Hockey requires more pieces of equipment than any other sport. The most important piece of equipment, however, is a perfect pair of skates. If your child's skates don't fit right, she will be miserable because not only will her feet be in pain, but she will be unable to skate to even half of her full potential.
For these reasons, keep in mind the following when purchasing hockey skates for your child:
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Hockey skates generally run one size smaller than your child's shoe size (most skates use Canadian standards). To find the right size, click on Sports Authority's online sizing chart
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Hockey skates need to fit tight against your child's ankles to provide maximum support and stability on the ice.
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If you think the skate is too tight but the next size has too much room, it is better to buy the smaller size because skate shops have ways of stretching them out for proper fit.
- As veteran hockey players know, breaking in new skates is a painful process. Therefore, make sure your child breaks in her skates during practices or camps, NOT during a game, because the stiffness in the skates will hinder her skating and may actually prevent her finish the game. For the first couple weeks, she should only wear her new skates during practice.
Julie Derdarian is a member of the Northeastern University Women's Varsity Ice Hockey Team.
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