kid's gear obsession

[gman 0]

My son and I watched the travel team practice last night. My boy will be old enough to try out next year. His only comment was that all these kids had "perfect sticks". I mentioned, sarcastically, that they could also skate backwards faster then he could skate forewords.

I would even be happier if he were concerned with the quality of his skates. But sticks, come on!! How has anyone else redirected the emphasis from gear to skills with their kids? If there are any dads (or moms) out there or coaches who have some insight I would appreciate it.

I could deal with, and perhaps support, his desire to have a more protective helmet, or thicker shins, or beefier elbow pads or somthing like that. Are there any old video clips of pros scoring with old wood sticks?? Maybe that would help.

Thanks

[hip check 0]

You won't win... it's the fancy stuff the kids want. Who needs skill when you have the latest and greatest?? <_<

I can see the same conversation with my boy in 6-8 years!

[Neo5370 132]

Make him play with wood til he's gotten good enough to even have preferences for what he likes pattern/lie/curve/flex wise.

If he learns properly he'll see he can play just as well w/ wood. On top of that make him pay for some of it w/ his allowance or by doing chores around the house.

Ask him if he'd still be interested in playing hockey if he weren't able to use the "coolest" gear. If he says no then forget it.

Also how old is he? At a young age he should be concentrating on basics anyways. Explain to him he won't even benefit from having OPS/comp. combos yet.

[Neo5370 132]

You could also make him watch just Naslund and Spezza highlights only :)

[Ti-girl 0]

I grew up playing with wood sticks, as did both my brothers. My one brother had a flat blade until he was 6 because he couldn't decide which way to shoot.

We couldn't get two piece comps until we were in PeeWee (about 12-13) because we weren't strong enoough to bend them before.

My brother got his first comp last year playing bantam and I just got my first one last year playing Women's B.

Did we still score? Sure. But then again my parents always made sure we had the best skates and sent us to powerskating sessions...

My dad's saying was "It if was good enough for Bobby Orr...its good enough for you!"

Edit: I just thought of something, one of the kids that plays on the Dub team here in town way saying that it's so cool that finally he gets to use a comp stick (this was last year) and he was 18.

He's one of our top scorers last year and this year and he grew up playing with just wood.

Get him to work on his skills before anything. A $200 stick isn't going to make him a better player...only practice can do that.

[gman 0]

Great advice!! He is ten. I had thought of the idea of him paying for some of the stuff himself, but even that may be too easy. Any links to the old time highlights? Wouldn't it be cool to have some sort of DVD produced by someone with access to highlight films? The DVD could be titled something like "keep your kids working on the basics with basic gear because the basics work"... or something like that.

Thanks again.

[gman 0]

But then again my parents always made sure we had the best skates and sent us to powerskating sessions...

My dad's saying was "It if was good enough for Bobby Orr...its good enough for you!"

My sentiments EXACTLY!

[KYHockey3 0]

its like a mom wanting all the new hip purses, or the dad wanting all new tools.

the kids want to have the latest and greatest

[Fire0nIce228 1]

2 words. or 4.

SUPER Mario.

Le Magnificent (sp?)

[Ti-girl 0]

My dad had a VHS tape about basics of hockey. It was an old school tape, but it had Kariya back when he was a JR and Pronger and Niedermeyer (Scott) and all of them were using wood sticks.

It was an awesome video that's motto was "Skating first, sticks second, pucks third."

[warrior37 0]

2 words. or 4.

SUPER Mario.

Le Magnificent (sp?)

le hair pie?

[ctaz 0]

Not only Bobby Orr, but I'd say that even 90% of current NHL player started playing with good ol' fashioned wood. At 10 definitely make him work to get the stick. I'd even suggest something like if you still want one 3 years from now, we'll see about getting you one then. "Currently that stick will look cool, but it'll make you play worse" most likely. If you still play and don't use a wood stick, maybe you should buy one and start using it, so he can see that a wood stick is just as good as any other stick. At his age the wood will be best to learn with, cheapest to replace, and also easier to experiment with as far as curves. You shouldn't have to compromise on this as at that age, there's no telling what's going to happen to the stick you buy for him.

Definitely would suggest powerskating and even figure skating lessons. Hey in other sports they use ballet for agility and in hockey skating is paramount, so being able to control all your edges can only improve your game.

I've never really been in the situation myself as I just started playing a little over 4 years ago, but even then I started out with wood sticks and only went to a combo after I got sick of paying $46 a month on replacement sticks, which wouldn't have been bad, but someone my size (5'5" 130lbs) should not be breaking a senior wood stick every other week.

[Nelly 0]

Ahhh!!! The makings of yet another young gear whore!!!

I am still the same way, even though I have had to pay for almost all of my gear for a few years now. I just got new leg pads at the beginning of the season and am already oogling over new leg pads, pants, mask, sticks, etc. Try and control it if you dare, but it may not be something that you can contain! I'm like a kid with ADD in a candy store with a sheet of bubble wrap when it comes to gear! Bah, I just found some pixie sticks....

[devilsrule711 0]

Great advice!! He is ten. I had thought of the idea of him paying for some of the stuff himself, but even that may be too easy. Any links to the old time highlights? Wouldn't it be cool to have some sort of DVD produced by someone with access to highlight films? The DVD could be titled something like "keep your kids working on the basics with basic gear because the basics work"... or something like that.

Thanks again.

about the whole buy your own stuff, thats what my dad does with me

i usually pay half or something like that its not so bad cause i just save what i get for my b-day for when something comes up

[Ti-girl 0]

I'm internally a gear whore, but my gear whoreness stops when I realise that I have to go to one of my million powerskating practices.

If I had the money, I would be buying new gear all the time. Instead I just spend hours on the ice practicing.

[gman 0]

If you still play and don't use a wood stick, maybe you should buy one and start using it, so he can see that a wood stick is just as good as any other stick.

I just dug out two very old woodies. They are cracked and split at the blade/shaft. I taped the $@%#&@&@$ out of them with yellow duct tape and then put hockey tape over that. Hopefully I can still kick his but with them, so it may get the point across.

Great idea.

[ultraman7k 0]

You could also make him watch just Naslund and Spezza highlights only :)

hear hear!

besides...when he gets accustomed to wood weight, think of the shots he'll have with a comp! :D

[Jason 65]

Tell your son that Marcus Naslund and Jason Spezza use wood sticks and that many players in the pros still prefer wood for its puck feel characteristics. Naslund also uses the ICM holders (my dad's Bauer 100's have these on them) on his Vapor 10 (2 generation old) skates.

I personally think that your son or any young kid will enjoy having success in hockey more than having new gear. Tell him to work on his skating, puckhandling, passing, positional play, etc. and then when he is at the age where a composite stick would possibly benifit him, he will have the option of paying for one (or splitting one with good ol' dad). Tell him that when good players see a guy that can't skate and whose shot looks like a butterfly floating through the air and he has a new stealth and some vapor XXX skates the first thing that they think is....what a poser (and a huge waste of money).

Like I said before, it's much more fun to be a good player than to be one with fancy new gear. As a kid I never had good equipment. Mostly used stuff. I had a blast playing though and I still found a way to be one of the best players on the ice (I'm not bragging, I'm just trying to make a point. I quit playing hockey when I was fifteen and only started again at 23. I'm now almost 25). I now use high end equipment, but I pay for it.

However, I do believe that skates are by far the most important part of a players equipment and sometimes it is worth spending more money on skates to get the ones that fit a player best. This doesn't always translate to getting top of the line skates. I think the average kid would be best with middle of the road skates. The high end ones are probably too stiff for most kids to flex properly.

Have a good talk with your son and try to encourage him to work on his game and not focus on the unimportant stuff. Be there for him and tell him when you notice that he is improving. Then when his birthday rolls around, get him something nice (gear wise) that he needs.

Good luck with your son gman.

P.S. I'm the one that had the sprained/dislocated rib. My friends dad helped me out and I'm back playing again. I had a 4 point night on Tuesday. It feels so good to be back. Thanks for your insight with regards to my injury. Cheers buddy.

[gman 0]

Good luck with your son gman.

P.S. I'm the one that had the sprained/dislocated rib. My friends dad helped me out and I'm back playing again. I had a 4 point night on Tuesday. It feels so good to be back. Thanks for your insight with regards to my injury. Cheers buddy.

Hi Jason,

Thanks for your advice, I will take it all to heart. Now I need to find a good cheap source of woodies for me and my boys. Did I mention I have another son coming up??

Oy-veh!! !!

And congratulations on getting over your rib injury. What was the final diagnosis and treatment for your injury? It is good to hear that you are back on the ice.

Cheers right back'atcha

Gman

[ctaz 0]

I'd send you my Amonte curved Koho Torpedo, but since I cut it I don't think it'll work for you unless you're about 5'4"-5'6"

[gman 0]

I'd send you my Amonte curved Koho Torpedo, but since I cut it I don't think it'll work for you unless you're about 5'4"-5'6"

Thanks for the offer. I'm about 6'0", and my tallest sone is about 4'8".

[Eazy_b97 1]

For highlights grab Don Cherry Version #1. Most of those guys will be using it. If not, buy the Soviet series DVD or Miracle (the actual one if they sell it) and show'em. I think DC#1 would be more visually appealing though.

To be honest, I was the same as a kid, I loved the Gretzky Aluminum, and all other similar sticks. If you really want him to work on other aspects, use this to your advantage. Say you get a new stick once we go to open skate for 12 weeks and you give me 8 sprints. If you do all your chores (do kids still do these?) and can beat (set a fast time) around the rink, then I'll give you 50% of the money for your stick and your chores will cover the rest. Stuff like that always worked for me. I remember learning to raise the puck for 50% of a Leafs Jersey and apperantly (I don't remember, but was told) that I did 10 sprints for a Kit-Kat at the end of open skate.

You could try something small like taking him to a store, checking out woodies, having him pick out his favourite, but not buying it right then. Then pick him up from school with it, but white out the pro players name and write his own in. Something small might make him feel more unique using their stick. You could build up the fact it's "his" stick too.

[Jason 65]

Sher-wood PMP 7000. Great wood stick. My injury was torn cartilage and possibly a stretched ligament. I never had an MRI, so the docs don't know exactly. It's definitely not 100% yet. I'm probably at 80% right now. I just couldn't stay off the ice any longer. I've had to adjust my game a bit, but it's getting better every day.

Even though you will probably have both your boys in hockey, I suggest putting them in power skating lessons as well. I know it helped my skating alot when I was young and gave me a huge advantage in to my teens.

[gman 0]

Then pick him up from school with it, but white out the pro players name and write his own in. Something small might make him feel more unique using their stick. You could build up the fact it's "his" stick too.

That's awesome!!! What a great idea. I can feel myself really starting to geek out on this now. Who sells old school wood now? The two ones I dug out from my shed are a Bauer 1000 Super pro lite, and a Sherwood PMP 5030 SC. Is the Sherwood still one of the best woodies? What else is out there? I'll probably go ahead and do a search now and answer all these questions

[ctaz 0]

I hated the 5030s those were the ones that would break on me always in the middle of the blade on both sides, like the foam would just explode and inch from the bottom of the blade.