Q&A for How to Put on Hockey Equipment

You’ll know it’s time to change your hockey stick if it doesn’t fit you or isn’t performing like it should anymore. The first clue? If you’ve grown taller and your stick is starting to feel short. A good rule of thumb is that the stick should reach somewhere between your chin and nose when you're standing in skates—if it doesn’t, it’s probably time for an upgrade. Another sign is wear and tear. While sticks are designed to last a couple of seasons, they can wear down over time. Check the blade—if it’s looking thin, chipped, or overly worn from all that contact with the ice or field, it might be affecting your play. You don’t want a worn-out blade messing with your shots or passes.

If you wear a jockstrap there is a pouch that you can put the support cup into. If not, yes, it will touch skin.

Usually it attaches to the cage of your ice hockey helmet.

The rules are different from league to league, but normally it's fine to not wear one. However, wearing one is recommended since there's still a chance of injury. Your nice hair isn't going to be as easy to show off if you take a puck to the face or slip and bump your head on something.

You're going to have to trudge to the locker room and take off most of your gear. It's not the easiest thing to do sometimes, so don't wait too long. Mostly, you just pull down your shorts and jock like you would with pants.