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Smaller ice for kids hockey

Hockey Canada says it will make it mandatory that children getting their first introduction to the game play on reduced-size ice surfaces instead of full-sized rinks.

The organization which governs amateur hockey has been recommending half-ice, or cross-ice, for its initiation programs for five and six-year-olds for over three decades.

A number of provincial amateur hockey bodies already require rinks be partitioned into smaller surfaces for games for their youngest players.

But Paul Carson, Hockey Canada's vice-president of membership development, said there are still holdouts where beginners play their games on full-sized rinks.

"We know statistically when you're in a smaller playing area it increases the number of puck touches, it increases the number of battles for loose pucks, it increases the number of shots on goal, it increases the number of passes and pass receptions," said Carson as he explained how smaller ice surfaces improve skills development.

"We've coined the phrase, 'Decrease the space, increase the pace.' It does make all players better."

The mandatory policy will take effect for the 2017-2018 season.

Not everyone agrees reduced size is the best way to foster skill. Some online forums and blogs argue there are kids who are ready for full ice and that it's wrong to hold them back. They argue it's important to learn icing and offsides.



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