By John Hurst Proprietor of hockey equipment specalists The Hockey Centre

A stick is one piece of equipment you can't do without when you play hockey

But don't feel you have to rush out to buy one straight away.

Your school or club will probably let you borrow a stick to start off with.

Make sure you try a few out so you can decide what suits you best.

Sticks usually weigh around 12-28 ounces and measure between 28ins-36ins in length.

They can cost up to �175 but you needn't spend more than about �10 if you're a beginner.

The type of stick you choose will depend on the type of player you are and the role you play within the team.

The main difference is in the shape of the head - there are three main shapes.

Shorti sticks have a more centred "sweet spot" which means they are ideal for striking the ball.

These are usually preferred by defenders who like to hit the ball hard.

Midi and hook heads are designed for dribbling, reverse stick play and flicking.

Attacking players who like to use a variety of shots usually go for this type.

But there are no hard and fast rules about what kind of stick a player should use. It's all down to personal preference.

Some artificial pitches can have a sandpaper effect on sticks and they'll get worn down with time.

Different materials such as fibreglass and carbon can be used to reinforce a wooden hockey stick.

These will affect the stick's strength and performance.

However, metal must never be used to reinforce a stick.