Hockey Parents: It's Time to Rethink Your Child's Skate Sharpening
For generations, hockey players have walked into the rink and asked for a 1/2" or 5/8" hollow.
For many coaches, parents, and skate sharpeners, those numbers have essentially become the default.
I think we need to rethink that—especially for young players.
After more than 20 years of developing hockey players, I believe many kids are skating on far too much hollow. And the biggest problem isn't simply that a deep hollow creates more friction and less glide.
It can actually encourage the wrong skating mechanics.
For most young players, I would rather start around a 3/4" Radius of Hollow (ROH) and teach them how to create an edge with their body instead of relying on the skate to create the edge for them.
Then, as players grow, get heavier, stronger, and become more technically proficient, I want to explore moving them toward 1" and potentially even shallower hollows.
The goal isn't maximum bite.
The goal is balance, technique, power, and efficient movement.
What Is Radius of Hollow?
When a hockey skate is sharpened, a concave groove is ground into the bottom of the steel. The radius of that curve is called the Radius of Hollow, or ROH.
The basic concept is simple:
Smaller number = deeper hollow = more bite and less glide.
Larger number = shallower hollow = less bite and more glide.
Generally:
1/2"–5/8" = deep hollow, more bite and less glide
3/4" = moderate hollow, balancing bite and glide
1"–1.5" = shallow hollow, less bite and considerably more glide
One important distinction: hollow and sharpness aren't the same thing.
A properly sharpened 1" blade still has sharp edges. The difference is that the hollow between those edges isn't as deep, so the blade doesn't penetrate the ice as aggressively.
That difference can have a huge effect on how a player skates.
More Bite Isn't Necessarily Better
Hockey has traditionally operated under a simple assumption: More bite must mean better edges.
But an edge isn't something the skate should create for the player. It's something the player should learn to create with the skate.
A deep hollow makes the blade penetrate farther into the ice. That can initially feel secure because the blade grabs easily. But that grip comes with resistance.
The deeper the blade digs into the ice, the more friction the player has to overcome.
For a young player who may only weigh 50, 60, or 70 pounds, that's significant. Instead of gliding across the ice, they're constantly fighting against it.
You often see the results: short, choppy strides, less glide, excessive fatigue, grabby edges, poor balance, and difficulty carrying speed.
But I think an even bigger problem appears when players turn.
Watch What Happens to the Heel in a Turn
This is one of the most important things for parents and coaches to understand.
Watch a young player turn on a deep hollow. Very often, you'll see the player fall backward slightly onto the heel of the blade.
Because the hollow is so aggressive, that heel digs deeply into the ice. Sometimes you can literally see the rut the skate leaves behind.
Once that heel buries itself, the player's weight shifts backward, their balance moves away from the middle of the blade, the skate creates additional resistance, and their speed decreases.
Instead of smoothly carrying momentum through the turn, the player has to fight their way out of it.
That's almost the exact opposite of what we're trying to develop.
I want the player centered over the middle of the blade.
With a shallower hollow, the blade doesn't bury itself as easily. That helps keep the player more centered over the middle of the steel, with the blade riding more on top of the ice rather than cutting a deep trench through it.
Now the player has a better platform underneath them. They're more balanced, they're carrying more speed, and they're in a much better position to generate a powerful exit out of the turn.
A Shallower Hollow Forces Better Technique
This may be the most important argument for using shallower hollows with developing players.
A shallower hollow makes the player become a better skater.
When kids have a tremendous amount of bite underneath them, they can sometimes get away with poor technique. The skate grabs the ice even when their body isn't in the correct position.
Take some of that artificial grip away and the player has to create the edge.
If they want to turn aggressively, they have to lower their center of gravity. They need more knee bend. They have to lean farther onto the edge. They have to remain centered over the blade. They have to control their upper body. And they have to learn how to trust the edge underneath them.
Those are exactly the skating mechanics we're trying to develop.
Knee Bend Changes Everything
Ask almost any skating coach what they want young players to do better and eventually you'll hear: "Bend your knees."
But there's a reason knee bend matters beyond simply looking athletic.
When a player lowers their center of gravity, they become more balanced. More importantly, they gain access to power.
Think about a player entering a turn. Rather than standing tall and allowing a deep hollow to grab the ice for them, I want them to lower into the turn.
Their knees bend. Their center of gravity drops. Their body leans farther inside the turn. Their edge angle increases. Their legs become loaded.
Now they're storing energy. As they complete the turn, they can release that energy and accelerate out of it.
That's what we're trying to create:
Dig → slow down → lose balance → recover.
Versus:
Lower → Lean → Load → Turn → Explode.
That's efficient skating. And the skate sharpening can either help teach that movement—or allow the player to avoid learning it.
Don't Let the Hollow Hide Bad Technique
This is where skate sharpening becomes a player-development decision, not simply an equipment decision.
A deep hollow can sometimes mask technical problems. A player might be standing too tall, sitting back on their heels, or not leaning far enough into their edges. But because the blade is digging aggressively into the ice, they're still able to make the turn.
It appears to work—until they need to skate faster.
I don't want equipment compensating for poor mechanics. I want equipment that encourages better mechanics.
A shallower hollow forces players to learn how to create grip through body position, knee bend, balance, weight transfer, and edge angle.
Once they learn those things, they don't need nearly as much artificial bite.
Why I Like 3/4" for Young Players
If I were starting a young player today, 3/4" would generally be my starting point.
That's very different from the traditional 1/2" or 5/8" recommendation many players still receive.
At 3/4", a young player still has plenty of edge available to learn stopping, turning, crossovers, and other basic skating movements. But the skate isn't grabbing the ice nearly as aggressively.
That allows them to begin developing something equally important: glide.
Young players need to learn what it feels like to move across the ice efficiently. They need to develop balance, knee bend, weight transfer, edge control, stride length, body position, and confidence.
I don't want their skates doing those things for them.
As Players Get Bigger, Move Toward 1"
This is the part that initially seems backward to many hockey parents.
As players become bigger and faster, shouldn't they need more bite? Often, I believe the answer is no.
As a player grows and gets heavier, they're naturally applying more force through the blade and into the ice. A 150-pound Bantam doesn't need the same assistance penetrating the ice as a 55-pound beginner.
At the same time, their skating technique should be improving. They're stronger, have better balance, can create greater edge angles, lean farther into turns, and generate more power.
That's when the benefits of a shallower hollow become even greater.
For many players, Peewee and Bantam are good times to begin experimenting toward approximately 1". Advanced players may eventually be comfortable somewhere between 1" and 1.5".
A general development progression could look like:
Young/beginning player → around 3/4"
Growing Peewee/Bantam → experiment toward 1"
Older/advanced player → 1"–1.5", depending on the individual
These aren't rigid rules. Player weight, strength, skating ability, position, ice conditions, blade profile, and personal preference all matter.
As the player gets better, don't automatically give them more bite. Teach them to create their own edge and give them more access to glide.
What Parents Should Watch For
Instead of asking your child, "Do your skates feel sharp?" watch how they actually move.
During turns, look at their body and their blade. Are they sitting back on their heels? Are they carving deep ruts? Does the heel look like it's anchoring them into the ice? Do they lose speed through turns? Do they have to recover their balance before accelerating?
Or do they stay centered over the blade? Are their knees bent? Are they leaning confidently into the turn? Do they carry speed through it? Can they load their legs and accelerate powerfully out?
The best hollow isn't necessarily the one that feels like it has the most grip. It's the hollow that allows the player to use the best technique.
Signs a Player May Have Too Much Hollow
Watch for: short, choppy strides; difficulty gliding; skates that look "grabby"; heel digging during turns; deep ruts behind the blade; loss of balance through turns; standing tall instead of bending the knees; getting tired unusually quickly; and working extremely hard without generating much speed.
No single symptom proves the hollow is wrong. But if you're consistently seeing several of these things, it's worth experimenting.
"But My Kid Says Their Skates Don't Feel Sharp"
That's completely understandable.
A player accustomed to 1/2" who moves to 3/4" will immediately notice less bite. Move from 3/4" toward 1", and they'll notice it again.
That doesn't mean the blade isn't sharp. They're feeling less penetration into the ice—and that's the point.
Give them some time to adjust. Don't immediately change back after five minutes because the skate "feels different."
Let them learn how to create the edge. Encourage them to get lower, bend their knees, lean, and trust the blade. That's where the development happens.
What to Tell the Skate Sharpener
Don't simply ask for a "regular hockey sharpening." Be specific.
For example: "Please sharpen these at 3/4" ROH." Or: "Please sharpen these at 1" ROH."
Consistency is important. If you're trying to determine how a player responds to a hollow, you need to know they're receiving the same sharpening every time.
And remember that hollow isn't everything. Level edges and blade profile matter too.
You can choose the perfect hollow and still have problems if the edges aren't level or the profile doesn't fit the player.
It's Time to Question Hockey's 1/2" Tradition
A huge percentage of hockey coaches still recommend 1/2" or 5/8".
Why? In many cases, because that's what they used. It's what their coaches told them. And it's what hockey players have been doing for decades.
That doesn't automatically make it the best way to develop today's players.
I'm also not saying nobody should use 1/2" or 5/8". Some players prefer a deep hollow. Some perform extremely well on it.
The problem is treating it as the automatic answer for nearly every kid who walks into a rink.
A 55-pound beginner and a 200-pound adult shouldn't necessarily be sharpening their skates the same way simply because "that's hockey."
We should be willing to experiment. More importantly, we should evaluate the results by watching how the player moves, not by following tradition.
Skate Sharpening Should Help Teach Skating
This is ultimately the philosophy behind all of it.
We're not trying to find the hollow that makes skating easiest for five minutes. We're trying to develop better skaters.
I want young players learning how to use their bodies to create an edge. I want them lowering their center of gravity. I want knee bend. I want balance over the middle of the blade. I want them leaning confidently into turns. I want the legs loaded underneath them. And then I want them exploding out of those turns with speed and power.
The hollow should encourage those mechanics—not replace them.
Don't use the hollow to compensate for poor skating technique. Use the hollow to help develop better skating technique.
Start around 3/4" with young players. As they grow, become heavier, stronger, and technically better, experiment toward 1". Advanced players may find even shallower hollows work extremely well.
Don't chase maximum bite. Chase balance, glide, technique, and power.
Because the real question isn't: "How sharp can we make their skates?"
It's: "What sharpening helps this player become a better skater?"
Read React Hockey — Developing Players. Building People.
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