As LOTA hockey players walk into school carrying their hockey sticks and bags to the locker room, their many different sticks are visible. Other LOTAs may wonder what is the reason for taping a stick and why one looks different from another.

In ice hockey taping a hockey stick is very important as it helps protect the blade and prevents it from wearing down. It also assists with controlling the puck since modern sticks are slippier, and without the tape it will be harder to make contact with the puck. Although taping has a specific function in hockey, it is also an opportunity for players to customize their stick.

“I tape my stick heel to toe with black tape only,” shared AA team captain Anna Werwinski.

When someone first starts out as a young hockey player, they will usually get their sticks taped by someone at a pro shop or by an older sibling. Hockey coach Bernie Werwinski shared that it can be tricky for players to learn how to tape a stick.

“I suggest team members watch YouTube videos on taping sticks. There are all sorts of things out there,” Bernie Werwinski explained.

As a player gets more experienced she can become much more creative with their stick. Anna Werwinski shared that she tapes her stick with American flag tape and black tape.

“I do this because it is easier to find with all of the other sticks,” she explained.

In the NHL there are many distinctive tape jobs, too. For example, one style that has been seen is a candy cane style.

Another AA player Katya Gagolin shared a different approach when she tapes her hockey stick.

“I prefer to only use red tape because it is cooler,” she described.