If you've ever wanted to play hockey but didn't know how to skate or didn't want to put a lot of money into expensive gear, street hockey is an excellent idea. When I was 10 (back in 1991) I was a big hockey fan but I had never skated or really played the game (other than in gym class). I grew up in a small town with no rinks and no sporting goods stores. My brother and I begged our parents for some hockey gear. We got some cheap Mylec street hockey sticks, a ball and a hockey net. We would play for hours out in the street and had a lot of fun. Eventually we got some inline skates for Christmas -- neither of us had ever skated but we laced up those skates and learned by rolling around our basement until the weather got warmer. We basically taught ourselves how to skate - it's not hard as long as you aren't afraid of falling and getting hurt.

So with inline skates, hockey sticks and a net, we had everything except more players! That wasn't too hard once everyone in town saw us playing in the street, they all wanted to join in. We'd get a bunch of people together (young kids up to guys in their 30s) every Sunday afternoon at a church parking lot, simply because they had the nicest parking lot in town! We also played in the street at the house every day (rain or shine!), at the state park, the civic center, anywhere we could find a decent lot. There would always be a crowd of wannabe hockey players watching our games.

Since we lived in that small town, equipment was hard to come by. We had to travel for the important stuff, sticks, skates, pucks...but other things were often improvised. Goalies wore catcher's pads and a baseball glove. We'd make our own leg pads out of foam padding and cardboard. Most players didn't wear pads, but some of us would wear cloth gloves and soccer shin guards - we looked like the kids from The Mighty Ducks movie before they got the new equipment.

If you are interested in playing hockey, start out with a cheap stick and a ball and mess around in your driveway or street - shoot at a garbage can or box. Once you know how the handle the stick, get some inline skates, if you're not a good skater, definitely get some knee pads and gloves (avoid "wrist guards" - you cannot hold a stick with them). It's always a good idea to practice on your own or with a friend first before you try to play in a game. You can find games easily - just watch for kids playing in the street or check your town for a street hockey rink or tennis court that's used for hockey. Don't expect to have to pay to play either, it's almost always free unless it's a highly organized game or tournament.

Street hockey is a great way to learn to play hockey and stay in shape! I'll give you some ideas on equipment below. Sporting goods stores can be good, but look for sales and clearance items - places like Dunhams and MC Sports charge way too much, I've often found good deals at Target or Wal-Mart, but they have very limited selections. Play-It-Again Sports is probably the best place to shop for hockey gear.

First, start out with this set. You get 2 street hockey sticks, a ball and a net, very similiar to what I started with -- Deluxe Hockey Goal Set. It's only $29.99. There are hundreds of different hockey sticks available - you can use ice hockey sticks for street hockey, but don't put any friction tape on the blade. The blade on your stick will wear down from the rough pavement so don't plan on using that same stick on the ice. One thing to consider when buying a hockey stick for the first time -- if you're right-handed, you aren't automatically going to need a right-handed stick. If you've ever played baseball, think about which way you hold the bat, that will be the same way you hold a hockey stick. In my experience, most righties use a left-handed stick and vice-versa. I'm a lefty and I use a right-handed stick. Hockey sticks almost always need adjustments. You can cut the shaft down on the end to make it shorter if the stick is too long. You definitely need some tape on the butt-end so your top hand doesn't slide off of the stick and to prevent splinters.

These are some good skates to start out with - not only are they really cheap, they aren't big and bulky. Roces Rome FCO Men's Inline Skates

You can get skates specifically for hockey, like these: Mission HE1500 Senior Inline Hockey Skates but they aren't as comfortable because they don't have a foam lining, but for serious hockey players they are highly recommended.

Goalies
Now if you're going to have fun playing hockey, you really need a goalie. Pads for goalies can be quite expensive, that's why we made a lot of our own pads - get an old catcher's check protector and a decent baseball mitt, but the 2 most important pieces are the mask and the leg pads. When I was a kid, the masks we used cheap masks like this: MYLEC GOALIE FACE MASK, in fact, thats the same exact thing - I'm surprised they still make them! Newer masks are like this one, they look like what an NHL goalie would wear...White Ultra Pro-Goalie Mask

One important note - do not spray paint your mask! We used to try this but you'd end up with paint all over your face. Instead, use stickers.

Goalie leg pads are typically very expensive and take the most wear and tear of all so they don't last as long. Pro goalie's pads can cost up to $1000 easily. Street hockey pads should be less than $100, these pads look cool and are less than $60: Tour Fireman Roller Hockey Goalie Pads. Always make sure you get the right size though - if you're really tall and get short pads, your knees will not be covered.

Here's a list of everything you need as a goalie if you want to be fully protected:

Face Mask
Chest and arm protectors
Hockey pants (to protect your hips and legs)
Leg pads
Catcher glove
Blocker glove (you hold the stick with this hand)
Goalie stick
Cup (for guys)
Wearing a jersey helps keep the pads in place too

In street hockey, goalies typically aren't required to wear skates, but many do. Also, be aware that street hockey is not like roller hockey, which is played indoors on a smoother surface. Roller hockey also costs money to play because they have leagues.