The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
Has anyone ever switched stick handedness before? I started playing by skating out, and shot left. Switched to goalie after a few years where I play glove right. Skated out again today, still shooting left, and after all the stickhandling I've been practicing as a glove right goalie, it felt weird. There's no way I could switch to glove left as a goalie, but the weirdness of switching back and forth is making me consider switching to shooting right when I skate out. I'm a left-handed person, so that would put my dominant hand on top.
Never tried shooting right before, though. Is it difficult to make that switch? Anyone ever made the switch before and can tell me what it's like?
How long have you played hockey and how old are you? I think it can be really hard if youve played a long time.
I've played 11 years now as a lefty, and I wouldnt be able to switch to righty. There's no way.
I guy I played with though, was a righty until he got a lefty stick by mistake for Christmas when he was about 10.
How long have you played hockey and how old are you? I think it can be really hard if youve played a long time.
I've played 11 years now as a lefty, and I wouldnt be able to switch to righty. There's no way.
I guy I played with though, was a righty until he got a lefty stick for Christmas when he was about 10.
I'm 26, started out at 16 but stopped playing when I was 20. Just got back into it a couple months ago as a goalie, after about a 5-6 year break.
I am right handed, I throw right, write right, and so on. I am left in hockey but this summer I plan on practicing all of this stuff the other way.
Throwing a ball left handed has been going much better then stick handling a right handed, although i am slightly better then I was before. I think its going to take me months of doing it like 2-3 times a week for 25 mins to get even half as good as I am stick handling left.
I attempted this, but after I realised how awful my shot on my left was and how long it would take to get even close to where my right shot is I decided to stick.
I'm right-handed but play left, but over here in the UK this is considered odd, as the vast majority of right handers I know also play right.
I've tried playing right but I felt cack-handed with my weaker hand at the end of the stick.
Must be a regional thing because from what I understand 'dominant hand top' is the generally accepted correct way to play.
I'm thinking Righties playing Righty and Lefties playing Lefty has to do with the fact that hockey isn't a traditional sport in those regions so when they jump in they just go with what they know. People grow up righty, swinging bats righty, swinging golf clubs righty, throwing righty, and so on. So why not shoot righty?
Isn't the overriding issue the difference between shooting well and stickhandling the puck well? In other words, I swing a bat right handed, I would never dream of trying left handed. And if I use a golf club it would also be right handed.
So my strong swing would be right handed.
But for handling the puck, especially trying to do something with my hockey stick with only 1 hand (rushing up ice, poke check, stick in lane), I would be completely useless with my left hand. (Which would be the result of using a right handed stick.)
Also, for stick handling with both hands, the top hand is the most important, so all of that leads me (and most right handed people) to be a left handed shooter.
So in the end it really comes down to which deficit are you willing to accept and able to improve: The shot or the stick handling?
I tried switching hands after 7-8 months into going with right hand sticks for ***** and giggles. It was an utter disaster. Good thing I didn't use it in game.
I do feel like I have much better control of the stick when I've only got one hand on it though.
Has anyone ever switched stick handedness before? I started playing by skating out, and shot left. Switched to goalie after a few years where I play glove right. Skated out again today, still shooting left, and after all the stickhandling I've been practicing as a glove right goalie, it felt weird. There's no way I could switch to glove left as a goalie, but the weirdness of switching back and forth is making me consider switching to shooting right when I skate out. I'm a left-handed person, so that would put my dominant hand on top.
Never tried shooting right before, though. Is it difficult to make that switch? Anyone ever made the switch before and can tell me what it's like?
Martin Brodeur started as a glove right goalie in youth hockey and swithced to glove left. Photo of him as a glove right at the Martin Brodeur Arena in Montreal.
Bill Durnan a HHOF goalie was ambidextrous , caught and shot with each hand or from either side. Howe and Chelios shot from either side but concentrated on one.
Just go with the glove or side that fits your comfort zone.
I can play mini sticks both left and right handed. Same with baseball and golf. I'm slowly learning how to use an actual stick right handed. I can play goal with either hand, but catching right handed I have to Jose Theodore it in order to move the puck.
