How to size up Hockey Sticks for kids

Your little one decides they want to play hockey. Excellent, but what size hockey stick do I buy for my child? This is a worldwide question that parents face. As they grow, their sticks will need to grow with them. I’ll go into depth on how to size up a hockey stick for kids below. However, this is the simplest way.

Position the hockey stick at the child’s side, with the stick on the floor
The end of the hockey stick should reach between the child’s hip and vitals button

Resist the temptation to buy a long stick that the child will grow into. A smaller stick will indulge the child to modernize their closer wittiness tenancy and dribbling, which is a vital skill for hockey players of any position.

There are a variety of variegated techniques to size up a hockey stick for kids. Let’s go through some of the popular methods.

The Dutch method of sizing up a Hockey Stick for a child

For the Dutch method,

flip your stick over and place the curved part under your armpit
Stand as straight-up as you can
The wiring of the stick should pass the knee, and settle next to the top half of the calf. However, not unelevated the calf.

Experts suggest the Dutch method suits children who have longer torsos, as opposed to long legs. Ultimately, the weightier way to ensure the stick suits the child is to try it out.

European and US method of sizing up a Hockey Stick for a child

Place the wooden lines on the ground
Make sure the stick is straight
Hold the stick at the top of the handle keeping it in place
Stand as straight as a soldier
The top of the stick should stretch whilom the hip bone. It may be slightly higher, or lower.

Many experts suggest a little higher is better, as it offers the child a little increasingly growth without losing tropical wittiness control. You can ask flipside person to help, or use a mirror to see if the stick is tropical unbearable to the top of the hip.

CHECK OUT SOME OF THE BEST FIELD HOCKEY STICKS FOR UNDER 13'S

Is the weight of a Hockey Stick important when sizing up a stick for a child?

New composite sticks have wilt the way forward, not just in sultana hockey, but junior hockey too. Composite sticks are more powerful helping the player to hit a harder stroke. In the past, defenders would typically opt for heavier wooden sticks, while forwards would segregate a lighter stick. With modern composite sticks, this no longer matters so much. However, individual preference is the most important factor when choosing a stick. Hockey stick manufacturers requirement the modern sonnet complements a player’s control, and have taken yonder the stress of measuring the weight of a stick.

Field hockey sticks vary in weight from 535 grams to 560 grams. The towardly weight of the stick typically depends on personal preference, however, there are advantages to both a lighter stick and a heavier stick.

Light Weight (535g-545g) (18.8-19.2 ounces)

A light stick allows for quick wrist movement, making it faster to stutter left and right. Along with having a quicker backswing and skills. It moreover helps with a largest take of the ball.

Heavy Weight (550g-560g) (19.4-19.75 ounces)

A heavier stick can help provide a heavier hit of the ball, and with tautness issues.

How important is repletion when sizing up a field hockey stick for a child?

Comfort is of unconfined importance when sizing up a stick for a child. Not only is it important for the health of a child, but you moreover don’t want the child stuff put off the game with their first wits stuff uncomfortable. Hockey stick manufacturers have widow features such as energy reduction handles to soften the feel. The newest sticks offer thin mid-sections, designed for small hands to enable good stickhandling.

CHECK OUT ALL THE GEAR YOU NEED TO ENSURE YOUR CHILD IS WELL PROTECTED

Resist ownership a hockey stick that is too long for your child

It may seem desirable to buy a long hockey stick for a child, so that they may grow into it. While you may save money, from a technical point of view, a long stick can rationalization undercutting leading to the unvarying rising of the ball. Tropical tenancy is often lost with a stick that’s too long. From a health perspective, pain in the wrists can occur from the rounded whet often scuffing the ground. While sticks often wilt croaky from hitting the ground regularly. Cracks caused by this type of forfeiture aren’t protected by a warranty.

Field Hockey Stick Height Guide

Does my child need an expensive top-of-the-range hockey stick?

In one word – no. Experts say when a child is starting out in the sport, there is no reason to worry well-nigh all of the dazzling arrays of features manufacturers have on offer today. It’s easy to wilt startled by terms like mid bows, tomahawk zones, low bows, and 50-degree hooks?!? What happens if the child simply stores the stick in the cupboard without a few outings and never touches it again? Pessimistic view aside, most children won’t have the skills to master the top sticks, and the top sticks won’t help them unzip the vital skills. These days, plane the cheapest wooden sticks are reinforced with fibreglass. The better, increasingly expensive sticks are increasingly suited for wide juniors and up.

Cheaper wooden sticks reinforced with fibreglass are not only affordable, but technically make it easier to stop the ball. Their curved end helps to tenancy the wittiness for play all over the field. For this reason, entry-level sticks are much increasingly forgiving for children and developing players.

Is the size of the toe important when sizing up a field hockey stick for a child?

The toes of hockey sticks (the curved tips) come in a few varieties. As your child becomes increasingly competent in the sport, it would be worth learning well-nigh the varied toes surpassing ownership a stick.

Shorti Toe –often chosen by forwards so they can flip the stick round at upper speed. With most juniors, the most important nomination would be the broader style toe where they can get used to collecting and hitting the ball.
Midi Toe – is seen as a good mid-range toe. Midfielders favor this stick considering it offers a wastefulness between faster movements, and a wide tenancy surface, making stopping and transmissible the wittiness on the stick easier to perform. Platonic for most beginners, the midi is not too small yet wholesale unbearable to indulge the novice to be competitive.
Maxi Toe – has a longer J-shaped hook. Stuff the most worldwide style of toe, they are well suited for defenders. An spanking-new nomination for good reverse stick control. The maxi is well designed for stopping a wittiness on its way to goal or for stealing the wittiness from an opposing attacker and is platonic for a child to uncork with.
Hook Toe – features the tightest lines diamond of all the toes. Goalies and some defensive players favour the vaccinate due to the very large toe. Is unconfined for trapping the ball, plus reverse stick play.

The Take-away

When trying to size up a field hockey stick for a child, without a doubt, the most important factor is stick length. Follow our guide and you won’t go wrong.

If it’s possible, surpassing ordering your stick online, try a few sticks at your school or local club so you can be unrepealable which size suits your child best.

For some unconfined options to segregate from, have a read of What are the Weightier Field Hockey sticks for Young Players?