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SPECIAL TO THE STAR, NOV 26, 2007 11:50 AM
The 11-year body checking pilot project for minor atom and atom hockey players was checked out of existence this past weekend in Calgary at the Hockey Canada semi-annual meeting.
The topic has sparked emotion both for and against the project over the years and the motion put forward to allow body checking at the minor atom and atom age levels in competitive minor hockey was defeated. The regulation for the introduction of body checking will remain at the minor peewee and peewee levels and above in Canada.
This ruling will not take effect until the 2008-2009 hockey season which means that the current pilot projects in Ontario and Saskatchewan will be able to complete the current 2007-20008 season before the new rule takes effect.
GOALTENDER EQUIPMENT RULES GET A ONE YEAR REPRIEVE
In spite of a previously announced mandatory enforcement in the reduction of widths to goaltender gloves and pads for the 2008-2009 season, the Hockey Canada Board of Directors and member branches have now approved a one-year delay in the implementation of the new goaltender equipment rules, which will now not take effect until the 2009-2010 season. Hockey Canada President Bob Nicholson urged the board to consider the one-year reprieve in response to concerns that had been voiced at the minor hockey association and membership levels across Canada.
CANADIAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL SURVEY
To many parents and coaches of younger aged players who aren't fully aware of the CDM (Canadian Development Program), the primary purpose was to permit more 16-year-old players to develop at the midget hockey level. Initially the program was introduced as reducing the number of 16-year-olds that could register with junior teams to two for a two-year period and then zero in the third year. Major junior hockey teams are not permitted to register more than four of the 16-year-old players. Obviously this has caused concern in many junior hockey circles and over the past couple of years since the program was introduced, several revisions to the original program have been introduced by some of the Hockey Canada branches.
Now in its third year of implementation, Hockey Canada has decided to conduct a national survey this season through its 13 member branches to assess the impact and evaluate the program since its inception. An updated evaluation of the CDM should be made available at the Hockey Canada Annual General Meeting in May in Quebec City.
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