• The goal of Hockey Canada and its thirteen member Branches is to maintain focus on the sound development and implementation of programming for young boys and girls (along with their parents) who wish to enjoy the game of hockey in a safe, positive and nurturing environment.

• It is Hockey Canada’s policy that checking skills are critical to the game of hockey and when performed properly can create quality scoring opportunities or help a team regain control of the puck. Just like skating, puck control, passing and shooting there are key progressions to the skills of checking. When taught correctly, checking skills greatly enhance a player’s enjoyment of the great game of hockey.

• Body checking is the fourth step in Hockey Canada’s progression of checking skills. Players must learn and master all aspects of the checking game to become effective and complete players. The introduction to checking skills begins the first time a young player steps on the ice and begins to acquire sound skating fundamentals.

• The Hockey Canada Four Step Checking Model:

Step #1 – Positioning and Angling
• The first step in teaching Checking is to learn how to control skating and establish position to approach the opponent from an angle minimizing time and space for the opponent.

Step #2 – Stick Checks
• The second step is to effectively use the stick, poke checking and sweep checking, lifting and locking the opponent’s stick.

Step #3 – Body Contact
• The third step is to use the body to block the opponent’s way or take away the skating lanes of another player. The correct stance and effective use of leg strength are important parts of these techniques.

Step #4 – Body Checking
• The fourth and final step is actual body checking. This step includes teaching techniques to check and receive a body check as well as safety and rules.

• Body checking at the Atom level is currently permitted in 3 Branches (SHA, OHF, ODHA,) of the 13 total Branches in Canada. These Branches have been approved to conduct research on a number of questions with respect to body Checking at the Atom Level (ages 9 and 10).

• Nine Branches within Hockey begin body checking at the Peewee level, one Branch (HQ) begins body checking at the Bantam Level. The breakdown for all 13 Hockey Canada branches is as follows:

BCAHA (British Columbia)
HA (Alberta)
SHA (Saskatchewan)*
HM (Manitoba)
OHF (Ontario)*
ODHA (Ottawa)*
HNO (Northwestern Ontario)
HN (North)
HQ (Quebec)
PEIHA (Prince Edward Island)
HNS (Nova Scotia)
HNB (New Brunswick)
HNFL (Newfoundland)

– Peewee and above
– Peewee and above
– Atom (all levels) and above
– Peewee and above
– Atom (Rep/Select only) and above
– Atom (Rep/Select only) and above
– Peewee and above
– Peewee and above
– Bantam AA and above
– Peewee and above
– Peewee and above
– Peewee and above
– Peewee and above

* - approved for Atom Level Body Checking Research Projects

• Two of the three Hockey Canada Branches will research body checking at the Rep/Select level only and one Branch will research body checking at all levels within Atom.

• Approximately 90% of Atom hockey players in Canada participate in non-body checking hockey.

• Along with Hockey Canada’s ongoing review of body checking, Branches active in body checking at the Atom level will submit reports to Hockey Canada on a annual basis to allow for the close monitoring of all body checking research activities.

• Hockey Canada and its 13 member Branches believe coach training and education along with parent education are priorities within Canadian hockey to support the continued positive growth of the game at all levels of minor hockey with or without body checking at the youth levels of the game.

• Hockey Canada works to ensure that players at all age levels receive the best instruction possible on all skill areas and that players, parents, officials and coaches demonstrate positive attitudes toward the purposes of checking and body checking within the game of hockey.

• During the past six months, Hockey Canada along with member Branches, has engaged in a review of a wide variety of literature on the subjects of sport safety, injuries in sport, skill acquisition, and growth and development. All of these areas have implications on when body checking may be/ should be introduced into the game for young players.

• Two Hockey Canada-led committees continue to review a number of aspects of the current body checking rules. These committees provided a variety of resources and information to the Hockey Canada membership at the Annual General Meeting in Regina during a workshop on Saturday, May 17th, 2003. The outcomes of this workshop helped define the parameters for further research into a number of questions on how body checking effects the development of players in minor hockey.