When starting out in hockey there isn’t an automatic answer to this question. Just because you are right-handed doesn’t mean you should be using a right handed stick.

There are many people who grow up playing other sports such as Tennis, Cricket & Golf and play using right-handed equipment. So they naturally believe that when it comes to playing ice hockey or inline roller hockey they would also use a right handed stick.

However it is not as straightforward as you might think with ice hockey equipment. You should of course play with what feels comfortable but a good rule to follow involves the strongest hand which you have most control over should be at the top of the stick. This means in many cases that if you are right-handed then you would actually play ice hockey with a Left-handed stick.

Some basic principles to follow when deciding which way to play are:

·         The top hand needs to be the strongest, most coordinated hand.

·         Playing with your dominate hand on top of the stick gives you more control with stick handling and slap shots.

·         The bottom hand is involved with toe control and the wrist shot.

Although you may follow this line of thought, this information is simply guidance to consider.

When choosing your ice hockey stick the bottom line is that you should play the way that is comfortable and feels best to you.