Mouth guards, shin guards and padded gloves (for hockey)

[KristinaM]

DS aged 11 has just started playing hockey at high school and loves it. Now want to join a local hockey club. I’m delighted as he has Aspergers and has never been into sport before.

A local club has spaces for his age group and he’s going along next week. However he needs to have his own shin guards, mouth guard and padded gloves.

He has some sensory issues, which means that the feel of things bothers him much more than it does other children. Can anyone recommend brands or types of mouth guards which are more comfortable to wear ?

He already has shin guards for school , which he does wear but complains that they make his ankles hot. I don’t know if all brands are the same ?

I think he will be ok with the gloves but any advice on them also welcomed. Thanks

Hockey is a fab sport and very welcoming. Hope you get all the kit sorted, great advice on thread

I know that you don’t have time to get one this minute but if he is going to get into hockey I would (like others) recommend a custom gun shield. I had a gum shield made by my dentist for hockey. It is a perfect fit and so very comfortable. I know they are more money but I honestly think they are well worth it. And they last well too.

Do you have an independent sports shop near you? (Not any of the sports direct type ones - they tend to be pretty crap for both advice and kit IMO). I used to live near a major public school and the independent sports shop in the town (which was the school outfitter) was brilliant. They would happily spend time finding the perfect shin pads/gloves etc and somewhere like that would have the advantage of your ds being able to try stuff to make sure it feels as good as it can before you buy.

I can’t believe there are still schools that allow them to play without protective gear.

No advice I’m afraid. Ds has asd but he was a goalie so didn’t have to wear a mouth guard or normal shin pads.

I have searched for independent sports shops and found one about 10 miles away so I will take Ds there after school tomorrow .

If he decides that he likes the hockey club I will talk to the dentist about getting a custom mouthguard. Although that might be tricky as Ds finds going to the dentist very difficult.

All three of my children play hockey (as do me and my husband) and we have found the easiest gumshield to fit for children are the Shockdoctor gel ones as don't need to be as hot, or pressed to the teeth so firmly as the gel moulds to the teeth.

I don't know any juniors who wear 2 gloves, or even many that wear a full glove. To start off with until he decide and he's going to keep doing it, a half glove for the left hand would be fine. Generally the left hand is always on the stick, and counted as part of the stick so can get caught by the ball. Some defenders chose to wear a right hand glove but personally I don't like them, and don't know many who do.

My children find these hockey shin pads very comfortable and they have good ankle protection without being too tight;
Grays International Shield Shingaurd Mens - Medium https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000O32GHI/ref=cmswwrcppapi_CSX3BbBMKVEPG

Shock Doctor Youth Gel Max Mouth Guard - Blue https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00181F4XS/ref=cmswwrcppapi_CTX3Bb75Y2HXJ

Thanks to this thread for reminding me, we've just been out and bought a new stick, DS has grown a lot this year.

Alwaystimeforwine - thanks for explaining why the gloves are sold individually. We will go with a half glove on the left as you suggest.

It’s not that I don’t want to buy him kit. It’s that lots of annoying stuff might put him off playing . I know that once he is absorbed in the training/ game he will be ok, but it’s at the start when everything is put on.

Unlike some aspies, he does get influenced by social pressure so if all the other kids at the club are wearing it then he will probably adapt. Although of course it’s much more effort for him and takes up a lot of his brain power dealing with it.

Hope that makes sense.