It wouldn't be necessary to echo every minor change at lower levels of the sport. Racing is no different. Kids grow up racing karts, then the serious ones maybe move to Formula 3, Formula 2, before (a very select few) move up to F1. The equipment (car) at each of these levels is massively different, but the skills carry over, as they would for hockey, even if the goalie pads weren't identical.
Of course it wouldn't be necessary, but all the incentives are lined up against that happening in sports with millions of players. There's a reason why indoor soccer plays second fiddle to outdoor soccer. People aren't interested in playing sports with transferable skills. They are interested in playing what their idols play. Lacrosse is a prime example. In the US, the outdoor version is vastly more popular than the indoor version. In Canada, it is the exact opposite due to our access to indoor arenas and lack of summer months. To say something is possible without looking at the massive cultural momentum behind something is silly. You call equipment changes minor, but the very first thing hockey players do when they get to a high enough level is remove the cage from the helmet.
