What underwear to wear when playing ice hockey is a fairly personal choice. It's pretty cold in an ice rink, so most players wear a T-shirt plus thermal underwear or light sweat pants. You should wear what makes you comfortable. Hockey is an intense physical workout, so you'll be generating lots of heat and sweat. Your underwear will end up soaked at the end of a game, so you will want something that will draw the moisture away from your body and not leave you chilled.

Hockey jocks and undershorts come in boy's Small, Regular, and Large and men’s Small, Medium, and Large sizes.

Whatever your other underwear choices, you must wear a jock and cup. If you don’t wear your cup, you will get hit in the groin. If you do wear it, it won't happen—or you might not notice. I recommend the Bauer, Bike or the Banana cups: they’re the most roomy and best contoured. Even a boy who hasn’t reached puberty yet must wear a jock and cup. A blow to the testicles can be terribly painful—and a cup is the best protection.

If you're a woman, get a pelvic protector. Cooper, WSI, Itech and some other manufacturers are now making “Jills” for women.

There are two sizes of cups: men’s and boy’s. Jock straps are sized according to waist size: boy’s small, regular, and large; men’s small, medium, and large.

Some players play without socks on their feet; others like them. Socks add to the padding provided by the skates and absorb sweat.

After a game, throw your underwear into the laundry; the sooner that gets washed, the happier your Mom or roommate will be. It may be convenient to get two sets of underwear.