New to Hockey? - - - Here is your
Equipment 101 Lesson
Ok, your little one wants to play hockey and you are taking your first few steps into the world of street and roller hockey…on behalf of all of the half-frozen parents with SP Hockey…we welcome you!!!!
However, that first trip to find equipment can be a bit daunting. To follow are some options and details about our different hockey programs and some of the equipment you’ll need to get your little one started.
The proceeding equipment applies to all programs but is summarized with the new Chipmunk parent in mind!
Equipment – Required - - - Stick, helmet, gloves, shin guards, AND ELBOW PADS starting 2018-19 season.
These items can be found at large sport supply stores, via internet hockey sites and locally here in town. Shore True Value Hardware sponsors a team every year and they are well versed in our program. They sell Mylec street hockey equipment, which the larger stores do not carry. Their sales people will also walk you through the equipment needs and sizing, etc. They also offer a 10% discount for SP Hockey players (http://www.shorehardware.com/sale/storecoupons.aspx). There are also online hockey sites like “Hockey Giant” or “Hockey Monkey,” but when you are new to the sport, sizing can be challenging when just viewing on a computer screen so we recommend staying local for help the first time around.
Stick – This should be a "Pee Wee" or maybe a “Junior”-sized stick, which has a thinner shaft than an adult or intermediate stick. Because sticks wear out with use, we suggest you just go with a Pee Wee at this point. Buy a stick that has what's called an "ABS blade"...it basically has a little strip of plastic on the bottom of the wood blade so it doesn't wear down too quickly. DO NOT buy an ice hockey stick!!! If you do, once your little one wears through the thin fiberglass coating, it tears into the wood and is ruined and essentially unusable. Once your stick is purchased, standing up straight, hold stick with blade on the ground in front of the player…the stick should be marked and cut off with a saw to the length where it meets the player’s chin. Buy a rubber “butt-end” and place it on the cut end…or wrap with hockey tape so that it cannot fit into caged part of the player helmet. If you don’t have a saw, ask your coaches as they will often have one down the courts when the season starts to help! Price – about $12-20.
Gloves – The important part here is so that they are not too big. Gloves and shin guards typically come in a package. If not, honestly, at this level, kids can also get by with their regular winter gloves. We just want them comfortable! Price – about $20-25.
Shin guards – When strapped to player’s leg, they should cover from the knee to just above shoes. Mylec pads can be cut off to fit and also have replaceable straps…some of the other brands use Velcro straps. Price – about $20-25.
Helmet – This is always the tricky one. You have two main options here: a Mylec street hockey helmet or a HECC certified ice hockey helmet. The former is a thinner caged helmet designed specifically for street hockey and designed to protect the face. It is not designed to protect from concussion (worry not though for street hockey players rarely fall at all, let alone onto the head). If you are a “hockey family” and intend to have your son or daughter play roller hockey or ice hockey, you might want to purchase a HECC certified helmet, which has thicker padding and is approved for “skating hockey,” and is designed to guard against concussions. All of these helmets have slotted bolts on the sides that are designed to be expanded as the player’s head grows. Price – about $40-65.
Elbow Pads - There are varying levels of elbow pads your player can use. They can range for very inexpensive pads just covering the elbow to more expensive pads designed for hockey or lacrosse that cover elbow and part of the bicep and forearm. We only require that the elbow is completely covered. Price - anywhere from $10-$65+.
All told, completely starting from scratch, the required equipment will probably set you back about $90-125. Fear not though my soon-to-be-frozen-hockey-parent-brethren…this equipment (minus the stick) will last your hockey rookie for the first 3-4 years of his/her hockey “career."
Also ask us about our Pay It Forward equipment program...this is where parents donate gently used equipment for new players.
Email us if you have any questions related to equipment! Keep in mind that the majority of the kids that graduate from the Chipmunks program (at age 6) stick with Somers Point Hockey through the Cadet Division (age 15). So, WELCOME! : )
