Left-handed or right-handed hockey stick: how to tell

A left-handed hockey stick means you hold it with your left hand lower on the shaft and the blade curving to suit that grip. Right-handed is the mirror. The quickest way to tell: hold a stick or a broom the way that feels natural and see which hand ends up on the bottom. That bottom hand names the stick.

Top hand, bottom hand

Both hands work, but they do different jobs. The top hand steers and does most of the fine control. The bottom hand slides and adds power. On a left-handed stick the left hand is the lower one. On a right-handed stick the right hand is lower. The blade curve is built to match, which is why a lefty and a righty are not interchangeable.

Two quick tests

• The broom test: grab a broom to sweep without thinking about it. Whichever hand sits lower is your bottom hand, and that is your stick.
• The push test: have someone gently push you from behind. The foot you catch yourself with and the natural hand position often line up with your comfortable side.

Handedness does not always follow the hand you write with. Plenty of right-handed people shoot left. Go by what feels natural on the stick, not by your pen.

Still not sure?

Try both if you can. Beginners sometimes take a shift or two to feel it. Once a grip clicks, stick with it, because switching later means relearning your shot. Every Maila comes left-handed or right-handed at the same price, so the choice costs you nothing but a minute of thought.

Sorted? Shop hockey sticks and pick your side and your color. New to all of this? Start with how to choose a hockey stick.