If you are going to bug your very first ice hockey stick you should start with a wood hockey stick. A wood hockey stick will provide you with all you need and do so at a reasonable price. Your first hockey stick should have basic versions the hockey blade, the hockey stick flex and hockey stick length. After you buy your hockey stick, it will be time to cut it to proper length and then tape it to be ready to play.
Should you play with a Left handed or right handed stick? Using a right handed versus left handed hockey stick is not an automatic decision and it really comes down to which way feels more comfortable to you. One guideline is to choose a hockey stick so that your dominate hand is on top (i.e. a right handed stick for a left handed person). The best way to figure this out is to borrow one of each stick from friends, or your local hockey shop, and try them out. Choose the way that feels most comfortable to you.
Choosing the right length stick is very important and it will dramatically affect your ability to use the hockey stick. Your hockey stick needs to be long enough to reach to approximately your chin when you are standing in skates when the hockey stick is held vertically in front of you. Hockey sticks come in a few standard sizes: junior, intermediate and senior and you will choose the one that is the closest length or longer. Expect to end up with a longer stick and cut it to the correct length with a wood saw (or have it cut at the local hockey shop).
The next thing is to choose the blade pattern that you are going to use. Every manufacture has different pro hockey player names for their blade patterns but all of the stock blades will come in just a handful of patterns. You should stick with a blade pattern that his a minor curve to is to that it is easier to learn good puck control on your forehand and backhand.
The last feature of the stick is to get the right flex or bend to it. Firs your first stick you should go with a regular/standard flex. Too stiff and to flexible both make it harder to play.
Cutting your stick to the right length is straight forward. First mark the stick to be near you chin when you are on skates (or between upper lip and your nose when standing in street shoes). Now cut the stick with a hand saw. If there are splinters on the end, you can do a light sanding to smooth them away.
After you cut your stick to length you need to tape both the handle and the blade. At the handle your goal is to add a little more control to where you hold the stick and to keep it from slipping out of your hand. This is usually done with a thin layer of tape from the top of the stick to about 6 inches down and with a decent size knob at the very top of the stick. Experiment until you get the right feel and control. You can tape the blade from heel to toe or vice versa. The goal here is to add additional friction to improve your ability to control the puck.
You should now have a very good stick to get you started playing ice hockey. After some playing time you will begin to develop opinions about the different aspects of the hockey stick. Once you do, it is a good time to buy a new stick! - 15995
Should you play with a Left handed or right handed stick? Using a right handed versus left handed hockey stick is not an automatic decision and it really comes down to which way feels more comfortable to you. One guideline is to choose a hockey stick so that your dominate hand is on top (i.e. a right handed stick for a left handed person). The best way to figure this out is to borrow one of each stick from friends, or your local hockey shop, and try them out. Choose the way that feels most comfortable to you.
Choosing the right length stick is very important and it will dramatically affect your ability to use the hockey stick. Your hockey stick needs to be long enough to reach to approximately your chin when you are standing in skates when the hockey stick is held vertically in front of you. Hockey sticks come in a few standard sizes: junior, intermediate and senior and you will choose the one that is the closest length or longer. Expect to end up with a longer stick and cut it to the correct length with a wood saw (or have it cut at the local hockey shop).
The next thing is to choose the blade pattern that you are going to use. Every manufacture has different pro hockey player names for their blade patterns but all of the stock blades will come in just a handful of patterns. You should stick with a blade pattern that his a minor curve to is to that it is easier to learn good puck control on your forehand and backhand.
The last feature of the stick is to get the right flex or bend to it. Firs your first stick you should go with a regular/standard flex. Too stiff and to flexible both make it harder to play.
Cutting your stick to the right length is straight forward. First mark the stick to be near you chin when you are on skates (or between upper lip and your nose when standing in street shoes). Now cut the stick with a hand saw. If there are splinters on the end, you can do a light sanding to smooth them away.
After you cut your stick to length you need to tape both the handle and the blade. At the handle your goal is to add a little more control to where you hold the stick and to keep it from slipping out of your hand. This is usually done with a thin layer of tape from the top of the stick to about 6 inches down and with a decent size knob at the very top of the stick. Experiment until you get the right feel and control. You can tape the blade from heel to toe or vice versa. The goal here is to add additional friction to improve your ability to control the puck.
You should now have a very good stick to get you started playing ice hockey. After some playing time you will begin to develop opinions about the different aspects of the hockey stick. Once you do, it is a good time to buy a new stick! - 15995
About the Author:
Fred enjoys playing ice hockey and writing about finding the perfect Hockey Blade and likes a particular Easton Hockey Blade as his current favorite.
