Monday, September 14, 2009

Hockey sticks, ready for the future of sport

There have been so many changes in the past two decades, both with regards to the sport and to technological advances in production techniques that many of the very first players would not recognise the array of hockey sticks that are now available to buy. The shape may not have altered too much but the material and weight has changed dramatically, giving hockey players far greater options to choose from. A lot of this has developed from the move to artificial surfaces, which are now very common and run differently from the surfaces that games used to be played. In an effort to give players an advantage, stick manufacturers have been looking for ways to improve the use of the sticks on these surfaces and that is driven a great deal of change in this market.

One of the things that can’t be altered too much about hockey sticks is the specification of the stick, which obviously have to adhere to the rules and regulations of the game. This means that the handle has to be of a certain size and height, although junior sticks will be scaled down accordingly, to fit in with the regulations and to ensure that no one has an unfair advantage over their opponent. This ensures that there is some form of uniformity over the sticks that can be used in a match situation and if you need a stick for match-play, you should always ensure that it meets the regulations.

It may have been that hockey sticks were traditionally made out of wood but there has been a change in the materials that are making sticks up nowadays. Some players still prefer to use a wooden stick and these are still available but many are now switching to fibreglass, or even carbon fibre weave for their sticks. There are many different arguments about which stick is better and it will likely be a personal choice for any player, based on a number of different issues.

One key element about buying decision is going to be the cost and the range of prices varies greatly over the different types of hockey sticks available on the market. This means that there should be equipment available to suit every budget which is good as it should ensure that anyone can play the game if they want. With so many different sporting options now available for people to participate in, it is vital to ensure that no one feels excluded from participating and this should not be an issue for hockey players.

There are now some very modern looking and visually striking hockey sticks available, which means that even the youngest player will be able to find a stick that they think works well for them. It may stand in opposition to the more traditional style of stick that many would favour but if it encourages youngsters to take up the sport and get involved with the game, then it has to be a good thing and there is certainly nothing to complain about over the lack of variety when it comes to hockey equipment.

See Also:

[Via Recreation & Sports]

No comments: