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Pony Equipment Information For Parents
There are, understandably, many Pony parents who have questions about
equipment. The following information is meant to answer a few questions parents
may have. If you have further questions, please ask any of your coaches.
Skates:
Your player’s skates are the most important part of his or her equipment.
It does matter what type of skates you child has. You do not
need to spend over $100 on a brand new pair of skates but you should get a
"modern" pair with good ankle support. They do not need to be new. If your
child skates with ankles bent in, it is either because his or her skates are
not laced tight enough or the skates are too old and no longer provide enough
support. Ask a coach to help you determine which problem you may have.
Just as important as skates is the edge that is on their blades. Older
skates in particular should be inspected by a knowledgeable skate sharpener to
verify they have the correct curvature or rocker. Skate blades that have been
sharpened many times tend to acquire too much curvature making it difficult
for your child to balance on them.
Many people find skate lease programs desirable. Such programs allow you
to lease skates for a year and during that year exchange them for no cost if
your child outgrows his or her current pair. If you ask around you can locate
the retailers that offer lease programs.
Sticks:
Don’t assume that because your child writes and/or throws left or right
handed that she or he will shoot and pass the puck with the same dominant
hand. If your child is just beginning hockey, buy a straight stick (one
without curve) and observe which hand your child tends to use. After that you
can purchase a stick with the appropriate curve.
A hockey stick should be cut to length such that when placed on the ground
standing straight up it reaches your child’s nose when wearing shoes or such
that it reaches your child’s mouth when wearing skates.
Gloves:
- Try to get the smallest gloves that still fit your child. Small kids with
small hands using big gloves often find it very difficult to handle and pick
up their stick. Try to get gloves with fingers that your child has the
strength to open and close while wearing them.
Pads:
- At the Pony level don’t feel that you need to get the top-of-the-line
pads. In fact many times these expensive pads are more bulky than the budget
versions and can hamper your child’s ability to skate and maneuver.
Mouth Guards:
- The most common mouth guard problem with Ponies is that they are too big
or long for the player’s mouth. Mouth guards come long from the factory and
must be cut back to fit. When fitting your child’s mouth guard, pay attention
to its length.
Label Everything!
You will undoubtedly lose something during the course of your child’s hockey
career. Labeling your equipment allows for the person who finds it to get it
back to you without having to go through lost and found (which frequently does
not work).
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