Goal gear for a 9 year old
I hate going to rinks and seeing little kids with thousands of dollars of pristine high level goal gear on their bodies. All that tells me is that they’ve got rich sucker parents who’re more than likely compensating for their child’s athletic deficiencies by flashing them up in top gear.
This fine photo, however, is proof you don’t need the best bling to rock the crease. This would’ve been my 9 year old self back in 1981, playing goal for the Grew Boats Canadians in the Penetanguishene Minor Hockey house league program.
That gigantic adult blocker was a gift given to me by my father’s drinking buddy Frank St. Amant. I wore that blocker all through house league, then rep hockey, into junior, and for a few years of adult hockey, too. All told, I probably got 20 years worth of active use out of it.
The glove, yes, is in fact an old baseball glove. Either it was my dad’s old glove or an uncle’s hand-me-down. I can’t remember. But it did its job at the time. And really, what’s a 9 year old going to catch, anyway? The kids that age can’t even lift a puck in the air unless they manually put it on its edge and shovel flip it.
The skates are player skates. No kid can shoot hard enough at that age to hurt-y-wurt you in the toe with a shot. So spending $200 on goal skates is just dumb.
The pads and chest protector? Those were property of the minor hockey system. They had a giant locker of gear for kids under a certain age to borrow.
So realistically the only proper “goalie equipment” expense in this ensemble is the goal stick. Everything else was on the cheap. And I turned out alright in the pipes. So parents, don’t let your wallets show you to be suckers.
The Poke Check Diaries 
Wow your playing in a minor hockey system, I’m impressed! For a crap league like that yeah bottom of the barrel stuff is okay, but don’t criticize the ability of those more fortunate than yourself. Just because their parents have ‘money’ is no reason to question their skills. You played in a in house league, so your skills are the one’s that are lacking. Parents if you don’t want to waste money, buy your kids cheap pads, and let them play street hockey. Then if they like it buy more expensive pads. And some nine year old goalies are quite skilled, and they can catch things. Another example of your “athletic deficiencies”
Posted by Andrew Sokol | August 14, 2012, 12:21 amI can’t disagree with you more sir. Hockey is very competitive these days, and proper equipment is very important, so the kids can play at the best of there ability, and having fun.
My kid played on a 8 A1 team last year, and all the kids new how to lift the puck off the ice easily. Some were already developing a slap shot.
But I don’t believe in paying top $$$ on equipment. I have 3 kids in minor hockey, and the only thing I buy new is a stick. Otherwise everything is bought 2nd hand on kijiji.
And my wife and I are getting slightly used top quality equipment for half or cheaper than regular price. For example, a pair of $400 skates used for one season. I got them for $140. Don’t ever send your kid on the ice with out proper equipment.
Posted by Darren | May 11, 2013, 4:12 pm