Bodychecking will become a thing of the past in recreational hockey in the Lower Mainland next season.
The Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association overwhelmingly supported Hockey Canada rule 6.2(b) that recommends no bodychecking in all games at the recreational or C hockey levels. The vote by Lower Mainland delegates passed 123-39 this weekend.
The association also supported the elimination of bodychecking in all peewee A competition played within the PCAHA by a much closer vote.
That vote will be made final at the B.C. Amateur Hockey Association AGM in June.
A further option that would have removed bodychecking from peewee rep hockey regardless of the outcome at the June meeting was defeated by a two-to-one margin.
"The feeling is the rest of the country is going in this direction. But it's no coincidence that the Sidney Crosby ripple effect is part of it," said Burnaby Minor executive director Larry Hayes, who was at the meeting. "Overall, (the vote) is consistent with the way our association voted and thought it would go."
In October of last year, a committee was struck to look into the risks of bodychecking following the PCAHA president's caucus meeting.
The committee met twice before making its report.
Bodychecking has already been eliminated at the recreational level in the East Kootenay, North East/Yukon, Okanagan Mainline, Vancouver Island and West Kootenay districts.
Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and P.E.I. have also adopted nonbodychecking hockey at the provincial levels.
The arguments in favour of retaining bodychecking include that it encourages more frequent passing and creates more of a personal challenge for a player. It is also suggested that players who do not learn how to bodycheck would be at a disadvantage when they move up to the rep A level.
There was also a concern in some circles that removing body contact from the game could leave Canadian hockey without an identity.
But Hayes maintains the move to eliminate bodychecking could create an opportunity for coaches that puts more emphasis on the correct way to give and receive body contact in the game.
But New Westminster minor hockey president Ross Young is not as sure.
"It's difficult for us as administrators to ensure we're getting capable coaches and officials on the ice," said Young. "In a perfect world, we could keep bodychecking."
Young also said the Royal City association would abide by the final ruling by the B.C. body on removing bodychecking from peewee rep hockey, but stopped short of supporting an all-out ban regardless of the final decision.
For associations who do not support the ban, there is enough room within the adopted recommendation to continue to play the game as before.
Associations such as the Burnaby Winter Club do not field C level teams, and others could do the same if there was an appetite for it, Hayes said.
"Other associations could do that if they wanted A hockey across the board," he said.
The tradeoff would be the higher association fees and larger time commitment for teams and players involved in rep hockey.
"It will ultimately depend on what the masses want," Hayes added.
Sixty per cent of winter club membership voted in favour of retaining bodychecking at the peewee rep level. BWC abstained from voting on the house league option at the Pac Coast meeting.
One fallout from this weekend's decision could be a further lessening of player registration in a sport that has seen enrolment in minor hockey pro-grams declining across the country.
"In bantam and midget hockey there are probably a lot of kids who don't want to go out and get bashed around. But it's peer pressure," Hayes said, adding rather than be seen as weak, some players might simply chose to step away from the game.
However, Hayes does not see the vote as jumping on an anti-concussion bandwagon, despite what he calls being "rocked to reality" by the best player in the world potentially being sidelined for the remainder of his pro career.
"It certainly could be seen as a knee jerk. We don't usually work this fast," Hayes said. "But from the NHL down, people have become more educated that certain changes need to be made for the good of the game and for most of the players."
The new rules and regulations are expected to take place with the start of the 2012/13 season.
