stick size ?

Question
what size shaft is better for my 8yr old mite, jr or youth.  and also he is playing with a composite stick, was that a mistake at his age.

Answer
Jim,

Thank you for writing.  Let's answer the first one.  Stick length, shaft size will depend on his height.  I have seen Mite/Squirt players that are almost 5'.5" feet tall and I have seen them at around 4 feet tall.  The height will determine whether you are going to need a Jr. or a youth stick.  Let me explain...

A youth stick is generally made for 5, 6, 7 and some 8 year olds.  Some of them will come with straight blade to help kids figure out which way they stick handle and shoot the puck.  Junior sticks are for kids that are some 8, 9, 10, 11 and some 12 year olds.

How, I know you didn't ask this, but I am going to throw this in as a bonus.  When you are selecting a stick, the fist thing you need to do is find out which way he shoots....right or left.  Now, don't go into the store and ask the guy which one is better.  9 times out of 10 the young kid in the pro-shop will say..."Ah, which way do you hold a bat?"  Oh, my son bats right!  Ok, he needs a right stick....NOT!

Why do 85% of all Canadiens shoot left and 60% of all players in the USA shoot right?  Here comes the answer.  The artistic side of your child goes at the top of the stick.  This means that, if he writes with his right hand...he shoots left!  If he writes with his left hand...he shoots right!  If he is shooting with the wrong hand....change it!  Now, don't put other sports into the mix.  Well let's see...he bats right, he golf left, he dances with the right foot first...etc.  Now, if he has been playing with the wrong stick, get a used one and have him use it for several days and then ask him which one is better.  Do not let him use the new stick for 30 seconds.  Trust me; he will want to give it back in the first 10 seconds.  But have him use it for several days.  Then and only then, you can change back if he doesn't like it.

Now, I can spend about 10 hours with you on the mechanics of shooting.  But, I don't have that much time.  However, if you want more information about this, please feel free to write me here and I will take the time to answer. (Part of the rules on this site)

Now, after he is using the correct hand, then we go out and get him a stick.  Now, be careful, composite sticks are expensive and they don't last long. (In my humble opinion) If you want proof, go to the rink and see how and are in the trash.  Or, just watch the reruns on the Stanley Cup play-off for 2010.  You will see sticks every where.

However, I recommend to my parents to buy wood, until he know the proper shooting techniques and now to make that wooden stick work for him.  Again, in my humble opinion, kids should be using composite until they are at least 16 years old.  Yes, I know everyone has one in the dressing room.  But this is not a fashion show of couture.  Yes, sometimes it might look like that, but it is not.   It's not a matter of one upping the anti on the next player or dad who has better stuff.  I saw a farm boy from the Ukraine with crappy equipment make it into the NHL.  So sticks and crappy equipment will not keep him from making it.  It all has every thing to do with what's up stairs.

Ok, so now you have the proper stick, now it抯 time to cut it to make sure it the proper height.  To do this, he needs to be in his tennis shoes.  Then you will need to place the blade touching the floor and have the shaft run up and touch his nose.  Now make a mark on the stick at the base or bottom of his nose.   This mark is where you want to cut it!

So, if you get a youth stick and you place the blade on the floor and you run the shaft up to touch his nose and it doesn抰 reach his nose while the blade is touching the floor, the stick is too small and you will need to get a junior stick単et it!

I hope that this answer was what you were looking for.  Thank you again for taking the time to write.

Rob Lopez ?CEO
Pass the Puck, Inc.
www.passthepuck.net