Goalie Equipment

 Can you buy skates that are big on a player to allow for growth over the course of a season? 

The rule of thumb for sizing skates for young players is a finger. When the player tries on the skates, have the player push their foot so their toes are touching the front of the skate. Then have the player bend their knee and there should be an index finger worth of room between the player’s heel and the back of the skate.

How should you measure the proper length of a goalie stick? 
The most important measurement of a goal stick is the length of the paddle. A good rule of thumb for measuring a goal stick is if the toe of the stick is off the ice when the goalie is in his crouch, the paddle of the stick is too short. If the heel of the stick is off the ice when the goalie is in his crouch, the paddle of the stick is too long. Paddles come in varying lengths between 21 and 26 inches. An stick that is the improper length can adversely affect the stance of a goalie and therefore adversely affect his entire game.

Why can’t you just cut down an adult stick for a young player? 
Varying sizes of sticks means differences in shaft thickness as well as length of stick. Merely cutting down an adult stick for a young player means that the youngster will have to try and wrap his hands around a shaft that was designed for an adult. When the player is young and trying to learn the game, he will not have proper control of the stick to learn how to pass, shoot and stickhandle.