Hockey Canada Launches Website Dedicated to New Head Contact Rule for 2011-12 Minor Hockey Season

www.HockeyCanada.ca/HeadContactRule

CALGARY, Alta. –Hockey Canada announced Thursday the launching of a new website, www.HockeyCanada.ca/HeadContactRule, dedicated to the implementation of the new head contact rule for the 2011-12 season in female and minor hockey across the country.

The new head contact rule was unanimously approved at Hockey Canada’s 2011 annual general meeting, held in May in Calgary, Alta. The new rule calls for zero tolerance on any head contact in minor and female hockey in all 13 Hockey Canada branches.

As more than 550,000 minor hockey players from coast-to-coast take to the ice for another hockey season, Hockey Canada’s special web platform will provide numerous resources for minor hockey associations, participants, parents and volunteers to assist with the implementation of the new head contact rule. Resources posted at www.HockeyCanada.ca/HeadContactRule include:

• Hockey Canada’s Head Contact Rule 6.5
• Hockey Canada videos, including:
  • Examples of acceptable and unacceptable contact under the new rule;
  • An equipment fitting demonstration;

• Printable resources, such as:
  • A head contact rules poster;
  • A head contact awareness handout;
  • The Hockey Canada approved concussion card;
  • The Hockey Canada Rule Book;
• The Think First SMART HOCKEY video

“We encourage all of our minor hockey associations, along with their team managers and coaches, to take a proactive step to add messaging about the new rule and concussion awareness to any pre-season or early season meetings,” said Hockey Canada chairman of the board Michael Bruni. “It is vital that coaches work with their team staff, players and parents to outline the head contact rule definitions and expectations of play.”

“Parents and players at the female and minor levels need to know that contact to the head will not be tolerated,” said Paul Carson, Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey development. “Team coaches should also work with team safety personnel and trainers to educate parents on the identification of concussions and responsible follow-up if a player suffers a concussion. Tools have been developed to support team meetings early in the season.”