| Hockey is one of the most popular contact games | | | | and guiding the puck.Field hockey uses a molded |
| played in the US, probably next only to soccer and | | | | plastic ball. Ice hockey and inline hockey use hard, |
| rugby. There are several versions of hockey played | | | | vulcanized rubber discs called pucks. Both balls are |
| such as field, inline, rink and ice hockey. All use | | | | sized according to hockey associations. The objective |
| specialized gear and equipment.The basic equipment | | | | of any version of hockey is to guide the ball or puck |
| of hockey is a stick, which may be about three feet | | | | towards the goal net. Goal nets are supported by |
| long. Hockey sticks are round and generally made of | | | | steel frames and have durable synthetic nylon |
| wood covered with fiberglass; aluminum sticks are | | | | nets.Protective gear and team jerseys are just as |
| also used and both varieties feature suede and | | | | important as the skates or footwear, the stick and |
| rubber grips. Field hockey sticks have hooked bases, | | | | the puck. Protective hockey gear is comprised of a |
| which are rounded at one end and flat at the other | | | | chest protector, a helmet, large padded shorts, shin |
| to accurately smack the ball into the goal. Ice hockey | | | | pads, a neck protector, and other gear. Make sure |
| and inline hockey sticks have broader bases and | | | | you use all protective gear whenever you play |
| most are designed for right-handed players. When | | | | hockey. Some pick-up games of hockey are not |
| holding the upper portion of the stick with your left | | | | played with protective gear, but safety should come |
| hand and the lower portion with your right, the base | | | | first. |
| curves forward, forming a shallow scoop for catching | | | | |