First-Season Goalie Gear, Piece by Piece

Kids who want to play goal usually know it right away. Parents usually find out the price of the gear right after. The good news is that a first season rarely needs a new, top-end kit. What it needs is gear that fits and protects properly. Here's the kit, one piece at a time.

Leg pads

Pads are sized by two measurements. First, measure from the centre of the kneecap to the ankle, where the skate boot begins. That gives the length below the knee. Second, measure from the centre of the knee up the thigh to where the pad should stop, called thigh rise. Sizing charts combine both into a pad length.

When the goalie drops into a butterfly, the knee should sit in the knee cradle and the pad should seal cleanly to the ice. If the knee falls off the inside of the pad, it's too big or strapped wrong. A pad that's slightly short is better than one that's much too long, since oversized pads make it hard for a young goalie to move.

Catcher and blocker

The catcher goes on the non-dominant hand for most goalies, the blocker on the stick hand. The hand should reach comfortably into the finger stalls of the catcher and close the pocket without strain. Youth catchers are lighter and easier to close. Check that the cuff overlaps the arm protection so the wrist isn't exposed. The blocker should let the goalie grip the stick without the board pushing the hand off the paddle.

Chest and arm protector

This covers the chest, shoulders, collarbones, upper arms and forearms. The shoulder floaters should sit over the collarbones. The arm tubes should end at the wrist so the gloves overlap them. The bottom of the chest plate should tuck into the pants. If the unit rides up into the chin when the goalie raises their arms, it's too long in the body.

Pants

Goalie pants carry extra padding across the thighs and hips compared with player pants. They should overlap the top of the pads and sit snug at the waist, with room for the chest protector to tuck in without bulging.

Jock

Buy a goalie-specific jock or jill. They have a larger, reinforced cup and extra padding around the groin and lower abdomen. A player's version isn't enough for a position that stops pucks with its body. This one should be new and bought for the goalie who's wearing it.

Mask

The mask must carry CSA certification. Cat-eye cages, the style with openings large enough for a puck or stick blade to get through, are not permitted in Canadian minor hockey. Stick with a certified mask with a standard cage, or a certified helmet-and-cage combination for very young goalies. The mask should sit snug without pressing on the forehead or chin, and the eyes should line up in the middle of the cage openings. Add a throat protector that hangs from the mask, and a neck guard, which most minor associations require.

Goal skates

Goalie skates have a lower boot, a protective plastic cowling around the foot and a longer, flatter blade for side-to-side movement. For a first season, many young goalies wear player skates with no trouble, especially in house league. If the goalie sticks with the position, goal skates become worth it once they're working on butterfly slides and pushes.

Goalie stick

The paddle is the wide section above the blade. Paddle height matters more than overall length. With the goalie in their stance, the blade should sit flat on the ice and the blocker hand should hold the shaft just above the top of the paddle. Too tall and the blade lifts at the toe. Too short and the goalie hunches. Sticks are listed by paddle height, so bring measurements from the goalie's actual stance.

Borrow or buy for a first season?

Many associations keep a team or loaner set of goalie equipment for exactly this reason. It's worth asking before you spend anything. We'd suggest thinking about it this way:

• Fine to borrow or buy used: leg pads, catcher, blocker, pants and chest protector, as long as they fit and the padding isn't broken down.
• Buy new or check very carefully: the mask, which must be certified and within its date, and the jock, for hygiene and protection reasons.
• Can wait: goal skates and a custom-sized stick, until the goalie has a season in net and still wants more.

Whatever the mix, dress the goalie fully at home before the first skate and have them drop into a butterfly. Look for gaps at the knee, wrist, collarbone and neck. That short check tells you more than any sizing chart.