If you are planning to enrol in a field hockey program or you have already enrolled and is looking for a guide to help you with equipment, then you came to the right place.
With field hockey, having the right and complete hockey equipment is important, especially if you are planning to take more advanced programs in the future. Your equipment — the quality and how it suits your body and skills — can affect your performance. So, if you want to excel and improve quickly, then you need the best gear there is. To help you, here is a complete list of equipment required for field hockey:
A Complete List of Field Hockey Equipment
Player’s Gear:
Stick – The main and the most essential equipment needed to play the game. There are guidelines that should be followed when choosing the right stick for each player, depending on their height, position, and preference.
Stick Bag – If you are going to bring your sticks often, a stick bag can help protect them and be more convenient to carry around.
Electrical Tape – The use of electrical tape for sticks is more of a personal preference, but it helps it protecting it from easily getting dented and adds more friction for better grip.
Grips – Handle grips more essential as the grips of your stick wear off, and replacement is required.
Shoes/Cleats – There are two types of shoes in field hockey: court shoes and cleats. Your footwear depends on what kind of field you will play on — court shoes for indoor and cleats for a grass field. Having the right-fitting shoes is vital as it supports your every move and makes sure you are stable.
Mouthguard – Although field hockey is not a contact sport, it can still end up with minor to severe injuries. That is why as much protection is needed. A mouthguard helps protect your mouth, teeth, cheeks, lips, and tongue.
Shin guards – They help reduce the risks of tissue and bone injuries on the lower leg.
Gloves – It protects the hand from potential injuries that affect knuckles and bones.
Socks – Aside from protecting the skin for blisters and other potential injuries, socks are worn by field hockey players to help their shin guards stay in place.
Rash guards – On the other hand, rash guards are worn under shin guards to prevent irritation caused by the constant rubbing.
Goalie’s Gear:
Aside from the player’s gears mentioned above, goalies have additional equipment, mostly protective gears, that can help them stay safe and prevent injuries during the game:
- Helmet
- Goalie Girdles
- Throat protector
- Chest protector
- Hand protector
- Arm and elbow protector
- Leg guards
- Kickers
- Pelvic protector
Others:
If you become more serious about playing field hockey and training become regular, you will need a practice ball for personal use and a practice bag and clothing.
With several pieces of equipment used in field hockey, and some of them can be very expensive, you can expect the need to have a sufficient budget to avail them all, especially if you want the ones with superb quality. Remember, if you are fully dedicated to playing this sport and, possibly, become a professional field hockey player, think of purchasing these gears as an excellent investment.
