Hockey Canada says no body checking up to atom level.

From CBC, No bodychecking till age 11, Hockey Canada says: 

"On Saturday, Hockey Canada reached a decision on the age at which bodychecking should be introduced.  The new rule will start next fall.

There is no bodychecking in girls' hockey. Now, the sport's governing body says it will no longer be allowed at the atom level, meaning nine- and 10-year-old boys."

I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

It would be heart breaking to see a child seriously injured by a body check and many young players probably have the wrong idea about checking in the game and lack consideration for other players or perhaps small players and their safety.

On the flip side, it would almost seem to be setting them up for greater injury by not allowing them to learn the checking game at a young age when they are more flexible, least fragile and most likely to adapt to handling the checks.

Throw them out there when they are getting big, fast and mean at 11 or 12 years old after no prior checking an it could be nasty. Tough call, hopefully there are also initiatives with the coaches to prepare kids for checking and the teach them the role of checking and the right way to go about it.

Related articles:
Ban bodychecking for players 14 and under: study
Background on Checking (HockeyCanada)

What are your thoughts? Discuss it in the forum.