Members of minor hockey associations in Metro Vancouver have voted in favour of a ban against body-checking for players between the ages of five and 19.
The new rule applies to both recreation and house games, and will come into effect when teams from the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association start the new season.
Leanne Taylor of the North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association says children's safety is the number one reason why body-checking is no longer allowed. Her son Travis has had three concussions.
"He doesn't have that desire and drive and passion to play in rep hockey in the future, and he wants to be able to come back next year and play in a competitive environment where he's not going to have his head taken off," Taylor said.
But some parents worry the new rules might protect young players too much.
"They need to learn how to deal with that, because if they're young and they don't learn this, then what happens when they're older when they hit harder and they fall harder?" one hockey dad said to CTV British Columbia's St. John Alexander.
The Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association is also circulating the idea of ending body-checking at the pee wee level.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's St. John Alexander
