To Tape or Not To Tape?

[no5hole]

Hello out there

I play ball hockey and am trying to decide weather or not taping your goalie stick is beneficial? I tried the first game with tape and found that it was hard to handle the ball as the tape tends to stick to the floor however when I took the tape off .. the ball rebounds off the stick were bigger however the stick handling was easier as it slid on the ground easier. Which one do you sacrifice?

I am also having a hard time adjusting to the fact that I cant slide across the crease ... I get burned all the time. I am really strong on the glove side so I can make most glove saves even stretching out ... but the blocker side without the help of sliding ... burned on a consistent basis!

[PSULion22]

Tape the stick. After you have taped, rub the bottom of the blade in some dust on the floor (if the floor isn't clean) or some dirt. That will solve the sticking problem.

You can also tape the other direction around the blade so you don't tape the bottom. There are also quite a few products that stick to the front of the blade so you don't use tape.

In ball hockey (I assume you mean on shoes, not skates) you have to step further across the crease. Also bend your ankle to the outside a little more to give a better surface to slide on. You won't be able to slide like on ice or even roller, it's all about the step.

[elite]

Originally Posted by PSULion22

You can also tape the other direction around the blade so you don't tape the bottom.

That's what I do. That way you get the friction of the tape without compromising the stick's sliding ability. It also takes off a ton of weight on the stick (compared to a full tape job).

[whalercane]

Tape and then wax, same as when you're on the ice. Works like a charm.

-Ryan

[no5hole]

Originally Posted by whalercane

Tape and then wax, same as when you're on the ice. Works like a charm.

-Ryan

The wax wears by the end of the first period, which sucks! I also find that if you rub on the same areas on the floor, it becomes a little bit of a nuisance under your shoes .. the area becomes slippery and then it gets on your shoe soles .. which could be a problem .. (might help with the sliding though .. LOL)

[whalercane]

Originally Posted by no5hole

The wax wears by the end of the first period, which sucks! I also find that if you rub on the same areas on the floor, it becomes a little bit of a nuisance under your shoes .. the area becomes slippery and then it gets on your shoe soles .. which could be a problem .. (might help with the sliding though .. LOL)

I use candle wax- never experienced either of the above problems myself. It tends to stick on my tape and not rub off on the floor. Plus, it helps seal my tape for the ice which means less frequent blade retaping.

[Threeleggedyoyo]

What kind of surface are you playing on? I'm assuming a wood basketball floor.

There's two things you can do to address the sliding issue.

The first is this: wear socks over your shoes. I know that sounds silly, but seriously - try it. I don't miss the traction I lose when I wear socks. I DO miss the inability to get my feet out laterally for leg saves when I don't. If you have a hard time finding socks you can get over your soles, buy some crew socks. Those won't cover the sides of your feet, though.

The second is to wear some pad covers. A simple sheet of canvas with slits for your straps to go through works wonders. This will aid sliding a great deal.

~Brent

[VCH]

Tape it up and let it get dusty. Remember to use orange tape though!

[MightyK]

I like to use a razor blade or similar to cut the tape off the bottom of the blade. I then "lightly" rub the stick on a hard surface to remove all residue and make sure it's sliding well.

[afireinside3311]

Tape then wax, but use parrafin that you'd find for canning foods. You can find this in most supermarkets. I use it for rollerhockey and I only need to wax my sticks every other game or so.