Being a hockey goalie could be a tough job!
Hockey is one of the most sought after games of the modern times with wings and branches running all across the world. The game can be recognised in several different forms and kinds, the most prominent ones being field hockey and ice hockey. In all these games although, one thing is common which is the equipment and accessories a player might need to play. The players have pretty standard playing gear as they need a lot of movement and need to sprint around in the field for the duration of the entire game. But when it comes to the goal keeper, also called the goalie, he needs to be protected more than anyone else with respect to his accessories. This is because he is constantly exposed to the ball or the disc, depending on the type of game he is playing, and he must be protected with extra padding, helmets, knee and elbow pads and a lot of other safety gear.
Hockey goalie equipment is intricate and well designed to offer excellent safety to the goalie so that he can stay at the top of his game at all times. The job of a goalie is as it is extremely hard and full of pressure so he must at all times feel safe in what he is wearing on the field. A huge collection of affordable but still high quality equipment is widely available through retail stores or even online. A large number of brands which are on the high end of the market offer a wide range of products but in reality, a lot of the mid brands in the industry also have the same quality to offer on a much cheaper price margin!
How to bring home quality hockey equipment
Players of all ages, skill levels and financial background should be able to afford a basic goalie’s safety gear and accessories. The most basic items that can be found in proper hockey goalie equipment are definitely the follows:
- Goalie Masks: these are actually very essential pieces of the safety gear, as they protect the face of the goalie from damage. In hockey, much like other sports as well, the ball or the disc is shot towards the goal in a very high speed. This could basically expose the goalie to a lot of injuries if it is not taken are of through accessories.
- Leg pads: these are extra padded than the player’s leg pads because of the simple reason that goalies have to dive left right and centre to save a goal from happening. Because of the increased friction and sudden movement, each and every inch of the goalie’s leg must be protected well, be it his shins, calves, knees, ankles or foot.
- Goalie sticks: this is probably the most important aspect of a hockey goalie equipment In traditional forms of hockey, the goalie does not use his hands to prevent the ball or the disc from going into the goal. They use long sticks, like the ones used to play hockey, to move around and deflect the ball or the disc whenever an attack is made. The importance of good quality and sturdy hockey goalie sticks cannot be emphasised enough upon as it forms the backbone of the whole game to say the least.
- Chest and arm protectors: for the reasons already mentioned above, a goalie should stay protected at all times from the high speed of ball or disc coming in his direction in an intense game. The arm and chest guards are generally well padded to reduce the pain in case the ball or the disc hit the body or torso region of the goalie, and it is also cushioned and padded to minimise injuries based on falling or friction.
- Helmet and other padding: it is obvious to state that helmets are the most important piece of a full safety gear as it protects the most fragile part of the goalie’s body which is his head. Teeth guard to ensure his teeth do not fall out on impact as well as minimal neck guards are also provided for the same reason. It is expected to be a brutal game of very aggressive shots at the goal, which is why these pieces are pertinent to any goalie’s accessories.
Where do I get my hands on a goalie set of accessories?
It is extremely easy these days to access any form of sports related equipment as the demand and value of all these have shot up pretty exponentially over the years. Hockey although is an expensive sport, which people must keep in mind while going out shopping and ending up with no money in their pockets. There are a few factors to keep in mind while investing in hockey goalie equipment set:
- Check online for the variety and an insight into how the set would be. Generally a lot of e retailing sites use the feature of customer reviews and comments, which will let you have an idea of what you are purchasing before actually paying for it.
- Look for cost effective solutions. Pretty much all over the world, the safety protocol for playing hockey is standard and not very drastically different from each other. This means that if you purchase a high end sports brand or a drug store cheap replacement for it, they would be pretty much the same product with similar qualities as well.
- Most of the times it depends on the personal preferences of the goalie himself. If he is a commercial player, he may even have endorsements and promotions to do through the brands he wears, so that must be kept in mind.
Buying hockey goalie equipment is a necessary step to ensure the safety of your loved ones. With the wide variety of sets online, you could become spoilt for choice! So, grab equipment set for you today.
