When purchasing hockey equipment, the most important aspect to consider is that it is properly fitted. Equipment should never be bought to grow into. This leaves the player at risk of serious injury, as equipment that is too big will slide away from the area that it is protecting. The primary function is to absorb the shock of impact and distribute the force across a wide area, minimizing the shock transmitted to the player's body. Never use street hockey equipment on the ice. It is not made to withstand the force of a vulcanized rubber hockey puck. Yes, ice hockey equipment is expensive, but with the expense comes durability.

There's a lot of good reasons to wear proper equipment!

• Underwear: Lightweight & comfortable (t-shirt or long sleeve shirt, long johns or sweatpants). Thick cotton socks-don't need to wear double socks.
• Practice Jersey: It is the responsibility of the player to provide his/her own practice jersey.
• Game Jersey: White and black game jerseys are provided by Knights of Columbus but are to be worn only during games. They are not allowed to go home with the player. Coaches will bring the jerseys to each game.
• Helmet: Must have a CSA certified label. Should rest half an inch above brow and fit snugly with no movement front-to-back or side-to-side. Regularly tighten and/or check for missing screws. Full-face shield is mandatory. Make sure the chinstrap gently makes contact under the chin when fastened.
• Hockey Pants: Protects the kidneys, hips, front, thighs and tailbone. Should come down within inch of shin pad.
• Jock (athletic support): Fitted according to waist size. Cups come in boy's sizes and Jill straps are available for girls. There are all-in-one hockey shorts, which include a slot for a cup or pelvic protector and have Velcro on the front and back bottom of each leg to attach hockey socks.
• Shin Pads: Should cover the entire kneecap area, front & side with cap centered on the kneecap and extending to one inch above foot. Hockey tape should be used on the outer socks to keep the pads from sliding out of place.
• Shoulder Pads: Should completely cover the shoulder joint, collarbone, chest, back and upper arms to the elbow pad. Back should slightly overlap pants.
• Elbow Pads: Elbow should rest firmly in center of cup. They should not slide up and down the arm once they are in place.
• Mouthguards: Optional for Initiation (required from Novice and all levels higher)
• Neck Guards: Are required. Protects the player's neck from sharp skate blades in the event of a tangle-up on the ice. Should fit snugly and completely cover the throat.
• Gloves: Should not overlap elbow pads. Fingers should fit as in a loose winter glove. Palms should be soft and pliable to easily grip the stick.

Skates: Skates are the hockey player's most important piece of equipment. They normally fit 1 to 1 1/2 sizes smaller than a regular shoe. They should not be bought several sizes too large so a player may "grow into them." Too big skates inhibit proper skill development and cause difficulty in foot control & stopping. They can also cause blisters on the heel and toe area. If a player can't perform on the ice, they get discouraged with hockey because they can't keep up with other kids their age. To check proper fit, take out insole; have player stand on it. There should be ½" toe space. Or, one finger space between boot and heel when toes are touching right to the front of the toe box. This is a half size of growing room. Generally, this will provide 12 months of skating before it becomes necessary to stretch the boot or buy new skates. On a properly fitting skate, there should be an even lacing pattern with 1-2″ from eyelet to eyelet. If they come closer, the boot is too large. If they are wider, a bigger boot or a wider one is needed. Skates need to be sharp, but they never need to be razor sharp (7-8 on a scale of 1-10). The average player can easily skate 25-30 hours between skate sharpenings, depending on nicks. Always walk on mats to protect the skates or wear skate guards; stay off the cement! Get them sharpened by an expert; never in a machine. Professional skate shops can also align the blades, which puts the player's centre of gravity directly over the blade for better control of their inside and outside edges.

Lacing: The lower portion of the skate boot should be snug but not tight. The only area of the boot that really needs to be tight, is the ankle area. This area is where the player gets a little support from the boot until their ankles become stronger. Never wrap too long laces around the ankle as this inhibits blood circulation and restricts proper flexing & bending of the leg. Double tie or purchase shorter laces.

Stick: Junior models are designed for children so they are shorter and not as wide around as the Senior models. A proper sized stick should reach between the chin and nose when in street shoes with the toe of the stick on the ground. When wearing skates, a stick should reach just below the player's chin. All sticks can be cut to height. Sticks come in left and right models. Left means the blade bends inward slightly, and right means just the opposite. Because a player usually has his or her strong or dominant hand at the top of the stick, most will pick the opposite model stick (in other words, a right handed player will usually use a Left stick and visa versa), but this is not always the case. Regularly check sticks for breaks, cracks or splinters. Tape the blade and the knob with black hockey tape. It helps with puck control and prevents wear & tear on the stick. Start taping from the toe, moving toward the heel. The reason you tape the knob is to prevent the stick from slipping through the player's hands and it also makes it easier for them to pick their stick up off the ice. With a knob, a stick cannot penetrate a face cage. The size and shape of the knob will vary from player to player, but you want to tape a knob that your child can grip, and is comfortable in his palm.

Maintenance: Immediately after each game and practice, wipe off skate blades to prevent rusting. Regularly check blades for sharpness (a sharp skate will plane a fine white shaving off your thumbnail); nicks or bends (a bent or loose blade will squeak when gliding to a stop); and rivets (check all rivets that attach blade holders to boot are present & secure). Any piece of equipment with a crack or has become brittle should be discarded and replaced.

Storage: After practice is over, you have wiped the skate blades dry and the skates go in the equipment bag. You put the bag in the trunk and off you go. You arrive at home and the bag goes in the garage or basement until next week. This sounds easy but is a big mistake. All of your equipment needs to be removed from the bag and hung up to dry and air out. This preserves your equipment and also prevents it from smelling like a litter box. It is a good idea to occasionally hang your equipment outdoors in the sunlight (even in winter) to help sanitize, air out and air dry.