All injuries are taken very seriously in minor hockey, that according to the President of the Moncton Minor Hockey Association after the recent acknowledgement by the NHL and NFL of a connection between concussions, brain injuries and mental health issues.
Brian Gaudet says, “We’re talking about two totally different animals. Professional sport and minor sport are dramatically different. The people who are earning a revenue in professional sport, they have a higher level of risk.”
“Any of the parents that want to enrol their child in minor hockey are free to come and speak with any of our members, and get a feel for what the level of risk is. It’s small compared to the level of risk professionals are exposed to,” he says.
Gaudet says it is a non contact sport until they get to the Bantam level, and even then, they have an almost zero tolerance policy when it comes to contact to the head, intentional or accidental. Players are penalized accordingly.
Gaudet says at this point, no parents have come to him and expressed any additional concerns about their children playing the sport.
