So, When Does Hockey Season Start Again? Part IV: So, You Want to Play Hockey?

Basketball: $15.00. Court to play on: FREE! Baseball and gloves: $30.00. Field to play on: FREE! Soccer ball: $20.00. Find a patch of grass: FREE! Football: $18.00. Field (again): FREE!

And you want to play what...?

You really have to have a love for the game in order to put up with the expense. For the basic equipment; stick, skates, gloves and a helmet; it could easily run you $200-300. Much of this article is going to flashback to my youth growing up near Detroit, Michigan. 

The skates...

So your son or daughter is interested in learning to play ice hockey. I emphasize "ice" hockey because you can play "field" or "floor" hockey but they're not the same. I've played all three types and ice hockey is by far the best.

You take your child to the local sports store and because you are a frugal person with your financial picture intact, and you're not sure if they are going to stick with it, you want to look for the best deals. You don't want cheap equipment. That stuff will either break or wear out far before it's time and you will end up paying more.

You also don't want the high end stuff because you would probably have to refinance your house when you're done. You look for good equipment at an inexpensive price. You could get on eBay and look but in my experience you don't always get what you pay for and many times its used equipment.

Skates are about the most important part of the gear catalog. Without good, descent skates, you're worthless on the ice.

You can start with double-runners, two blades on each skate, for balance, but if your child is 5-6 years old they usually don't help. It's like buying training wheels for a bike after they know how to ride.

A good, inexpensive pair can still run you about $70-100.00. And if your child wishes to continue to play, like shoes, you will have to purchase them at least once a year.

My first skates were double-runners and after being ridiculed to scorn by fellow players, I begged my dad to get me another pair of skates. And every year, we would have to go get a new pair until I finally stopped growing.

The sticks...

Back in my day, sticks were just pieces of wood. Nowadays, they have come up with composite sticks. These sticks are made of fiberglass and have more flexibility to them.

You can still find wood sticks and they are around $40.00. Composite sticks will set you back about $100.00 or better and, of course, you have to buy more than one. In case one breaks, you have a back-up. You also need to figure out if you child is a righty or lefty.

When I started, way back when, I chose a left handed stick by accident. Even though, everything else I did was right handed, my thought was, "You hold the stick in the right hand." I didn't really consider how I held a baseball bat.

Eventually, that's what I got used to and I always played better as a lefty. I have used right handed sticks, though. When you're playing with 20-30 guys on the ice, there were always extra sticks available in case you needed one and you would usually grab the first stick you saw.

A helmet...

This piece of equipment is a necessary evil in today's world, kind of like car insurance. It's almost as expensive, too. However, it is the one piece of equipment that you can buy used and its integrity should be well intact.

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