| Hockey is one of the most popular contact | | | | puck. |
| games played in the US, probably next only to | | | | |
| soccer and rugby. There are several versions | | | | Field hockey uses a molded plastic ball. Ice |
| of hockey played such as field, inline, rink | | | | hockey and inline hockey use hard, vulcanized |
| and ice hockey. All use specialized gear and | | | | rubber discs called pucks. Both balls are |
| equipment. | | | | sized according to hockey associations. The |
| | | | objective of any version of hockey is to |
| The basic equipment of hockey is a stick, | | | | guide the ball or puck towards the goal net. |
| which may be about three feet long. Hockey | | | | Goal nets are supported by steel frames and |
| sticks are round and generally made of wood | | | | have durable synthetic nylon nets. |
| covered with fiberglass; aluminum sticks are | | | | |
| also used and both varieties feature suede | | | | Protective gear and team jerseys are just as |
| and rubber grips. Field hockey sticks have | | | | important as the skates or footwear, the |
| hooked bases, which are rounded at one end | | | | stick and the puck. Protective hockey gear is |
| and flat at the other to accurately smack the | | | | comprised of a chest protector, a helmet, |
| ball into the goal. Ice hockey and inline | | | | large padded shorts, shin pads, a neck |
| hockey sticks have broader bases and most are | | | | protector, and other gear. Make sure you use |
| designed for right-handed players. When | | | | all protective gear whenever you play hockey. |
| holding the upper portion of the stick with | | | | Some pick-up games of hockey are not played |
| your left hand and the lower portion with | | | | with protective gear, but safety should come |
| your right, the base curves forward, forming | | | | first. |
| a shallow scoop for catching and guiding the | | | | |