At this age, we would likely recommend wood as a youth player doesn't really need the performance of a composite goalie stick yet. It doesn't mean they shouldn't use a composite, but wood will be slightly more durable than a composite stick will be, regardless of how much water it gets exposed to. For hockey players (not goalies), wood is becoming almost obsolete. This is different for goalies - some wood sticks can be at parity or even outperform some composite sticks, so their presence is still pretty important to goalies. You will find youth-sized wood goalie sticks from all the top brands such as Bauer, CCM, Sher-Wood, Vaughn and many more. For some quick and helpful fitting guidance, check out our guide to choosing a goalie stick.