Hockey is a high-speed, hard-hitting game that require passion, athleticism and talent. Players are moving quickly, and the puck can travel at speeds approaching and at times exceeding 100 miles per hour. As a result, players must wear safety equipment and use the required equipment needed to play the game.
Step 1
Snap on a helmet over your head. A hard plastic helmet with padding and protection on the underside that is closest to your head is a requirement at all levels of hockey. Professional hockey does not require that players wear a cage on the front of the their helmets to protect against facial injuries. However, a face mask is required at the college and junior levels.
Step 2
Put shoulder pads underneath your uniform jersey. Shoulder pads in hockey offer form-fitting protection. They are different from the hard-shell shoulder pads worn by football players. Players who are returning from shoulder injuries may wear the plastic shoulder pads because they add further protection.
Step 3
Put on gloves to protect your hands from getting injured by flying pucks and slashing sticks. The gloves are padded on the outside but the underside that holds the hockey stick is very easy to manipulate and gives a player great control over his stick. Hockey gloves get hot and heavy during the course of the game as they get loaded with a player's perspiration.
Step 4
Strap on shin guards before you put on your long hockey socks underneath your hockey pants. All players wear shin guards to protect their lower legs when they block hard shots. The puck is made of vulcanized rubber and could cause devastating injuries without the protection of the shin guards. Defensemen, who block many more shots than forwards, wear bigger shin guards that protect a greater area of the shin and lower leg.
Step 5
Tie your skates on as soon as you have the rest of your equipment on and you are ready to take to the ice. The skates should have a snug fit and should be laced tightly for support. Never wear two pairs of socks on your feet. Having extra space between your feet and skates will cause painful blisters that need to be avoided at all costs.
Step 6
Take your stick with you as you go out on to the ice. A hockey player without a hockey stick is merely a skater. Defensemen use sticks that are generally longer than those used by forwards, because they help the defenesemen block shots and strip the puck from the forwards.
Things You'll Need
- Helmet
- Skates
- Shoulder pads
- Shin guards
- Gloves
- Stick
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