Sidney Crosby's latest concussion woes shine a light on the harsh reality of playing hockey.

Here at home, Airdrie Minor Hockey (AMHA) has several ways of making sure that players health and safety are top priority.

"I've seen a very large transition in the past 10 years on how we've evolved in dealing with concussions and players who are injured in general," said Stacey Carefoot, Operations Coordinator, AMHA. "Obviously concussion protocol is very important in Airdrie Minor Hockey."

At the competitive level, teams all have a trainer who is trained in concussion protocol. These trainers ensure base line testing and mid-season testing.

Two years ago, AMHA made the decision to remove hitting from both Midget and Bantam city divisions in an effort to minimize injuries to players.

"At first obviously it was a change and met with some resistance, but now we are seeing people coming from other communities to join our city leagues because of the no contact." said Carefoot.

Various leagues have since looked to AMHA for direction in addressing player safety.