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EQUIPMENT Q & A's
What stick should I buy?
There is a large variety of field hockey sticks to choose from. Ultimately, buying a stick is really up to the player finding a stick that feels good to them, and is a nice fit for their playing style. Here is some information on how to buy a field hockey stick. If you are still having trouble finding a stick and narrowing down options, feel free to email coach for suggestions.
Stick Material: The most important thing to look for is the material. For the most part, the more carbon you can get in a stick material, the better! Elite players mostly play with 100% carbon. For beginners, though, 100% carbon would be harder to handle because the more carbon there is, the more bouncier the ball is off the stick, so stopping the ball would be harder. We would suggest that if you can find an affordable stick in your price range with around 70% carbon, you have a winner!
Brand: There are many stick brands out there such as Adidas, Osaka, TK, Ritual, JDH, Gryphon, STX, Harrow, Grays, etc... We have had players in the program play with all sorts of brands and every athlete has a different preference.
Vendors: It is suggested that you shop around a bit first for one that you like online (longstreth, sports unlimited, all rounder hockey, total hockey and dick sporting goods have lots of options. Click on any of those and you will be redirected to those websites) and see if you like one with a good amount of carbon in it.
Height: When purchasing a stick, you will see several options for stick height. The stick should go to the top of your hip bone, which for most high school athletes, that is commonly 36" or 36.5" in height. Here is a guide for buying a stick based off your height:
34" stick = for athletes who are 4'7 to 5'0 in height
35" stick = for athletes who are 5'1 to 5'3 in height
36/36.5" stick = for athletes who are 5'4 to 5'6 in height
37/37.5" stick = for athletes who are 5'7 to 5'9 in height
38" stick = for athletes who are 5'10 and up
What types of shin guards should I get?
Hard Shin Guards
Shin Guard Covers
Soft Reversible Shin Guards
Shin guards are required in the game of field hockey. There are two types of shin guards you can buy: hard ones or soft ones. They are player preference, and athletes in the program wear both types.
STX hard shin guards, click HERE
If you get hard shin guards, you will also need to get black and white shin guard sleeve covers, because players have to wear white covers for home games and black covers for away games. Click HERE to see STX shin guard covers.
Reversible STX soft shin guards, click HERE (not necessary to buy black/white sleeve covers, because these are reversible to black/white sides)
Do I need to buy goggles?
Gait Futures Goggles
STX 2See Goggles
NO, you do not need to buy goggles! Starting the 2020 season, goggles were officially made optional. Because of that, it is player preference as to if they want to wear goggles or not. Most players choose to not wear goggles, but we do have athletes who prefer to wear goggles for extra protection. If you would like to wear goggles, here are some goggles that are popular and are also legal for the game of field hockey (Most lacrosse goggles are NOT legal in the game of field hockey):
What other equipment do I need?
Mouth guard: a mouth guard is a mandatory piece of equipment in women's field hockey. White and clear mouth guards are illegal, so a player with one of those colors will not be able to play in games. Here are some popular mouth guard options:
Cleats: athletes can play with sneakers, but cleats are heavily encouraged to allow for better agility and less slipping on the field. Most field hockey specific shoes that are sold online are turf shoes, as water turf is a common surface for field hockey games. Because of that, any basic cleats will work. Many of our athletes are lacrosse/field hockey overlap athletes, and lots of our lacrosse athletes wear their lacrosse cleats during field hockey season.
Turf Shoes: turf shoes are an option, but since we practice on grass and only use turf occasionally for games, it's suggested that athletes use cleats instead of turfs. However, some athletes love wearing turfs--especially competitive athletes who practice on water turf with their club teams out of season. Click HERE to see several field hockey turf shoes options.
Gloves: Gloves are not necessary, but they can be worn to protect your hands with some extra padding. They are also helpful towards the end of the fall season, as it can be fairly cold at times, which results in very numb and stiff hands.
You can find field hockey gloves HERE
Stick Grips: over time, the grip on your stick will wear down and you may need to replace it. You can replace the grip on the stick, or you can put a chamois grip on the outside of the existing stick grip which is especially great for playing in the rain.
All players will be provided with a practice pinnie AFTER tryouts upon making a team as well as backpacks (limited availability for C team) and game day uniforms. All gear handed out will need to be turned back in at the end of the season. Gear that is not turned in will result in a fine placed on student accounts.
Do I need to buy my own goalie gear if I want to be a goalie?
If you would like to be a goalie, you can borrow goalie gear from the school. However, if you use school gear, you cannot keep it and have to turn it back in at the end of the season.
What are some items I can use at home to improve my skills?
Field Hockey Balls: You can buy field hockey balls at some sporting goods stores, or you can also find balls HERE, or a 6 pack HERE.
Rebounder: Passing with a teammate is always a great option, but using a rebounder is the best way to practice passing and receiving skills on your own.
Goals: field hockey goals are quite large and expensive, but there is one smaller folding miniature field hockey goal that is a good option for practicing shots in the backyard!
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