Why isn't checking allowed in women's hockey?

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Do the girls want to hit? Sure some do but I'd suspect if the majority wanted it would've been brought up by them by now. Iv'e seen lots of interviews, lady commentators and they never bring it up.

Buy hey just blame sexism because...
 
Hockey is moving away from the rough stuff. Just look at the NHL compared to 15 years ago. Mandated visors, fighting being slowly fazed out, cracking down on high hits. If anything, the women's game is ahead of the times. Within our lifetimes we could see full cages and no hitting in men's hockey as well. The women's game isn't going to go backwards.
 
Like I said, if someone finds violence entertaining then that's their thing. I certainly don't need it. And knowing what permanent damage it causes it's even a bit repulsive.

Violence? Hitting in hockey is...violence? That’s quite the standard.
 
The NHL needs to be careful not to become College Hockey.

I like College Hockey, but it's nowhere as good as NHL hockey. Fights are scrums. "Nothing to see here, move along....."

But I am admittedly a Hockey Dinosaur.
 
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1990 IIHF women's WC was the only international womens tournament to allow hitting. Team USA and Team Canada basically steamrolled everyone else to the finals, which Canada ultimately won.

I assume the reason hitting isn't allowed in women's hockey is because of parity reasons and hasn't been back in international competition since.
 
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Allowing bodychecks would just increase the difference in skill and play between highest ranked and other teams. They would stand even less chance against USA or Canada than today.

Also if you cant receive a tackle, you’ll get hurt. And then your pretty face is ruined.
 
The idea of professional contact hockey with both genders together is ridiculous though, first men are on average far bigger, faster, and stronger; if it's based on merit no women would make the team. Even aside from biological factors, men are socialized not to be physical with women, the second a man lays a clean check on one you'd have a white knight trying to fight them.

This might happen at first but would change quickly. In college sports, it's fairly common to use male practice players on women's teams. The male practice players are physical with female team players and vice-versa. In basketball at least, there are occasionally stitches or broken noses, etc. (for either the male practice player or female team player). I'd guess that would be true in other contact sports, too. The other male practice players don't fight over it bc that level of physicality is expected in order for the male practice players to do their job. Everyone understands and accepts that.

If you wanted to play mixed ice hockey, you'd need to say that X number of players on each team must be women and that the coaches must play Y women each game, like they are doing for the women's Korean ice hockey team, where three North Koreans must play in each game.
 
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Agreed. The NHL has gotten boring thanks to the likes of McDavid, Eichel, Matthews, et al. We need more of Damir Ryspayev and his ilk.

The NHL needs to be careful not to become College Hockey.

I like College Hockey, but it's nowhere as good as NHL hockey. Fights are scrums. "Nothing to see here, move along....."
 
Hockey is moving away from the rough stuff. Just look at the NHL compared to 15 years ago. Mandated visors, fighting being slowly fazed out, cracking down on high hits. If anything, the women's game is ahead of the times. Within our lifetimes we could see full cages and no hitting in men's hockey as well. The women's game isn't going to go backwards.

 
I'm sure it's been covered here, but I think at this point it's just too late/challenging to change? Can't change the way an entire sport is played by introducing big differences at the highest level of play. I'm sure sexism played a role in hitting not being permitted in the first place.
 
iirc isn't the injury rate in women's hockey *already* higher then for men? Possibly this was specific to concussions. I don't recall exactly.
Adding hitting would make this worse.
 
No one would play at an early age. I’ve seen uptight parents moan about playing hockey in general.. add hitting you’d see participation drop to unsustainable levels
 
No one would play at an early age. I’ve seen uptight parents moan about playing hockey in general.. add hitting you’d see participation drop to unsustainable levels

boys don't hit till a certain age. no one is saying that in girls youth leagues they should allow hitting, the question is why is it that the women who play at the highest level, don't.

I'm not sure if there is a clear cut answer, initially I think sexism played a role but if ( as has been reported) that the women still prefer no hitting, then that's their choice I suppose.
 
With all the bumping and pinning, it's barely different from most European League mens hockey anyway.
 
With all the bumping and pinning, it's barely different from most European League mens hockey anyway.

I think the amount of "contact" allowed is surprising. Certainly much more than adult rec. leagues I've played in. Saw two penalties handed out for illegal contact this morning but man that line is thin. They're letting the women play. If a causal observer wasn't informed beforehand I doubt they'd notice a difference.

Interesting discussion but pretty much a non-issue as far as the quality of hockey.
 
I mean the men's tournament isn't filled with devastating checks but its got enough physicality but why isn't it aloud at all in women's hockey. As an outsider it just seems ridiculous


It is allowed - watch the games. They don't technically allow it, but technically they allow it. There are some downright comical collisions. It's hilarious what they get away with with (ALLEGEDLY) "no checking" allowed. LOL
 
Do the girls want to hit? Sure some do but I'd suspect if the majority wanted it would've been brought up by them by now. Iv'e seen lots of interviews, lady commentators and they never bring it up.

Buy hey just blame sexism because...

I think part of the reason it's not really brought up often is just because of the evolution of hockey. Checking is still useful, but it's not relied upon as heavily as it was even 20 years ago, which was just about the time women's hockey started becoming a real thing. Basically, you're not going to argue to to have a tool that you probably won't use most of the time anyway; it's just not worth the effort. Besides that, checking happens and doesn't get called quite often in my viewings of the sport. The only times I've really seen it called are when there's a big, obvious hit or when the refs feel like they need to call an even-up penalty, so it's sort of rare for it to even be penalized. These are the reasons, in my perspective, why checking is still a penalty in women's hockey.

The original reason hitting wasn't allowed in women's hockey? Yeah, it was sexism. Can't allow hitting or the boobs will fall off!

(I've known lots of female athletes and hockey players, and across the board they're just as tough/durable as their male counterparts)
 
It might not be allowed but I've seen far bigger checks in their games than the men's. :laugh:
 

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