A Mom's Guide to Understanding Hockey Equipment

There's nothing more overwhelming than realizing how much equipment is involved in the game of hockey. Until I met my husband, I had no idea the amount of padding he had on under his jersey. As far as I knew, the extra bulk was his chiseled physique. I can dream, right?

Anyways, let's get down to the basics of hockey equipment. I have four kids who play the sport, and the first time I had to help them get ready without my husband's help was quite interesting. Let's make sure you know what the heck you are doing.

If you ever plan on having grandchildren, you don't want to forget about this vital piece of protection. As in every contact sport, a cup is an absolute must. As well as protecting your family's gene pool, the hockey jock serves yet another purpose. Haven't you ever wondered how the hockey player's socks stay up around their thighs? Surprise! The amazing hockey jock has velcro on the legs so you can easily fasten your child's socks to the jock.

Now, there are other methods of keeping the socks up. You could also use a garter belt that is not as user-friendly as the hockey jock, but with a little extra sweat, it works just fine. Then, there's always the athletic tape. Yes, I have witnessed many a frustrated mother- new to the game, and husbands nowhere to be seen- mummifying their kids legs in athletic tape to hold up the socks. While it may seem like a good idea at the time, your child may not forgive you later when the tape gets ripped off their skin.

Shin guards protect from above the knee, all the way down to above the ankle. These can be put on at different stages. If you put them on your child after they have their socks on, simply roll up the hockey sock, put on the shin guard, and roll the sock down over the pad. Sometimes kids put them on before they put their socks on, and even after the hockey skates are on. You have to figure out what works best for your child. Once the socks are covering the shin guards, some kids like to tape the shin guards in place...just a little added security. Each of my kids likes the tape to be in a different spot, so you might have to experiment with this.

Once you get the socks secured, it's time to move on to the hockey pants, shoulder pads, and elbow pads. Depending on the type of pants, there may or may not be a belt or suspenders involved. The important thing is to make sure that your kid's pants don't fall down in the middle of a breakaway. I'm pretty sure your child would have a hard time forgiving you for that one! They should fit snuggly, but obviously not tight enough to make it hard to breath.

The shoulder pads and elbow pads come next. These are pretty self-explanatory to get on. Velcro usually holds both in place. The important thing to keep in mind is that these pads are there for a reason. They need to protect your child against any flying pucks that may come his way. There should be no gaps. The top of the pants should meet up with the bottom edge of the shoulder pads (the shoulder pads extend down to also cover the chest), and the elbow pads should meet up with the shoulder pads. The bottom of the hockey pants should meet the top of the shin guards. If any gaps are left, your child has a serious chance of getting hurt.

One piece of equipment that is considered optional, but is an added security measure, is the neck guard. This is a simple guard that goes around the neck with velcro. A simple measure to provide adequate safety.

After all of the pads are on, it is okay to then put on your child's jersey. Be careful! Sometimes the jersey gets caught on the shoulder pads. We don't want anyone being strangled!

One of the most important pieces of equipment would be your child's skates. This is the one piece of equipment that has to fit the best. Don't be trying to save a buck by buying a pair of skates that are two sizes too big, in hopes that they will still fit next season. If you want your kid to enjoy the sport without blisters and sprained ankles, please get the right size!

When tying the skates, get them nice and tight...tight enough to give a nice secure feeling, but not tight enough to cut off the circulation. Here's a good tip: buy waxed laces for the skates. They usually come in yellow. These laces will hold tight while you are tying them, making it easier to get a nice snug fit.

Now we have the helmet. The hockey helmet is adjustable. It can be made smaller or larger by adjusting a few screws in the top. Once you get the helmet so it isn't sliding all over the place, you can adjust and fasten the straps. There are three straps to be aware of. The chin strap goes from one side of the helmet, under the chin, to the other side of the helmet. The other two straps hold the helmet cage in place. There is one on either side.

Before you even get to the rink, make sure you have purchased a mouthguard. Mouthguards protect those pearly whites against pucks, sticks, and any stray elbows that might come your child's way. The mouthguard can be connected to the cage of the helmet so it does not get lost.

Are we ready yet? Hold on! We need gloves! Contrary to popular belief, they are not boxing gloves. However, these gloves will keep your kid's hands safe from hockey sticks and other hard objects.

Now that you've broken into a nice sweat, your kid is ready to play the game. Hand him his hockey stick and get him out on the ice. Then, sit back and relax...or get excited. This is hockey after all.