Ready to Buy Football Equipment?
This blog post is intended, mostly, for parents who are just getting their kids into tackle football. There are certain suggestions that impact more experienced players or those who are switching teams as well.
Youth tackle football practices will begin within the next month. If your kids are new to tackle football, buying equipment is very exciting, especially if they’ve watched football on televison. Don’t get ahead of yourself on buying the equipment though. The first thing you should do is talk to your son’s football coach to find out what the team requires from it’s players.
You will have some very important considerations:
The team colors can have an effect on some of the accessories that you purchase such as : helmets, gloves, and cleats. Your child’s helmet can be specific in color so find this out before you buy. Also, helmets can have many upgrades, mostly in the area of protection from head injuries. Gloves and cleats don’t have to match the uniforms, but if you have a choice why not go for a matching color. Remember it’s not only important how they play, but they must look mahvelous (thanks, Billy Crystal).
The position your child plays can impact the shoulder pads that they wear as they get older. If they are going to play a line position, the pads should be more protective. At skill positions, players need to have flexibility in their pads so they can lift their arms up high for a pass. As your kids get older, you should have a pretty good idea of their position, although this can change at any age.
The coach of your team may have an arrangement with selected stores for your purchases. If they don’t and you want to save money, you may want to check into a store that sells used equipment. This is your choice, but I always error on the side of good protective equipment. By the way, I’ve had good luck buying equipment online, in many cases you can save many and get more options.
If you purchase visors for helmets, be aware that leagues may prohibit dark colors. This is for the safety of your child because, if there is an injury the attending coach/caregiver will need to see your child’s eyes to make an informed decision as to how to care for your child.
Football is almost here. Can you feel it!
