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