Hockey is one of the best sports out there and nothing says Canadian more than watching our kids step out onto a clean rink on a Saturday morning with a coffee in hand. But it can also be a dangerous sport – keep your kids in proper fitted equipment – for their safety.

Below is our Big League Guide to fitting your kids properly in hockey equipment

1. Elbow Pads
   Our little players spend a lot of time falling which means elbows are constantly getting hit. An ideal elbow pad covers the forearm till the hockey gloves of the player. Since an elbow pad provides protection to the forearm of the player, his/her elbow should be at the center of the elbow pad cup. The size of the elbow pad ranges from “Youth” size to “Senior” size according to the height of the player.

2. Gloves
   Similar to elbow pads, gloves should be well-fitted such that there is a minimal gap between gloves and elbow pads. For checking fitting gloves, it is important to remember that the tips of fingers don’t reach the end of the glove. Though the size of the glove may vary according to the manufacturer, an ideal size ranges from 9 inches to 15 inches. While purchasing gloves, elbow pads should be worn and the distance between fingertips and bottom of the elbow pad should be measured with outstretched hands and arms.

3. Helmets
   Helmets are essential for a player in terms of fitting, comfort, and protection. Helmets usually have a protective foam lining. To assure if a helmet is comfortable for the player, it should be adjusted till no further shifting of their head can take place. The chinstrap should be gently adjusted in contact with the chin where it is fastened. Helmets should have CSA and HECC certified stickers complying with hockey rules. The standard size of the helmet varies according to circular circumference between 20 1/8 inches to 23 7/8 inches.

4. Hockey Pants
   Hockey Pants or Breezers should ideally be a loose fit to make the player comfortable. The fitting of the pants is usually guided by the waist size of the player. At the same time, it is necessary to look if the bottom of the pants is overlapping with the top of the shin pads by around 1 to 2 inches.

5. Shin Pads
   The Shin pad has a knee cup onto which the kneecap of the player should directly fit in at the center. Its length should extend down to cover the full lower leg. At the same time, the shin pad must not be too long as it can create discomfort for the player during the game. The standard size of shin pads varies from 7 ½ inches to 17 inches. To find the best fit size, the leg should be bent at 90 degrees and the distance between the length of the shin pad from the center of the kneecap to the top of the skate boot should be measured.

6. Shoulder Pads
   Shoulder pads protect the shoulder, ribs, chest, back, collar bone, and upper arms. The shoulder line of the player should be at the center following the center of shoulder caps. The fitting of the shoulder pad can be measured as the circumference of the chest under the armpits. The size of the shoulder pads varies from 22 to 48 inches.

7. Skates
   Skates, as essential hockey equipment, should be smaller than shoe size when measured while wearing socks. There should be at least one finger gap between the skate heel and the back of the foot. For checking if the skate is fit, the big toe should barely touch the toe cap when standing with knees bent. 

8. Sticks
   The length of the stick should be measured without skates on a flat surface. The stick should be leaned with its toe touching the ground between the player’s feet. In the leaning position, the stick’s handle should touch the tip of the player’s nose. Most hockey players prefer sticks to be between their chin and nose, though the stick may be cut shorter according to his/her preference. As per the thumb rule, the handle of the stick is marked and cut such that it touches the tip of the player’s nose.

For more great tips keep up with our Big League Blog, we will be giving lots of fun stuff for all sports along. And for all your apparel and team uniform needs in Bradford, Newmarket, Aurora, Barrie, Innisfil, and the GTA check us out – Big League products for little league stars!