| Notre Dame's Jeff Jackson on practice-to-game ratios at 12U |
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Body-checking isn't legal in USA Hockey-sanctioned youth leagues until the 14U level for boys, and for good reason. But that doesn't mean fundamentals of body-checking can't be taught and practiced along the way. Quite the contrary, they not only can be – they should be. Particularly at the 12U level, with boys just one step away from being able to body-check during games, and the intensity of the girls' game ramping up, teaching the fundamentals of body contact is critical.
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Q: Some of my son's 12U teammates are supposedly thinking of giving up their other sports and just playing hockey. At least that's what their parents are saying. Is that a good idea?
A: Although hockey is a great sport and may be a child's favorite, it's not a great idea to specialize early. Studies show that multi-sport athletes have a better chance to excel in the long run. First of all, they benefit from building a better base of all-around athleticism, but beyond that, there are advantages in staying mentally fresh from the variety and learning how to adapt to different coaches, teammates and roles within a team.
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| X-Training
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| At 12U, we want our children involved in a minimum of 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and some of that time should be spent playing sports other than ice hockey.
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