Minnesota Hockey Retains More Severe Penalties, Aims for Better Enforcement

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Wed, 06/27/2012 - 03:19. | comments

Minnesota Hockey, the governing body for 40,000 youth hockey players in the state, has voted to continue with the pilot program begun last Janaury that made checking from behind and boarding 5 minute major and 10 minute misconduct penalties. The program was instituted after high school player Jack Jablonski suffered a spinal cord injury from an unpenalized check from behind. The USA Hockey rule book allows for escalating levels of penaly time depending on the incident. That discretion no longer exists in Minnesota in youth or high school hockey.

Minnesota Hockey, the governing body for 40,000 youth hockey players in the state, has voted to continue rule changes enacted last January which stiffened the penalties for checking from behind and boarding and hope for better enforcement.

Hal Tearse (Hockey Coach): Less Pressure To Win and More Patience From Parents Needed

Submitted by June Is Sports Dads Month on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 15:04. | comments

Editors Note: This blog is part of a special series on dads which originally ran in 2012. Because it is timeless we are sharing it again.

Being the father of an athlete is a challenging yet rewarding role. At MomsTEAM we think sports dads deserve to be honored, not just on the third Sunday in June, but for an entire month. So we have designated June as National Sports Dads Month and invited some veteran sports dads to share their wisdom by responding to a series of questions (the same ones we asked sports moms in May). We will post a new blog for every day of June, which we hope you will find interesting, empowering, and informative, and that you will share them with your family and friends.

Longtime hockey coach and Coach in Chief of Minnesota Hockey says if he could "flip a switch" and change one thing about the culture of youth sports is would be less pressure to win and more patience on the part of parents.

Better Enforcement, Not Rule Changes Key To Reducing Dangerous Play in Hockey

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Fri, 05/25/2012 - 02:58. | comments

Minnesota Hockey and the Minnesota State High school league increased the penalties for dangerous plays following the tragic life changing accident Jack Jablonski, a 16-year-old Benilde St. Margarets player, suffered in January of 2012. The question at hand now is should we continue with the stiffer penalties, modify them, add to them or return to the previous rule book? So far the consensus is to keep them and add to them.

It seems so simple, but as we learn in life nothing is simple. Perhaps we should look at the causes that are creating the current environment and then asertain if the penalties are warranted, are sufficient or need changing.

We won't make ice hockey safer for players by increasing penalties for dangerous play. We need to address the core issue: the violent culture of the sport.

Minnesota Hockey