The willful blindness in hockey toward concussions (头部撞击) has dropped. Hockey Canada has followed the lead of USA Hockey in preventing body checking (身体拦截) below age 13.(41) __________ This country's children have been facing similar danger at early ages, and Hockey had to deal with a deep worry in the winds of Canadians to make the rule change. The liking for body checking from an early age is part of what makes Canadian hockey what it is.The change in rules should be taken as a chance to draw special attention to skill development in an environment free of danger. (42)__________For years, many Canadian hockey parents and coaches have insisted that body checking at early ages is necessary to ensure that players can do it safely at older ages. (43)__________ When USA Hockey changed its rules for the 2011-2012 season, it also created bodychecking-education programs that will be mandatory (强制的) for all coaches, including those teaching players in the pre-checking ages. And it began to encourage more"touch", without real body checking from 9 to12. It also made the rules for 13 and up stricter. (44) __________Hockey Canada has taken serious steps to do away with hits on the head. (45) __________Too often, body checking has been used to try to separate a player from his head rather than from the ball. Children were paying a price for this country's love of the game.There are always changes in Canada's game, and the change in the body checking age sends the clearest message yet to coaches and parents that player safety is paramount (至上的) in the game.
A.True or not, there may be a safer way to teach hitting than to make younger players pay a price for it in head injuries.B.However, it's hard to change a sports culture so connected with who we are as a country.C.A bad head injury of Sidney Crosby, the hockey's greatest star, opened the eyes of hockey people everywhere.D.It may also control the loss of thousands of young players who don’t enjoy that environment.E.The USA is trying to show that it's possible to teach hockey protective skills without putting 11 and 12-year-olds in greater danger. It's worth the try.