Soccer is a fun and exciting game that can be played by both men and women. It involves successfully kicking the ball into your opponent’s goal to score a point. Unlike football and ice hockey that entails you to wear a type of gear from head to foot, soccer only requires you to get a few pieces of equipment. Nevertheless, properly gearing up for a soccer game is important to keep yourself safe during the game. Here are the gears you need to have for playing soccer:
- Soccer cleats. Different sports require different types of shoes. For soccer, you have to wear soccer cleats to ensure that you perform your best in each soccer game you play. Soccer cleats have soles that are specifically designed to move around the field without slipping. Soccer cleats come in various styles. Each style is made to cater to the different conditions of the field (muddy, soft ground, or hard ground). But, if buying different styles of soccer cleats doesn’t fit your budget, your best bet is to purchase a 12-cleat bladed or molded shoe, as it is the most well-rounded soccer-cleat shoe style.
- Shin guards. Sometimes during the intensity of a game, a fellow soccer player can accidentally kick you on your shins. This can lead to an injury that can force you to sit out the game. To prevent this from happening to you, make sure to equip yourself with a shin guard every time you play soccer—may it be during practice or at the actual game. Choose a shin guard that fits your needs and the position on the team that you’re playing. If you’re a midfielder, for instance, you should select a shin guard that is light, yet offers good protection. A pair of shin guards made of fiberglass fits this description. Aside from choosing shin guards that suits you, you should also make sure to select the correct size of shin guard for your legs. Measure the length of your shin from the top of your shoes to the bottom of your knees. The size of your shin guards should fall around that size.
- Socks. Aside from keeping your feet dry, socks protect your feet from bruises and shock and hold your shin guards up during soccer games. Because of these, it is crucial to choose socks that have good wicking, padding, and thickness. If the weather is cold, you should purchase socks made of nylon or cotton to keep your feet warm. Otherwise, buy acrylic or spandex socks to keep your feet from sweating. Make sure to buy knee-length socks so that they can cover up your shin guards.
- Soccer uniform. Ask your team on whether someone will be supplying your team’s uniform. If your team decides to let each player purchase their own jersey and shorts, make sure to ask the color of jersey and shorts to buy. Otherwise, ask your team how much you have to pay for the uniform, when will you have to pay, and when will you expect to have the uniform. For your apparel during practices, you can wear gym shorts and t-shirt.
In buying soccer cleats, make sure to bring with you the socks and shin guards you’re going to use in playing soccer. In this way, you wouldn’t make a mistake in choosing the soccer cleats’ size. Also, before buying soccer cleats, test first how the soccer cleats feel on your feet by walking around the shoe store in it.
