from a concussion.
With this form of injury consistently on the rise, it is important to ensure that players understand the dangers of body contact no matter what age group.
“To prevent concussions is number one, and of course all other injuries that fall into line after that,” Bondarchuk said.
If players are not taught the proper way of receiving or giving a check, it could cause injury on a major scale, with the concussion being the top of the list.
“Concussion is the number one injury that Hockey Alberta wants to ensure teams avoid having occur,” Bondarchuk said, adding that teaching the players about body contact can help prevent some of the injury.
One way to help keep players safe is to ensure that helmets fit properly.
“Make sure you are buying properly sized and fitting equipment, helmets have to be sized properly,” Bondarchuk said. ‘ Otherwise you could run into a situation where if you have a loose helmet for example, and the player gets hit, the helmet could possibly pop off. Then of course that is when you have situations when a concussion can occur.”
One of the common ways to tell is to ensure there is one finger width of room from the eyebrows, and under the chinstrap.
A properly fitted helmet can help prevent a player from losing it during a rough hit, and protect the head from contact with the ice.
Other ways of preventing this injury is to have a proper fitting mouth guard, respect others, no hits to the head, and no hits from behind.
Going to a store that handles and sells hockey equipment is the best place to find the proper fitting gear.
The clinic involves three hours of in class work, with one and a half hours on the ice and is being held on Oct. 25 for all coaches within the Barrhead Minor Hockey Association.
Hockey season is just starting, and the clinic couldn't come at a better time. With all tiers of players hitting the ice it is important that they understand the dangers of body contact and whether it is allowed or not.
