Mario Dhingsa's Blog - Posts Tagged "1styearchecking"

⭐⭐⭐⭐

(1hr 23mins, USA)

📣Hockey v Concussion: A youth hockey coach captures his 12-year-old's first year surviving full contact on the ice.

👍 Winning vision:
Director Michael Messner gets the puck in the net with this bold and brutally honest descent into the broken bones, bullying, betrayal and brain injury that plague youth hockey and beyond; and scores a game-winning goal with the young heroes interviewed.

👎 Open ice collision:
It's hard to come away loving a system that normalises violence and mental trauma, overlooks serious intentional injury, and rewards predatory players; but by not advocating for the elimination of 'checking' after the footage, the testimonies, and the accumulating permanent injuries to players past and present, the film risks falling short on its own convictions.

🥇Best quote:
"It isn't an easy game. You literally have to fall time and time again, in order just to stand up."

🙁Best depressing quote:
"We're seeing way too many concussions. A single player may have 5 - 7 concussions before they're even coming into Junior Hockey [16 yrs old]."

🤔Best reality check:
"The girls' game is still very physical, but the speed is emphasised instead of brute strength.
The actual skills shine through. The passing, shooting and skating.
It's almost like the girls' game has more confidence in the game itself than the boys do, who have to add the element of violence just because they think the game is lacking something."

Twitter: @mariodhingsa