REQUIRED PLAYER GEAR
USA HOCKEY REQUIRED PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Please use the following links to find information on USA Hockey required protective equipment. All players must be properly outfitted before taking the ice during each practice, warm-up, or game.
Equipment should include hockey skates, gloves, shin pads, shoulder pads, elbow pads, breezers/padded hockey pants, protective cup, helmet (not expired), mouth guard, and neck laceration protector as required by USA Hockey rules. All protective equipment should be designed specifically for ice hockey. Proper fitting equipment is important! Make sure all gear fits your child as intended. If you ever have questions about the fit of gear ask a coach or the retailer you are purchasing your player's equipment from.
USA Hockey parent handbook states "Neither the skate nor the stick make the player, especially at younger ages, but proper fit matters. Put your children in equipment that is safe, comfortable and adequate, but resist the temptation to outfit them lavishly. If you have questions regarding when a big-ticket splurge might be appropriate, ask your association or coaches. Regarding sticks, remember that proper stick length is crucial. While there is a range, a good rule of thumb is that an upright stick with the toe of the blade on the ground shouldn't rise above the player's eyes, if standing in shoes. In skates, an upright stick with the toe on the ice shouldn't rise much above the chin or be much below the collar bone."