Hockey is one of the most popular contact games played in the US, probably next only to soccer and rugby. There are several versions of hockey played such as field, inline, rink and ice hockey. All use specialized gear and equipment.
The basic equipment of hockey is a stick, which may be about three feet long. Hockey sticks are round and generally made of wood covered with fiberglass; aluminum sticks are also used and both varieties feature suede and rubber grips. Field hockey sticks have hooked bases, which are rounded at one end and flat at the other to accurately smack the ball into the goal. Ice hockey and inline hockey sticks have broader bases and most are designed for right-handed players. When holding the upper portion of the stick with your left hand and the lower portion with your right, the base curves forward, forming a shallow scoop for catching and guiding the puck.
Field hockey uses a molded plastic ball. Ice hockey and inline hockey use hard, vulcanized rubber discs called pucks. Both balls are sized according to hockey associations. The objective of any version of hockey is to guide the ball or puck towards the goal net. Goal nets are supported by steel frames and have durable synthetic nylon nets.
Protective gear and team jerseys are just as important as the skates or footwear, the stick and the puck. Protective hockey gear is comprised of a chest protector, a helmet, large padded shorts, shin pads, a neck protector, and other gear. Make sure you use all protective gear whenever you play hockey. Some pick-up games of hockey are not played with protective gear, but safety should come first.
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Roller Hockey Equipment
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Roller hockey, also known as inline hockey, is played on roller or inline skates with wheels, which are placed in sets of three or four in a single line. Skates are generally priced at $100 and up. Aluminum sticks are preferred for roller hockey, however,...
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Field Hockey Equipment
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Hockey’s most essential piece of equipment? The stick. A hockey stick is about 31 to 38 inches long with a round handle and a hooked end, which is rounded on one side and flat on the other and used to push, dribble and strike the...
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Street Hockey Equipment
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Americans love their street hockey—almost as much as Canadians. The appeal? The sport can be played on any open street, field or even an alleyway with old equipment and custom-made rules. The gear is similar to equipment used in regulation hockey and is played according...
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Field Hockey
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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The game of field hockey dates back to 4000 years. It is basically a ball and stick game, and there are historical records of this game in Ireland, Scotland, Egypt, and South America. A field hockey stick is usually 31 to 38 inches long, and...
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Roller Hockey
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Roller hockey or inline hockey is played on roller or inline skates, with wheels placed in groups of 3 or 4 in a single line. In the United States of America, it has grown into a significant sport, and indoor roller teams now play on...
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Ice Hockey Equipment
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Ice hockey requires special equipment. The basics being the stick and the puck. The ice hockey stick is slightly less curved than the routine hockey stick and may be made of wood or a high-tech composite material. The composite stick is sturdier, but also more...
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College Hockey
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Hockey is a sport in which two teams trying to maneuver a hard round disc called a puck into rival’s net, using a hockey stick. This sport is also played at college-level, and each college or institution may have its own hockey team. Intra-collegiate or...
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Ice Hockey Goalie Equipment
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The goalie in ice hockey has the most dangerous job —to stop the puck (sometimes zooming in at 160 km/h) from entering the goal-net. This task is fraught with injuries and so a goalie’s equipment is crafted to provide more protection than that of the...
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Used Hockey Equipment
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Hockey equipment—even the stuff that’s been battered around for a couple of seasons—still has resale value and may be sold through sporting goods stores or online. Regular hockey players change their gear nearly every year to keep up-to-date with changing trends and modifications and they...
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Air Hockey
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Air Hockey is a sport played between two players trying to outscore each other by descending puck on opponent’s goal. This game is played on a special table called Air Hockey table. An air hockey table is commonly a platform with a very large and...