How do you feel about checking?

[Yvonne]

I was wondering how girls/women feel about the no checking rule for females. I don't play hockey myself, but I'm a die-hard hockey mom and fan. Having spent 10-plus years watching A LOT of both girls and boys hockey, it seems like it's much harder to play a no-check game. Is it? Even the NHL is moving away from the hard knocks/slammin style of play in favor of more finesse and skill. I imagine that the original intent of the rule was to take in to account the delicate nature of females, but do you think girls should be allowed to check?

[Angie "Slapshot"]

I think it takes a lot of talent to play both ways. I've coached 1st year Pee Wee's in the past and you have to keep reminding them to KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. It's a hard concept for them to get used to until they get rocked, then they learn real fast to look up. I think checking keeps you honest. I would love to play checking because when you bump someone now you might as well get out a mop to wipe up all the tears. I also play in a men's league with talent that ranges from ex-pro/semi pro to C level players and there is no crying if you get bumped. There used to be a time when checking was allowed in women's hockey but that was before my time.

[dawn secord]

My daughter was raised from age 5 in boy's hockey, In our organization, we were, apparently, only one of four in the country who allowed "body checking" at the Atom age division. It was hard to find tournaments that allowed "hitting" at atom age. (may have changed now, she's 15 ) She's never had a concussion, or any injury, other than the odd bruise, so I'm inclined to think that girls should be taught how to take a hit. Even though it's not allowed, let's face it, competition , and a desperate competitor, these things happen.
I say, teach the girls the same as the boys, and they're ready for the check! It's going to happen eventually, especially if they're any good.

[Heather]

I would love to check someone just to see how it feels to do it, but because I am so small I don't think I would want to get checked because I am sure it would hurt. I am fine without playing on a checking league because you have to concentrate more on your skating skills and stick handling ability to get around people and getting the puck from the other team.

[Allie]

hi, I am a 14 year old girl named allie who played on a guys team for one year and moved to girls team after the first year. I think girls should not be able to check because when i first got hit I was winded, i wasnt sure what happened. If your looking to find a team that will hold back checks your probably not going to find one and im pretty sure your son/daughter would be much better off either going to a checking clinic to be properlly instructed on checking or be put in a girls team.

[dawn secord]

I think, if you're raised with body-checking, you know how to take a hit. My daughter is fairly small, too, but has always played "boys" She's 15 yrs. old playing with boy 15, 16 and 17 yrs. old. She's 5'4" and maybe 125 pounds of pure muscle, and she's pretty shifty of her skates. She was captain of her boys team last year in "bantam" div. Never had a concussion, or anything.
She "deeked " these two guys , and her opponents CREAMED each other! Hilarious. She's not going to CLOCK a boy 6'4" 250 pounds, or anything, but she can usually deek around him with her speed and agility. I've tried to make her go to "girls" hockey , but maybe next year.

[charli]

i think sometimes people confuse no checking with no contact. just because we don't check doesnt mean theres no contact. thats one of the biggest problems when men ref womens games. theres a difference between checking and angling - and when its done right it can be just as effecient as checking. i think itd be fun to play a checking game once or twice tho - just to try it. It would be awesome to rock somebody into the boards.

[hannah Brinza]

I think girls have come a long way. In regards to checking I believe it should be allowed. The sport of hockey was made with checking in mind and I believe girls have proven themselves capable of handling checking. I do not think the no check rule is going to change any time soon but I firmly believe girls could and would handle it in stride. I will say I have very little idea of what a "no check game" is as I have experienced very few. It seems that the rule does not completely stop girls from checking it merely penalizes them for doing so.

[Hannah Pereira]

I think that girls should be able to check becuase the game becomes better, but it just depend on the refs you have because the refs in Canada sometimes let the girls check to a limit. I am playing on a AAA team so it is not a team that teaches you skills they teach you plays and try to make you better than you can be. If girls can be able to check i would love it becasue just playing with the boys gives you a little adavntge above the other girls. But some girls do not like the checking part so they should go to a house team or not play in the MWEHL league and just learn how to enjoy giving checks and getting checks. I got checked from behind and i broke my coller bone so i did not like that part but now i am stronger and know how to take a check so it does not matter.And playing on a boys team you learn how to skate with your head up becasue the boys just go after the girls that skate with there head down and the give them a check.

[dawn secord]

When we were in the States(Mich) last year, this boy told my daughter that"Your team must suck, if you're the Captain" She was the captain of her boy's Bantam team 13/14 yr olds. She fixed his wagon, she's a beauty, but a devil on skates! She checked him into the boards hard enough, that some dad, was yelling "HIT HER, HIT HER" She got they tying goal in a 1-1 game(no over-time, or shoot-out).
I say stick that in your pipe and smoke it!!!

[Rachel]

I once had a coach who believed that women's hockey is the most pure form of the sport because of the no checking policy. He believed that because it takes more skill to take the puck away without being able to rock the guy to the ice. I played pee wee on a boys team, and I LOVED it- I loved the hitting and enjoyed being hit, however, it really is true that girls mature faster then boys at that age and I was actually one of the biggest 'guys' on the ice. Now, despite the fact that I am still tall for a girl and 'large' on the ice in all my gear, I play on a men's semi-contact league, and I've been rocked by guys ranging from my height bigger build to 6'8" steam roller, and it can hurt. It's tough because of the build difference, but I think women can take it. Also, I actually shy away from playing with women because of the drama. I think most girls out there know what I mean. There is no semi-contact in women's leagues. I push a girl away from the net (I'm defense) and the next thing you know I'm being called names and going deaf from all the trash talk, sob story and complaining. Perhaps if hitting were allowed women could take out some of the aggression and avoid some of the cattiness. Although, as women, maybe the cattiness just doesn't get taken out of the cat...

[dawn secord]

I totally get that! My daughter tried "girls " hockey , and succeeded, points-wise, but in her mind, not so much, because she didn't appreciate all the double-shifting, etc., Don't get me wrong, she enjoyed her success, but not at the expense of her teammates. Which made me more proud than anything. Being called a "superstar" in front of her teammates, by the coach, just embarrassed her. She wanted back into "boys"
Short story long, she ends up captain of her boys' Bantam team. She was the best "hitter" on her team, though, I'm talking CLean hits. She didn't like that pressure, either, ??? She's 15 years old, wants to play hockey with no pressure, that's why she's now playing midget boys. Not too much danger of her doing any physical damage this year! haha, except when she stopped short one time, and fu(k3d up the opponents, they cleaned each others' clocks!

[Paula]

I have played hockey for more than 25 years. Having played full check hockey on boys teams when I was younger, I find it very difficult to not use my body at times, especially being a defenseman. It's been finding ways not to check that has made me a better player though. I do not think girls/women should be allowed to check because there are many girls/women that would not learn and utilize the proper techniques to "hitting and taking hits". My fear is that it would lead to many injuries. The divisions A, AA, and AAA girls teams across the country and in Canada play a pretty physical game already. I think the girls should focus on finesse, skill, and using their body as a tool, not a weapon.