Hockey Calgary votes to stop bodychecking at peewee level

Hockey Calgary announced today its board has passed a motion to stop peewee players from body checking in games.

The new rule, if passed by the members at the association’s annual general meeting on June 23, would delay bodychecking until the bantam level, starting in the 2012-2013 season.

A bodychecking committee has been gathering detailed information through studies, public input and research and presented their findings and recommendations to the Hockey Calgary Board of Directors.

It found that children who bodycheck at the peewee level, ages 11 and 12, are three times more likely to suffer from a concussion or major injury.

Children will still learn how to bodycheck during practices, but not be able to bodycheck in a game.

Bantam players are 13- and 14-years-old.