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Extending Body Checking Ban To Age 14 and Stricter Rules Enforcement: The Wrong Approach?

Just a couple years ago USA Hockey banned body checking at the Pee Wee (12 and under) level, based in part on evidence that the risks of concussion and other serious injury resulting from body checking was simply unacceptable.  The primary reason USA Hockey made the change, however, was to promote skill development at an age where kids are still developing, and because that development was being hindered by aggressive play intended to intimidate opponents and a winning-at-all-costs mentality.  In making the rule change, USA Hockey assumed that all kids play because they want to develop their skills.  I think that the majority simply want to play.

Will extending the ban on body checking in hockey to age 14 and better rules enforcement make the game safer? Perhaps we need to take a different approach, argues a longtime youth hockey official.

Giving Back as a Family

The sport of soccer has given our family so much over the years. When I actually look back at the 35 years I have been married soccer has always been part of our daily lives.

From my college education, to my career as a professional player, to my current career directing Twellman Soccer, this sport has always been part of my life.

The same is true for my three kids. From their education to their careers to their love of the game soccer has always
and continues to be part of their lives.

The love of the sport has and will always be present but now our focus has changed.

Are we listening to the injured athlete?

Traumatic Brain Injury in Kids and Teens Can Impact School Performance

Kids and teens suffering from traumatic brain injury, such as concussion, may struggle with speech, language, and thinking, which can lead to problems reading or memorizing. A school-based speech-language pathologist (SLP) can help a concussed student and his or her family and teachers to create a treatment plan.

Boys, Girls and Locker Rooms

As more girls are earning spots on squirt and pee wee teams the issue of locker room protocols is starting to rise to the surface. USA Hockey has recommended protocols, Minnesota Hockey has a slightly different take on the issue and one District Director in Minnesota has issued a different approach. The major sticking points are the definition of "undress" and when both genders can be in the locker room together.

As more girls are earning spots on squirt and pee wee teams the issue of locker room protocols is starting to rise to the surface. USA Hockey has recommended protocols, Minnesota Hockey has a slightly different take on the issue and one District Director in Minnesota has issued a different approach. The major sticking points are the definition of “undress” and when both genders can be in the locker room together.

October is Sports Nutrition Month

With the school year and fall sports season in full swing, parents face challenges every single day in making sure kids get the nutritious meals and snacks they need to perform at their best in class and during sports after school. Fruits and vegetables

Hard to believe that a year has come and gone since our first October is Sports Nutrition Month. For the many who are new to MomsTEAM, our series of blogs by nutrition experts is, to borrow a phrase, new to you. For those who have been regular visitors to MomsTEAM, we hope you will the blogs helpful in providing your kids the nutritious meals and snacks they need to perform at their best, both in class and during sports. Let the healthy eating begin!

Safety Matters in Youth and High School Hockey

As the new season begins there is a renewed focus on safety in youth hockey in the USA, and in Minnesota in particular. With a heightened awareness of the potential for severe injury in contact sports like hockey and football the NGOs like USA Hockey are attacking the problem with more infrastructure surrounding teams to help protect players from each other, coaches and strangers. 

As the new season begins there is a renewed focus on safety in youth hockey in the USA and in Minnesota in particular. With a heightened awareness of the potential for severe injury in contact sports like hockey and football the NGOs like USA Hockey are attacking the problem with more infrastructure surrounding teams to help protect players from each other, coaches and strangers.

The More They Burn, The Better They Learn, Says Centers for Disease Control

The CDC's new Burn to Learn infographic explains that physical activity is not only good for the body, but also good for the mind!

Yoga Helps Kids Discover Their Strengths In Gentle and Less Competitive Way


Many adults I spoke with at the Wanderlust Festival this summer in Stratton, Vermont were athletes growing up. When I asked them how their lives would have been different had they practiced yoga as children, they all agreed that they would likely have discovered their strengths as athletes and as individuals in a more gentle and less competitive way.

In today’s world of youth organized sports, much of the focus is on winning, moving fast and being the best. Many of these goals come from outside pressures of parents, coaches and society. Yoga dissolves the external pressures to perform at a fast pace, allowing participants to slow down and realize that they are perfect exactly where and how they are, in the moment.

Practicing yoga helps children discover their strengths as athletes and individuals in a more gentle and less competitive way.

Parents Rethinking Contact Sports

Local youth football organizers in Minnesota say they are experiencing a 20 percent decline in registrations this year, citing increased awareness of the potential of serious injury and parents who are apparently picking other sports for their 3rd and 4th grade children.

Changing Hockey Culture: Are We Reaching A Tipping Point?

Playing the game of ice hockey within the rules would seem like a simple concept.  Yet all efforts to accomplish this objective have thus far proven elusive, from the NHL all the way down to the youngest levels.  In a previous post I reported that Minnesota Hockey has retained the much harsher penalties for two of the three most dangerous plays in the game. In fact, Minnesota has the toughest rules in youth and high school hockey in the country. The question is, will this be enough to change the culture of the sport?

Playing the game of hockey within the rules would seems like a simple concept. Yet all efforts to enforce the rules have thus far proven elusive.  Will making the rules for dangerous play tougher be enough to change the culture? This coming season may be the tipping point.

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