When you go out to purchase some hockey
equipment there axe a few things that you should know. You
should never skimp on quality or fit for price, or the thought
that you may get an extra season out of it. There are
some equipment shops that sell new and equipment which ran
prove to be economical when you have a growing child. Remember
that proper fitting equipment should be comfortable and also
will provide efficient protection from injury. Here are some
guidelines to follow for fitting equipment properly.
Helmet
When buying a HELMET the athlete should
look for protection, comfort, and fit. All helmets must
be approved by the HECC (Hockey Equipment Certification Council)
or the CSA (Canadian Standard Association) there will be ea
sticker on the helmet to notify the athlete. The helmet
should not be too tight or too loose, you need to have a snug
fit watch that the helmet does not have enough room to crash
down on nose. The helmet should rest 1-2 finger widths
above eyebrows and fit snug enough so that the helmet does
not spin or shift on head. The proper fit will maximize
the protection factor of the helmet. The chin strap should
be adjusted so it gently makes contact under the chin when
fastened.
Cage vs. Shield
Here the choice is up to the athlete. Each
individual will have their own preference between the two masks. The
basic differences between the two are visibility and ventilation. The
CAGE offers good visibility with excellent ventilation. They
are made out of strong durable materials that allow the helmet
to take a little bit of a beating. The SHIELD has decreased
ventilation and excellent vision. The shields have the
tendency to fog up and scratch easily, but when taken care
of properly the shield can prove to be the choice face mask. All
masks are not made to fit al helmets so be sure that the cage
or shield that you choose fits onto the helmet properly leaving
no gaps or space at the chin. Shields fog up muchmore in
older rinks that do not have de-humidifiers for ambient air.
Mouthguards
A mouthguard is a must in the older age
groups and should not be viewed as a choice to wear one or
not. The purpose of a mouthguard is multifaceted. They
decrease the risk of mouth/tooth injuries and decrease concussions
by dispersing the force and also decrease jaw fractures. Mouthguards
are an inexpensive way to protect yourself in a number of ways. They
can be bought in a store and molded at home with the use of
hot water. Mouthguards can also be custom fit by your
dentist to make an exact fit for the athlete. Here each
individual will have a personal preference. If the mouthguard
is not properly fitted then the ability to communicate
can suffer and sometimes breathing is compromised. To
insure proper fit follow package directions for fitting store
bought mouthguards. Be sure to soften the mouthguard
using hot water, after 30 seconds or more (read package) insert
the mouthguard into mouth and place on top teeth, press tongue
along back of mouthguard and suck all of the air out pulling
mouthguard onto teeth. DO NOT double dip be sure that
your first attempt makes the grade, you run the risk of biting
through the mouthguard and decrease the protective qualities
of the mouthguard.
Neck Guard
All players have to wear a neck guard. A
neck guard will offer protection for the athlete's neck. Protection
from sharp objects such as skate blades and sticks. When
worn properly, the guard will protect the player from potential
dangerous situations.
Shoulder Pads
The center of the shoulder should fit in
the center of the shoulder cup of the pads. The pads
offer a foam cup, that should fit comfortably around the shoulder
girdle. Most pads have a universal sizing system, but
trying them on will have to be the judgment factor. The
athlete should get into their positions stance. A defenseman
may benefit from a pair of shoulder pads that cover more area. When
on defense players have a greater chance of blocking the puck
with their bodies, therefore a larger chest protector is a
good choice. For the forward, they need to be less restricted
and tend to wear a smaller pair of shoulder pads. The
choice for smaller pads should be for comfort but not for compromising
protection. Shoulder pads should offer protection for
the shoulder girdle, clavicle (collar bone), chest, ribs, back
and upper arms. the straps that hold shoulder pads in
place should fit snug and hold pads comfortably to the body
without restricting movement or breathing. When trying
the pads on athletes should raise their arms up over their
heads to be sure that the pads do not move and compromise coverage,
or decrease cervical range of motion or vision. Move
your head around with the helmet on and wear your elbow pads
to make sure one does not bind on the other.
Elbow Pads
Elbow pads are to protect the elbow from
injury. The pad should fit comfortably around the joint
and offer protection from outside hazards. The elbows
should fit into the cup shape of the pad and be covered completely
to protect the elbow. The pad should fit comfortably
but should also fit properly in order to provide the appropriate
coverage. The pad should extend to the shoulder pad without
compromising or interfering with the gloves to provide additional
protection. All pieces of equipment should be tried on
in conjunction with their adjacent parts. This will ensure
a proper fit, there should not be any discomfort created or
any restricted range of motion while providing the protection
the hockey payer needs. The player should also put the
equipment on and get down in their stance to see if the equipment
fits correctly and does not interfere with movements or vision.
Gloves
Gloves are another piece of equipment that
should fit comfortably, not too big or too small. Gloves
offer protection for the hand, fingers, thumb and wrist. Therefore
a proper fit will provide this protection. The top of
the glove should come up to meet the elbow pad leaving little
or NO gap to prevent injury. The player's fingers should
not go all the way to the end of the finger pockets of the
gloves. This will decrease the risk of injuries such
as lacerations. Most gloves come standard with a thumb
lock feature. This will prevent the thumb from bending
backwards causing injury.
Pants
Most people can use their waist size as
a guide for fitting pants. Pants come a variety of sizes
S-M-L or numerical sizes and also different lengths. The
pants should overlap the knee pads/shin pads by 1 to 2 inches
when standing and still cover while kneeling. Proper
fitted pants should cover athlete appropriately leaving
no skin or body part exposed to potential injury. Any
gap is exactly where you will be hit by a puck.
Shinguards
Shinguards or knee pads provide protection
from a number of things. Impact with the ice, a
puck, a stick, opposing player, the boards...Therefore you
want properly fitted pads to provide the most protection possible, The
patella or kneecap should fit directly into the center of the
patella cup of the pad. The pads are made in a variety
of densities. the padding should provide ample protection
but not bulkiness that would compromise the fit and protection
of the pad. The pad should extend down the length of
the leg, making sure that the pad is not too long or not too
short. Be sure to try the pads on with their skates in
order to get the proper fir. If the pad is too long the
skates will push the pads out of position and not provide proper
protection. As the player will develop a personal preference,
to wear the pads tucked in the skate or outside the skate. Either
is acceptable. Be sure that with either choice the pads
offer full coverage leaving no area exposed. The older
the player, the thicker the pad required to block slapshots. The
more expensive pads come as "left and right"
Skates
Skates normally fit 1-11/2 sizes smaller
than street shoes. They also come in a variety of widths;
to assure proper fit the athletes feet should be measured with
a foot measuring device, for length and width. When trying
on skates push toes forward to the front of the boot. You
should be able to put between one pencil to one finger between
the heel and the boot. Before lacing the skate up, slide
the heel back into the boot, snugly lace up the first three
eyelets, lace the next three loosely, and the rest laced up
tight. The eyelets should be 11/2-2" apart.
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