The removal of bodychecking at the recreational level of minor hockey, beginning in the 201213 season, has been well received by the city's two associations.
Concerns about hockey injuries, in particular concussions, have led to discussions at the national, provincial and regional levels of the sport. In the fall, the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association (PCAHA) formed a committee to prepare a report and offer resolutions to make the game safer and more appealing to potential new players. It was circulated to members in early December.
On Sunday, the PCAHA, which governs minor hockey in the Greater Vancouver area, held an extraordinary general meeting where delegates from PCAHA's 42 associations voted on four resolutions regarding bodychecking.
The main issue was removing bodychecking at the recreational or house level for all divisions (Atom to Midget) which was overwhelmingly supported by a 123-39 margin.
Bodychecking will also no longer be allowed at the Pee Wee rep level if the same decision is reached at B.C. Hockey's annual general meeting in June.
The vote means only three regional associations in the province still allows bodychecking in recreational hockey - North Central, North West and Peace River.
Pacific Coast Amateur and B.C. is also catching up to the rest of Canada.
Bodychecking in recreational hockey is not permitted in Ontario, Quebec, PEI and Manitoba. Alberta offers recreational players a choice - bodychecking or contact.
Pacific Coast also had the same option, but only a few associations have offered it due to the general lack of interest in contact only hockey.
Prior to Sunday's vote, Seafair Minor and Richmond Minor conducted their own informal surveys among parents of their registered players to determine which direction the organizations would cast their votes. The results were on par to the Pacific Coast vote.
In Richmond Minor, 236 members participated in the survey with 75 percent agreeing with the removal of bodychecking at the recreational level. At Seafair, the support was even higher with 78 percent of members approving.
The only resolution not to pass at the PCAHA meeting was to remove hitting from the Pee Wee rep level, designated for 11and12year-olds, regardless of what B.C. Amateur Hockey decides to do.
That was defeated (11154) by Pacific Coast and Richmond Minor's survey produced similar results. However, Seafair still approved of the idea by a 129-69 margin.
Regardless of the outcome of Sunday's meeting, Seafair executive Ken Hamaguchi believes changes were imminent based on hockey's current perception in Canada, especially with its marquee player - Sidney Crosby - sideline with concussion symptoms.
"B.C. Hockey's biggest concern is the trend showing less kids are playing hockey," said Hamaguchi.
"The biggest reasons are what is happening with the number of concussions at all levels and the cost to play the sport.
"The idea is taking hitting out of recreational hockey will address one of those concerns and will generate more business in the long run."
The immediate impact of the new rules will likely not be well received at the older Midget and Bantam levels of recreational hockey where players have grown up with hitting being part of the game. Richmond Minor president Gary Lok thinks this might lead to a shift in numbers for next season.
"We could very well see associations icing more rep teams," he said. "The cost and commitment are greater but at least those kids will get the opportunity to keep playing (with the same rules)."
