Non-checking leagues

Our C Grade ice hockey league plays a 'non checking' game, which to some purists makes it not 'real hockey' that we play.  And, to be fair, the only time someone was given a match penalty during a game in which I played was when one of our opposition was sent off for smacking down a spectator (one of his own team's supporters, ironically).  There was history behind the fight which I won't go into, and the guy in the crowd probably deserved it, but the player shouldn't have done it.

Just like Canuck, Zack Kassian, shouldn't have done the 'check' on Dallas Star's Brenden Dillon in their recent 6-1 loss in the NHL that got him a major penalty (his team plays with one less skater less on the ice that it otherwise would have for 5 minutes) and a game misconduct (face the disciplinary tribunal) for 'boarding' - intentionally forcing someone into the boards from behind with intent (check the link to the cool gif at this post on a Stars website)).


Violence in hockey is something I'll go into in some detail at some future date, but for now I'd say that, even without body checking, hockey is still a 'collision based sport' in its non-checking form.  As such, is quite a lot of rough and tumble.  I suspect that those who criticise it as soft hockey haven't actually played a game.  When you see the bruises and feel the aggression on the ice you know that it still one of the harder games going.

Even the 'gentle cousin' (inline hockey) has quite a lot of push and shove.  In fact, last Saturday one of the 'games within the game' that was happening while the Wheelers played the Bumpers was that I was involved in probably the most enjoyable match of physical tactics (body blocks, cutting out, stick checking, etc) that have played across a game with an opponent.  In this case, just to show the joys of C Grade, a female.  I think that both she and I were around the same size and build and skill level (she's a bit better skater though) and had a similarly aggressive mode on the rink.  We both checked with each other after a non-hit hit to make sure that the other player was neither hurt nor upset before we proceeded to dogfight grinningly through the rest of the game.  Shaking her hand at the end meant something, I tell you!

And it is always a pleasure for me to have the twenty something year old hulking male try to bully me out of my space on the ice.  Usually they get away with it the first time as I give anyone the benefit of the doubt,  but once they've shown their colours it's a case of my tenacity and guile against their usually simplistic reliance on size and mass.  We 'little guys' have a few tricks in our sticks, aye, and it's nice to see a bit of respect is there usually by the next face off.  All depending on skill levels, of course, as well as the animal drives.

Bottom line, for someone my age and stature, a 'non checking' league makes a good hard physical game a practical possibility even in middle age.  A very good thing indeed.