Where to begin...
I heard this cringe-worthy comment from a parent last weekend, "HIT HIM! Play the body! When will they ever learn, you take the body out and the player can't play the puck!"
(Well, neither can your kid then, genius.)
The art of the check has evolved and coaches, refs, and parents alike are behind the curve. CAHA posted an article "Changing the Culture of Body Checking" back in September and I doubt anyone watched it. Here is the link
[size=78%]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXidYlZRX3A[/size]The clip from 12:05-12:30 says it all. This garbage is what players (and parents) still think is a good hit usually under the delusion that it is only a penalty because of head contact, but otherwise would be fine if the player didn't fall at the last second. The reality is that the checking player never plays the puck, never attempts to gain possession of the puck, and pretty much is only interested in "finishing his check." This play was avoidable.
Another great clip is at 10:20. I see this being the only check on the ice these days and by far the most popular.
Yet, never gets called. Players with their STICK IN THE AIR completely ignoring the puck and delivering hits after the puck is gone. (Not long gone either, and it doesn't matter.) Again, they think it is all about a good solid "finish the check," but that no longer exists in current hockey culture. Sorry, it is true. I see this hit 10+ times a game and it only ever gets called a penalty when the player raises and extends his arms through the check. A lazy call IMO. Same hit at 9:35... stick in the air, late, avoidable, unacceptable, yet it happens repeatedly with no penalty. That's not hockey anymore and people, parents, players need to learn.
In your player's next game, count
the checks with stick in the air and/or arms extended. Then compare that tothe number of checks where the stick is on the ice and playing the puck before the check is delivered. I guarantee you get a 10:1 ratio stick in the air:stick on ice/puck. If you watch the whole video you hear the phrase "makes no attempt at the puck," or "no possession of the puck," over and over again. This concept is the current culture shift.
The expectation from USA hockey has changed, but there is serious lag on the trickle-down awareness today. The slide at 3:12 says it all
"Primary focus of a body check is to gain possession of the puck... proper technique starts with STICK ON PUCK..."