As is the case with any sport, you might be wondering how expensive ice hockey is before you commit to playing it. Whether it is hockey gloves, a hockey stick, and even ice hockey skates, all of that equipment can add up over time.
However, you should not let the idea of equipment costs deter you from playing or letting your child play.
Cost Factors to Consider
Let’s take a closer look at all of the costs that go into hockey. There are many factors at play, but it also depends on the type of hockey you are playing and whether it is you as an adult or your child you are thinking about. Some costs to think about include:
- Equipment: This is the big factor. The cost varies among the pieces depending on the type of gear that you need or prefer and how quickly you wear through or break the equipment. Equipment considerations in hockey are:
- Skates
- Stick (You can find a collection of hockey sticks here.)
- Helmet
- Gloves
- Protective gear
- Bag
- Gas: This can come into play if you are on a competitive team and traveling a lot or if you have to travel to get to the hockey rink to begin with.
- Team dues: Dues will vary greatly depending on where and with whom you are playing. Some of this cost goes toward the management of a team while others will go towards facility maintenance. The more competitive of a team you are on, the higher the dues will be.
How to Pay for It
If you are concerned about how to pay for the equipment, there might be a couple of ways that can take away the sting. The first is to buy gently used equipment when you can. Some hockey shops or other sports stores will have trade-in or consignment programs to help you either trade-in what you have already or help take the sting out of the expense.
That said, not all equipment can or should be used secondhand. Helmets especially should never be purchased used. You do not know the history of the helmet and your brain is too important to put at that kind of risk. Skates also are usually molded to the feet of the wearer so chances are that a secondhand pair of skates are never going to fit you as well as they fit the person who originally owned them.
For children, there are usually fundraisers put on by their teams to help reduce the cost of equipment. If your child’s team does not have a fundraiser, you should ask the coach about how to set one up.
Why Hockey Is So Important
You might be wondering whether the cost of hockey is worth playing the game. Absolutely it is. Hockey is a sport that comes with so many benefits, such as:
- Physical exercise
- Team building
- Respect building
- Sportsmanship
- Camaraderie
- Gross and fine motor skill enhancement
- Joy
A sport that offers you so much is absolutely worth the cost that it takes to play it. Look into alternatives for paying for equipment, but be safe about it. Just like we said above, used equipment is not a good option for everything.
Above all else, think about how much you will enjoy playing hockey and all of the benefits it can bring to your life. It’s the kind of joy that you just can’t buy.
