Just because you buy soccer gear doesn’t mean it’s doing you (or your kid) justice on the pitch. It’s important to buy the right equipment for the player based on their needs, age, skill level, and more. This post will examine some common mistakes parents make when buying soccer gear and how they can avoid making them.
1. Buying soccer protective gear that’s too big
Remember, your “little” superstar isn’t going to stay little forever. Limbs and torsos grow, and you get caught off guard when they hit those sudden growth spurts. Of course, the “easy fix” to counteract it is to buy above their actual size. But buying too big is a bad idea.
All that extra space in their goalie gloves, cleats, or whatever it is, can hinder performance or harm your kids. For example, if you buy soccer goalie gloves that are too big, the ball is more likely to slip from your kids’ hands. That means fewer catches and saves, and poorer technique that could lead to finger injuries. Of course, that can throw their performance off mentally.
So, when buying any piece of soccer equipment for your kids, it’s ideal to buy a size that’s no more than slightly above their exact measurements. For best results, refer to a sizing guide for your child’s age or do some of your own measurements.
2. Buying the wrong type of soccer protective gear
Knowing what soccer gear to buy isn’t hard; purchasing the best type of gear, on the other hand, is tricky. Let's go back to goalie gloves as an example. Soccer goalie gloves come in different cuts, each of which can have its own pros and cons for young goalkeepers.
For example, if your child is a beginner soccer goalie, buying them a flat palm cut that doesn’t provide the best feel for the ball could be a mistake. A roll cut may be the better option for young goalkeepers since it helps them develop a better feel for the ball.
Let’s look at another piece of soccer protective gear, a headguard. The wrong headguard may provide insufficient protection against head impacts if it has a poor design, loose fit, or soft materials. The best headguard would be backed by third-party research and safety standard certifications.
3. Overspending on soccer gear
It’s true that when it comes to soccer gear, you do get what you pay for. But after a certain (price) point, that “rule” doesn’t hold much weight. First, your kids will outgrow their gear (except a headguard), so you’ll have to replace it, making it unnecessary to spend a fortune.
The second thing to remember is that higher price points typically correlate with the brand, not necessarily the protective quality of the gear itself. So why pay top dollar for just a name? A slightly higher price tag can be worthwhile if the brand offers patented protective technology. For example, much of the gear features patented technology to help reduce impact forces and prevent turf burn injuries, features you won’t find in other manufacturers’ equipment.
4. Poor quality soccer gear
We touched on the quality issue briefly but should expand on this point a bit. Soccer protective gear that’s of poor quality can mean many things:
- Poor quality fabric
- Poor design
- Poor construction quality.
It’s not often easy to detect these problems in a piece of protective gear; usually, they show up when the gear needs to be thrown out too soon. Signs of poor quality in a piece of equipment typically include:
- Premature tears and rips in the fabric
- Early loss of glove grip and stickiness
- Staining of garments (i.e. jerseys, shorts)
The central theme here is that poor quality gear undergoes wear-and-tear faster than usual.
How to avoid these soccer gear mistakes
How can you avoid making blunders so many parents make when buying soccer gear? The ultimate way to prevent them is to know the gold standard for the particular equipment you want to buy. When purchasing the right gear size, refer to a sizing guide that corresponds with your child’s age and height.
The same goes for the type of gear you will buy for your kids. Some items, such as goalie gloves, are recommended for your child based on age and skill level. When choosing the best quality and best-priced gear, it’s essential to read reviews and do some comparison shopping.
Fortunately, we’ve saved you a lot of trouble when shopping for soccer gear. We’ve created many resources to help you find the best of the best for your kids. We’ve got reviews, comparison guides on products, such as goalie gloves and headgear, and resources to help you measure head and hand size. Our goal is to help your kids become the warriors they were meant to be on the pitch. Nothing less.
Looking for more tips on safety and performance in soccer? Check out our blog for more insights.
Share
Next Up
September 21, 2023
What Types of Collisions Are More Likely to Give You Brain Injuries
September 21, 2023
