The Many Uses of a Hockey Stick

I play hockey. It doesn’t really fit with my minimalist or environmentalist values and it sure as hell doesn’t fit with my otherwise frugal lifestyle, but I love the game. 

I’m not perfect, nor am I trying to be. However, I still try to minimize the downside to my hobby. Case in point – hockey sticks.

Hockey sticks break. The expensive ones break and the cheap ones break. It’s just a fact of the game. What doesn’t have to be a fact of the game, however, is that once a hockey stick breaks its life is over. No, there are actually many uses for a hockey stick once it no longer functions for its original purpose.

Perhaps the easiest way to repurpose a hockey stick is to convert it into a walking-stick. I’ve used the sticks as gifts for my friends and family that enjoy hiking. The sticks are strong, but lightweight, and perfect as a walking stick. 

 Most often on my hockey sticks, the blade is the first part to break, which leaves an intact shaft. It’s the easiest thing in the world to turn that hockey stick shaft into a walking stick (if you’re using wooden hockey sticks, at least). Simply cut off the remaining part of the blade, drill a hole in the top end of the shaft, tie a loop of rope in the drilled hole for nice wrist loop and then you’re done.

I’ve used my sawed-off hockey walking sticks while hiking many times and people can’t help but comment on it. Usually when I encounter another hiker, they’ll do a double take and say, “Is that a hockey stick?” and when I confirm that it is, they usually follow up with, “that’s awesome!”

There are a hundred other ways you can use a hockey stick after it no longer works for its original purpose. You could make a chair, or lamp, or bottle opener, to name just a few examples.

-D