Identifying kid in clinics/practice/games

[jpeaslee 30]

Y'all may have to cut me some slack, but I didn't play hockey as a kid, nor do I have any of my own.  My non-hockey playing cousin and his wife's kid just started a big "learn to play" program here in Huntsville.  There are a ridiculous number of kids literally wearing identical gear (it's given to the kids as part of the program.) Any ideas on easy ways to make the kid more identifiable in the clinic (so the parents can find him easily)?  I got the kids stick taped up with some red tape (his favorite color).  I thought about maybe candy caning his stick in tape too (not sure if that's a bad idea for kids?) or maybe putting a bit stripe of red tape on the helmet?  Mom thought about tying a red bandana on his arm or something, but the kid wasn't a real big fan of that (I don't think I would have been either.  

In this clinic there are probably 70-100 kids on the rink at a time, divided up in a few sections by skill level, so it really is a bunch of kids. 

[Vet88 674]

Tape on the helmet works ok, also helps for the kids to find their own helmet at times.

[DRR 112]

A unique tape job is going to be your best bet for visibility, candy cane is fine for kids if they like it.  The other cheap thing you can do is change the color of the skate laces. Get some red skate laces, or at least black or yellow, and that should make it easier to pick them out. If you buy an itech bubble visor that would make them much more distinctive as well, I'm guessing most kids have standard cages.

Definitely tape on the helmet with a name, it won't be easy to see from the stands but you don't want kids confusing helmets with each others'.

 

 

[goalieman39 37]

Colored laces is a method that some parents use

[badger_14 601]

9 hours ago, DRR said:

 

Definitely tape on the helmet with a name, it won't be easy to see from the stands but you don't want kids confusing helmets with each others'.

 

 

This also helps coaches a lot, since for a good 2-3 sessions they all look the same to us, too. 

I second brightly colored skate laces or taping.  I've seen some older kiddos tape the first letter of the town ("N" or "W" for example) in a contrasting color onto their blade and you could try that, too.

[Miserable 6]

Are all the kids wearing the same color hockey socks?

If so, how about wearing a different pair? Or if not different socks, maybe tape them with an identifiable color?

I used to attend a tournament where the teams were issued jerseys and socks and they were always single colors. It was hard for me to pick myself out of photos when I browsed them so I started wearing socks with a strip so I could pick myself out easily.

[Playmakersedge 58]

Safety pin there name on there jersey and tape on the helmet with there name.    

[FREQUENCY247 11]

I took a strip of neon yellow adhesive vinyl, about 3" wide and ran it front to back on the helmet. That helps most of the time.

Another option is to go to Hobby Lobby and pick up some 8" iron on numbers for their jersey.

[Playmakersedge 58]

In the USA hockey magazine I found a sticker place                

   WWW .STICKBANDITS.COM

[Playmakersedge 58]

Soundslike it will be perfect  

[GreatestAmericanBeardo 258]

I have 2 of my own playing.   the two different socks thing works pretty well in practice. (but now a bunch of them are doing the mix match thing, so its getting harder)
my go to, is the sweet flow on my older one:

My the younger one is a go getter, you can't miss him  :D  (different color helmet helps too, he only one of two on the squad with a white bucket) 

 

 

 

[jmiro 55]

My kid has bright green tape in the middle of his helmet, bright green laces, bright green tape.  Wore green socks until he started travel.  Other guys have got off colored helmets or gloves for their children.   On a side not when i am on the ice with the kids it also helps me remember who is who it they have something different.  And please put your childs name on a peice of tape on the front of the helmet.

[GreatestAmericanBeardo 258]

On 12/16/2017 at 3:05 PM, jmiro said:

My kid has bright green tape in the middle of his helmet, bright green laces, bright green tape.  Wore green socks until he started travel.  Other guys have got off colored helmets or gloves for their children.   On a side not when i am on the ice with the kids it also helps me remember who is who it they have something different.  And please put your childs name on a peice of tape on the front of the helmet.

... and please, make sure your child's name is in large easy to read letters.  not from a label maker, or written in pencil.   BLACK SHARPIE on HOCKEY TAPE, right over the top of the cage. Sorry, been coaching L2S and large mite groups for the last 3 years, and nothing drives me more crazy.   

[Monty22 833]

I love messing with my son when he has clinics and camps. I'll write something like Beyonce or Hambone as his name and watch from the stands for the moment one of the coaches calls him by his "name" and he looks at them  with the WTF? Look.