Mechanical properties of hockey sticks: practical introduction to elasticity

Abstract An ordinary ice hockey stick is nowadays a sophisticated product made of composite material. In this article, we describe a simple measurement of the mechanical properties of hockey sticks using the three-point flexural test. This experiment can be used to support teaching about elasticity. We show how the properties of a hockey stick change after its repair and how these mechanical properties can be easily modelled using computer software, which can be a first introduction to the finite element method.