Girls Checking in Hockey.

Up to 1990 girls were allowed to check in hockey after that it was disallowed. The debate has been a hot topic in last few years about weather girls should be allowed to check. There are people who believe girls should not check because they would get hurt or that it would promote violence in girl’s hockey. There is speculation that if checking is allowed back in girl’s hockey that there would be fewer girls involved in hockey due to the increase of physical demand and the worry of injury.

Others believe that putting checking back in girl’s hockey would only benefit the program. One reason is that it would teach the girls to play with their heads up instead of down. Some girls have the tendency to play looking down, not up, in which case it causes more injuries because they're concentrating on the puck and not on where they are going or what is happening around them. This leads to them getting hurt from getting pinched up on the board and not being prepared for it. In boys hockey they are all always anticipating the next hit so they tend to skate with their head up and can prepare for the hit or can see were the next open player is at on the ice. Girls are two times more likely to suffer from a concussion than their male counterpart. Another reason for allowing checking into girl’s hockey according to some is that it would bring more excitement to the game; this would then bring in more spectators to the game.

I believe that girls should be allowed to check in hockey. If you don't think that there isn't hitting and shoving going on in girls hockey, then you are sorely wrong. Girls seem to know when the referees are not looking and get a cheap shot on each other. When they are going for a puck on the boards, the arms are moving and bodies are trying to separate the other player from the puck and it gets to be quite physical. There is hip checks going on and pinching against the board going on all the time. The reason I think checking should be allowed in girls hockey is because they will teach them to skate with their heads up and less injuries will occur because they are anticipating the next hit, they will see where they are going, who’s open, and who's coming after them. There would also be less hitting that is done on the sly, behind the officials back, and this will help in girls having fewer injuries also. The bottom line is that I think it would make for better players and would reduce the amount of injuries in girl’s hockey. Isn't that as parents of girls in hockey one of our major concerns? If not allowed to check girls at least should be taught how to check and to receive one properly. This is important in kid’s sports and my kid’s sports.