Hockey safety is all about wearing the right equipment to protect yourself from the harmful injuries that the game promises while you are on the field in action. Playing is not always about winning, the primary focus needs to be to enjoy the game. But one cannot expect a player to have fun, if he is not wearing the proper protective equipment. The joy of playing good hockey comes only when the player is secured that the necessary preventive measures are well taken care of. Having the right equipment while playing hockey is the closest you can go towards taking the necessary safety measures. So let us check out some of the most important hockey equipment that you need to wear before hitting the field.
- Cleats – One of the key requisites of playing the game well would be to buy a well fitted pair of shoes that has ribbed soles or moulded cleats. Screw-in cleats have a higher chance of injury, so make sure you wear them only when you want some extra traction. For better safety, it is important that the cleats fit you properly and lace them firmly when you are out to play.
- Shin Guards – Shin guards extensively used in field hockey are made of foam and plastic. The shin guards are wrapped around in the lower leg in order to provide ankle protection. For the sole purpose of comfort while you are playing, you have the option to wear thin socks under the shin guards for better comfort.
- Field Hockey Goggles – A proper form of eye protection is a must for field hockey players in order to protect their eyes. The goggles are usually made of steel cages because that helps you to protect your eyes. If steel cages are the most popular option, then for some other players, they opt for the plastic goggles since that does not interfere much with the peripheral vision.
- Mouth Guards – These are one of the most important safety equipment that protects the players. These guards protect the teeth, lips, cheeks, mouth and the tongue. Professionals feel that mouth guards are a must for all hockey players. So players need to wear them for sure even during their practice session.
- Hockey Gloves – Many players are of the opinion that they do not need the hockey gloves. But the gloves play an important role of giving the right grip to players and the sufficient padding tends to give the right comfort and protection to players. This allow players to have an uninterrupted experience while playing field hockey.
Hockey equipment is all about ensuring that the player has the required safety so that the fun of playing the game does not get disrupted. Now that the safety is well taken care of, players can now focus on getting the right hockey sticks that will help them to strike the perfect goal.