A hockey-stick includes a blade and a shaft. The blade includes a heel region, a toe region spaced longitudinally from the heel region, and a mid-region located between the heel region and the toe region. The blade optionally also includes a hosel to which the shaft is attached. One or more tuning rods or similar structures are positioned in the blade to increase the blade's stiffness to substantially match the stiffness of the shaft. The tuning rods are optionally located in the mid-region of the blade and may extend into the hosel and, in some cases, into the shaft or the toe region.

This disclosure relates to a ball comprising a core and a porous structure encompassing the core. The porous structure comprises a plurality of perforations in its outer surface, which are connected with a plurality of hollow confined spaces within the porous structure allowing a liquid to be at least partly absorbed by the hollow confined spaces upon contact of the ball with the liquid. A shell with shell perforations encompasses the porous structure. The ball comprises control means for controlling the absorption of liquid by the ball and the release of absorbed liquid from the ball.

A construct for a hockey stick that includes a shaft having with variable cross-sectional geometry. The shaft may include one or more portions with pentagonal and heptagonal cross-sections that increase the bending stiffness of the hockey stick shaft.

Systems and methods for sensing and monitoring various athletic performance metrics, e.g., during the course of a game, a practice, a training session, training drills, and the like, are described. These systems and methods can provide useful metrics for players and coaches relating to athletic performances in various sports, including various team sports.

A protective non-helmeted single molded facemask for sports includes a frame structure formed of a polycarbonate polymer and an integrally molded rigid eye shield formed of a transparent polycarbonate polymer composition. The peripheral frame structure is structured and configured to engage a user's forehead, side and cheek facial structure and chin. An arrangement of vertical and horizontal bars in the lower portion of the face area of the facemask are structured and configured to protect the users nose and mouth from direct contact with external objects, while the rigid eye shield on the upper face area of the facemask protects the users eyes from direct impact and contact with external objects. Upper and lower straps extend from slotted openings on the sides of the facemask and are positioned and arranged to extend around the lower back of the wearer's head to secure the facemask on the wearer's head.

A protective non-helmeted single molded facemask for sports includes a frame structure formed of a polycarbonate polymer and an integrally molded rigid eye shield formed of a transparent polycarbonate polymer composition. The peripheral frame structure is structured and configured to engage a user's forehead, side and cheek facial structure and chin. An arrangement of vertical and horizontal bars in the lower portion of the face area of the facemask are structured and configured to protect the users nose and mouth from direct contact with external objects, while the rigid eye shield on the upper face area of the facemask protects the users eyes from direct impact and contact with external objects. Upper and lower straps extend from slotted openings on the sides of the facemask and are positioned and arranged to extend around the lower back of the wearer's head to secure the facemask on the wearer's head.

A hockey stick blade cover comprises a viscoelastic sleeve that may be coupled to a hockey stick blade, wherein a friction force between the viscoelastic sleeve and the hockey stick blade retains the viscoelastic sleeve on the blade. The viscoelastic sleeve comprises a self-healing material. In some embodiments, the sleeve comprises a vitrimer elastomer. In some embodiments, the sleeve comprises a composite material, such as including one or more selected from a group of natural fibers, synthetic fiber, boron nitride nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. The hockey stick blade cover is typically attached to the hockey stick blade by expanding the viscoelastic sleeve, sliding the expanded viscoelastic sleeve over the blade, from the toe of the blade toward the heel of the blade, and then releasing the viscoelastic sleeve, thereby allowing the viscoelastic sleeve to contract. A pre-taped hockey stick comprises a viscoelastic wrap that is pre-coupled to the blade.

A blocker for a hand of a goalie that is designed to be more comfortable and adjustable, including to enhance flexion and extension of fingers of the goalie's hand. The blocker may comprise: a glove configured to receive the goalie's hand and comprising finger portions configured to receive fingers of the goalie's hand; a blocking member disposed over the glove and configured to block a puck or ball; a finger-protecting member disposed between and movable relative to the blocking member and respective ones of the finger portions and configured to protect respective ones of the goalie's fingers that are received in the respective ones of the finger portions; and a connector connecting the finger-protecting member to a given one of the finger portions.

Disclosed is an elastic exercise strap with a gripping portion that merges into a loop or aperture. The strap can be connected to a sports helmet by threading the extended gripping portion around a part the helmet and then inserted through the loop or aperture. By pulling on the attached strap the neck muscles can be exercised.

A sport training apparatus, such as for hockey or soccer (e.g. football) having an elongated base member and one or more stick members coupled to the elongated base member. One or more support members extend from under the elongated base member to rest on a training surface. A projectile, such as a puck, may pass under the elongated base member. The stick members may have an angle from about 0-degrees to about 180-degrees with respect to the elongated base member.