When parents enroll their kids into any activity there are several boxes they want to check off. Fun, safety and cost all factors that come into play when choosing which sport to get involved in. When it comes to safety, all hockey equipment is necessary to help reduce the risk of injury and keep players safe.

Each piece of equipment plays a role in helping to protect a specific area of the body, which is why it’s important to have gear that fits now; not gear that your child will grow into. It should have a snug (not tight) fit and not shift when in motion. If gear is too large it will shift around on the body, restricting movement on the ice and not fully protect the body as it’s supposed to. Most equipment comes with an adjustable feature that allows players to loosen or tighten their gear. With either Velcro or straps, this can increase the lifespan of equipment as players grow.

Minot Hockey Boosters offers equipment to rent. Comfortable, well-fitting gear helps to reduce the risk of injury and elevates the enjoyment for the player. Equipment fitting assessments are scheduled prior to the on-ice sessions. If your child has not had their equipment fitting please contact MHB Hockey Director, Brian Bauman: mhbdirector@gmail.com or Assistant Director, Jared McIntosh: mhbassistant21@gmail.com

For a quick video tutorial on how to get geared up Click Here

Dressing your child for hockey

If you are new to the game, use this as a step by step guide to help your child in their equipment before they go onto the ice.

It is highly recommended to practice putting all of your equipment on your child before the first day and have them walk around in it to get used to how it feels before getting on the ice.  It is perfectly fine to walk around a carpeted area with hockey skates on. 

 It is perfectly acceptable to dress entirely at the arena.  It is also perfectly acceptable to dress mostly at home and simply put on skates, helmet and gloves at the arena.  You should allow about 10-15 minutes to get your skater completely dressed for hockey.

BASE LAYER To save time in the dressing room, have your child already be wearing their base layer that will be worn in between their equipment and skin. This will also help to make sure they have everything ready before they leave home. Make sure your child is wearing clothing that stretches.  Jeans are often too stiff to allow proper movement while skating.  Under Armour type material is great for flexibility and works well.  Lightweight pajama bottoms and a t-shirt also work very well.  Make sure socks are not too thick, cover the ankle, and are not bunched up in the skates. 

SHIN GUARDS It is easiest to start from the legs and work your way up. The first piece of equipment should be the shin pads. They may seem interchangeable, but they are specifically designed for the left and right leg. Use the fasteners to help secure the pads behind your legs.

HOCKEY SOCKS or ALTERNATIVE These go over the shin guards already in place. The socks should be pulled up all the way to mid-thigh with the bottom of the socks at the bottom of the shin pads. Secure them in place with tape or with fasteners. The tape will also help keep loose shin guards from moving around. Or you do not really need hockey socks at all.  A pair of baggy sweatpants can simply be pulled over the top of the shin pads.

HOCKEY PANTS When the socks and shin pads are on, your child can step into their hockey pants and pull them up so that the belt is level with the top of their hips. Adjust the belt to secure position and fasten them tighter with the ties. Make sure the tailbone pad is covering the tailbone. This is the final layer of padding for the lower half of the body and why it is so important to have the correct size. They need to fit well over the waist and shouldn’t be covering the knees.

SHOULDER PADS not required for LTP

ELBOW PADS Like the shin pads, the elbow pads are also specific to the left and right side. The tip of the elbow should be tightly in the cup of the pad so there is no movement. You should still be able to move your arm without having your elbow slip out of the cup.

SKATES Now it’s time to lace up the skates! The bottom of the shin guards should sit right above the tongue of the skate. Tie the top laces as tightly as possible to help support your ankles. As with buying a new pair of shoes, check where your toes are in the skate. With your heels at the back of the skate, your toes should barely touch the front of it. Often you can expect the hockey skate size to be one size less than your child’s shoe size.  When tightening the laces, make sure that the skates are as tight as you can get them without causing discomfort for your child.  This will give them maximum ankle support.  Proper fitting skates and sharp skates will make your child’s skating experience a positive one and will accelerate their development.

JERSEY You’re almost done! Now it’s time to put on the jersey. Without equipment, the jersey may look too big in size for your child but once they are wearing all their gear you can see why it’s made that way. Make sure there are no pieces or equipment or loose straps hanging outside the jersey that may get caught or tug.

HELMET The helmet is the most important piece of safety equipment. Rest the chin in the chinstrap before buckling the cage into place. You can adjust straps to make the helmet snug as it shouldn’t rattle around. Please reach out to a coach if you are every questioning the fit of your child’s helmet. If you have white hockey tape you can print your child’s name on the front of your helmet.  The coaches will also have tape and markers the first day of practice. 

GLOVES The gloves should cover your wrists without overlapping the elbow pads. They should be easy to open and close and grip the stick. Your child is now ready to go onto the ice!

HOCKEY STICK Stick should be at chin level when on skates.  A little bit of tape at the end of the stick will do to help your skater pick up their stick.  Minot Hockey Boosters will provide all LTP skaters with a “neutral” stick, which is simply a hockey stick with a straight blade.  Neutral sticks are fine for young skaters and can be used by either right or left-handed skaters.

If you have more questions, please feel free to ask any of the coaches and we would be more than glad to help!