Page 14 - The Hockey Academy News September 2018
P. 14

IT’S ALL IN THE KICK:
What kickpoint should I look for in a stick?
 Before knowing the technology of sticks, many players don’t often look beyond the paint job of a stick. However, major stick manufacturers research each and every way a player’s stick can become the most powerful weapon on the ice. From weight to shaft shape to flex and kickpoint, there is a reason for every technology put into today’s sticks.
Kickpoint is one of those technologies and it refers to the place where the stick is the stiffest (versus where it can flex). Composite sticks are made up of layers and layers of carbon fiber sheets that interlock and overlap. While this makes the stick very strong, it also hinders its ability to flex and that inability to flex makes shooting a puck very difficult! A stick that flexes puts power into shots.
There are two types of kickpoints
in a sticks: mid kickpoint and low
kickpoint. While some manufacturers
once spoke about custom and/or high
kickpoints, there are truly only two. A
mid kickpoint stick has a softer shaft
and blade with the kickpoint (or stiffness) in the bottom part of the stick. This means the stick loads and recoils from the middle, or mid point, of the stick. This soft shaft and soft blade makes it easier to feel the puck on your stick when you stickhandle and also gives you the maximum power on a shot as there is a greater amount of energy transfer than a low kickpoint stick. A mid kickpoint stick is great for players who lean into their shots (like defensemen taking slapshots).
A low kickpoint stick has a stiffer blade and is stiffer in the middle of the stick. All of the load and recoil comes from the bottom half of the stick. This technology allows the puck to jump off the stick and is great for wings and centers who need to disguise their shot to catch the goalie off-guard. Low kickpoint sticks have a quicker shot release than mid kickpoint sticks. Low kickpoint sticks are great for forwards who need to disguise their shot until the last second and those players taking one-timers.
 MID KICKPOINT STICKS
Bauer Supreme and Nexus CCM Tacks and Jetspeed Warrior Alpha TRUE X Core and A series
LOW KICKPOINT STICKS
Bauer Vapor CCM Ribcore Warrior QRE TRUE n/a
Kickpoints are just one technology in today’s composite sticks. Look beyond the paint and you just may find that those technologies can help your game improve.
 14 SEPTEMBER 2018 | THEHOCKEYACADEMY.COM
 
















































































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