In the summer of 2003 Hockey Canada and the SHA invited and approved a research proposal from the University of Regina which has as its goal to better understand the impact body checking has on its various stakeholders (i.e., players, parents, coaches, officials). This project examines the effects of introducing body checking on (a) physical development and injury, (b) skill development, (c) attitudes, (d) behaviours, and (e) outcomes such as continued participation.

Hockey Canada, the SHA, and Hockey Alberta want to find out what happens when boys and girls ages 9 and 10 start to body check. Because parents have a significant influence on their child's behaviour, we are trying to find out about your and your child's thoughts, feelings, and behaviours about hockey and body checking. What we learn will help Hockey Canada determine a policy and/or strategy for how body checking is introduced in minor hockey.

The following presentation was presented at the 2006 SHA Annual General Meeting by the researchers, Dr. Harold Riemer and Dr. Kim Dorsch.

http://www.uregina.ca/kinesiology/ohcms/assets/tinymce/plugins/filemanager/files/Body%20Checking%20Preliminary_report.pdf