Posts Tagged ‘youth football equipment’
December 12th, 2009 | 
Author: Learn about cleats with expert football tips and advice from a former football player in this free American football video clip.
Expert: Vincent Jamal
Bio: Vincent Jamal is a professional football player with seven years of experience in the field. He has spent the last three years playing for the Phoenix Raiders.
Filmmaker: Dustin Daniels
Cleats are important. It’s definitely something that you wanna take care and you wanna have precaution to match your cleat to the conditions that you’ll be playing on.
The condition that we’re on right now is an astro-turf type field and Chris has a molded cleat which is exceptional for these conditions.
The only thing with these is once they start breaking off on the bottom as the shoe gets older, you run the risk of turning an ankle or doing something on an uneven surface. So, this is good but you really wanna be careful what you’re doing.
These, on the other hand, are screw-ins and these are replaceable, so the shoe the doesn’t necessarily have to go once the bottom does. And they screw out easily and in and out. The other thing that you really need to be careful with is the cleat length.
You wanna make that in extremely bad conditions, extremely sloppy and bad footing, you go to a longer cleat. Anytime you go to a longer cleat, you do run the risk of catching your ankle, catching a knee, having bad injuries due to your foot not being able to free itself – whether you’re running and cutting or just being tackled. So make sure you’re careful when you’re selecting your cleat for the conditions of the game.
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Jonquil Sporting Goods’ Craig Brooks shows us how to ensure a proper fit for a youth football helmet.
Transcript is included above the video. I’ve put the transcript in a scrollable box so that you can still watch while reading.
Craig: Thanks Adam.
Adam: Alright, so we’re talking about football helmets. Now, when it gets into any kind of sports equipment, football gear can get kind of complicated, especially for parents who’ve never played but maybe even for dad’s who played football all their lives that don’t really understand how to make sure their kids safe and fitted properly. Most youth league football players have their gear provided for them by the department they play for so, when your kid comes home with a helmet, how do you make sure they’re in the right helmet?
Craig: Well, the biggest thing on helmets of any type of football gear whatsoever is tight. You want everything to fit as tight as it can possibly fit. Um, you know any kind of play in the helmet whatsoever is what’s going to cause concussions. If you’ve got shake in the helmet and you make contact with another player, the helmet is what’s actually hurting your son as opposed to protecting him.
Adam: So when a kid takes his helmet off and you see like, red dots on his head where it was squeezing, that’s a good thing?
Craig: That’s probably a good thing. You know, if he’s coming back with headaches from it just being ya know, so so tight than you know, it can definitely be too tight, but you know, if there are some marks in the hair or something like that, it’s not a bad thing at all.
Adam: Alright, well, why don’t you show us what it is you can do to check. When a kid comes home and puts his helmet on, how can you, as a parent, help check it.
Craig: Well, the first thing I would do is actually make sure the helmet fits properly without jaw-pads. The jaw-pads or often times called ear-pads, are gonna keep the helmet from rocking side to side. I would probably take the jaw-pads out of the helmet, put the helmet on the child and than I’d look for any shake forwards and backwards. Basically what you would wanna do is as soon as your child puts the helmet on, is I would probably, I would look, to make sure that the helmet wrinkles up in his forehead as he does his head up. I would hold the facemask like this. As his head comes up I would make sure that you see some sort of wrinkles as, as like the helmets almost sticking to his head. And then, as he comes up, slowly release. The same going the other direction. I would probably put the helmet on his head. As his face comes downward, you probably wanna see his eyebrows kinda pull up and then release. Now, if he puts it on and he goes up and all it does is wrinkle and never release or the other way around, it never, it can never go down and release out of the helmet, than it’s too tight in the forehead. Most helmets are going to have some kind of sizing mechanisms, take Schutt for instance. This is the helmet we carry. Obviously there’s a ton of brands of helmets to buy out there. But we’re very satisfied with this brand. They have a front sizer. This helmet, where you have a small, medium, and a large and an extra large helmet, you actually have three sizes of front sizers. So this can be changed. The helmet comes standard with a 7/8’s, so basically like a medium, so you can make it tight, bigger, or skinnier depending on the fit of the helmet.
Adam: Alright, what about the fit of the air portion there. The air tube lookin’ thing.
Craig: The air bladder in this particular helmet is called the youth advantage. This helmet you would want to have absolutely zero air in the helmet whatsoever. Fit the helmet to the child. Once it fits his head properly, then you would put air into the helmet only to fill the negative space. You would basically, if this helmet, if this helmets fit right, you could basically knife through or razorblade through this bladder and he would still be safe. The air bladder, again, is just a precautionary more safety and you know, again it’s just filling the empty space, the negative space inside of the helmet.
Adam: Alright, so once you got that fit front to back, then how do you do it side to side?
Craig: Front. Once the front to backs right, then you wanna put the jaw-pads in the helmet. Most jaw pads are universal jaw pads, by that I mean theirs no left and rights. They should snap into the helmet pretty easily, normally three snaps like so and so once you get these on, this is actually what’s going to make the helmet difficult to take on and off for a young child. The bad news is the older people; the adults, the college kids, the high school kids, they’ve hit puberty, their jaws have formed, they’ve got these big fat jaws, so they could put really really skinny jaw pads in their helmet and it still fits good. The bad news is; little guys are skinny in the face, so their heads are actually bigger than their jaws are. So, the jaw pads tend to be very, very thick. Putting it on, you’re going to see tears lots of times, you’re gonna see, I mean, it’s really gonna be a struggle putting on and taking off the helmet. But, once you got the helmet on with the jaw pads, basically wanna look (and I don’t even know if this is gonna fit me). Alright, you basically wanna look, you wanna hold the face mask in the front, let them turn their helmets side to side. If he turns his head to the right, back to the left and you don’t get any space between the jaw and the jaw pad, than it fits fine.
Craig: Now do you wanna hold the face mask while they’re turning their head?
Adam: Hold the face mask and let ‘em turn their head. Kinda turn into that pad and as space shows, you probably wanna go thicker in a jaw pad. Again, most helmets come with one inch jaw pads, ten to at least say the ten and under child usually needs a thicker jaw pad than that. I tend to put the inch and a quarter size pad and that’s gonna make it fit a lot better.
Craig: Alright, talk to me about the differences in chin straps. You have two different types of chin straps here.
Adam: Alright, most helmets are gonna standard with a cloth or leather chin strap. This is a leather chin strap. Offers basically the minimal protection. It’s gonna hold the helmet from going up and down, back and forth anything like that. But again, you’re fairly exposed to any damage, any hand or elbow or anything like… Then there is the hard cup style chin straps, which basically the same fit and functionality as far as holding the helmet onto the child’s head, but what it does offer is just a little bit of padding. And it keeps any fist that comes in here or any elbow or even knee for that matter that comes flying up. Keeps his chin protected.
Adam: Alright, is there a difference in using the high snap or the low snap?
Craig: Their is a difference in that. A lot of times, especially (for) the older guys, it becomes a matter of personal preference. A lot of quarterbacks, a lot of guys that are constantly messing with their chin strap, often times it’s easier for them to take it off on the two lower snaps. However, for the young guys, I do recommend to use the high snap chin strap. Both of these happen to be high. The proper way to fit this is…the chin strap actually goes on the inside of the face mask. Lots of times you’ll see people coming out through the eye-hole here and snapping it. It should go through the inside, and the upper snap will stay snapped. Once it’s properly adjusted the upper snap will stay snapped all the time and the lower back snap will be the only one the child takes off. So, he’ll take this on and off and let the chin strap hang in front of his face when he takes the helmet on and or off. Basically, the reason why I like this for the younger guys is again going back to the puberty conversation. The child’s chin hasn’t really formed yet so often times their chin doesn’t even stick out past the bottom of the helmet. The high chin strap tends to go up into the helmet better than the low chin strap goes, often times the low chin strap pulls tight at the very edge of the helmet and doesn’t get up in there and so often times he has space in between his chin and the chin strap.
Adam: Cause it has to go over the lip…
Craig: Right. Because it has to go over this lip where this is coming in here and around the backside.
Adam: That makes a lot of sense. I never thought about that. You stump me on football, you’ve done something Mr. Brooks.
Alright, well, that’s a lot of great information, any questions…leave ‘em for Craig and we’ll do everything that we can do to get them answered. Thank so much.
Craig: Thank you, sir.
Adam: That’s gonna do it for us today. We look forward to seeing you right back here next time for another great addition of ClubHouseGAS
It’s game day and your packing your gear up. Football helmet, Football shoulder pads, football pants, football pads, football neck roll, you see where I’m going with this.
What about your cleats?
Before you even just grab your cleats, you had better check the weather first. What kind of ground will you be playing on? Don’t think it matters?
What I am leading up to is that all players, regardless of the position they play, should have three types of cleats at their disposal.
- Soft ground cleats – These cleats are made for wet weather when it is expected that the ground will be soft and muddy. These cleats are almost always made out of metal and very easy to replace, and believe me, you will need to replace these.
- Firm ground cleats – Made for firm, natural, and drier grounds.
- Hard ground cleats – Made for hard natural surfaces.
Now, you probably won’t need three pairs of shoes, as most cleats are detachable and can be swapped out. Although, having three pairs of shoes suited for each scenario isn’t a bad idea. You sacrifice a bit of quality when you have detachable cleats instead of one solid piece of machined or molded sole.
So back to my list of 5 ways to use your head when you buy football cleats.
- Know the rules! Seriously, check with your league to get an idea of what type of cleats are allowed. Some leagues vehemently prohibit the use of metal cleats and only allow for molded or detachable rubber cleats. Even further, there are cleat length rules like some leagues that prohibit cleats longer than a 1/2″ in length. Make sure you’re well aware of league limitations before you invest in yoru cleats.
- Once you know your leagues rules, you need to know what position you will be playing. In youth leagues, especially if your particular skills have not yet been discovered or you have no preference yet, you might wanna just go for a mid sized top as they offer good support and good mobility. However, if you know what position you will be playing, what and how you buy are going to be more focused. For example:
- High Top cleats – these extend above your ankle to provide extra support. Many linemen wear high-tops because the extra ankle support helps them with their lateral movement and keeps their feet steady when they are taking on the weight of a block. Lineman, go for high tops.
- Mid Top cleats – these offer more support than low-cut models, but allow more ability to maneuver than high-top cleats. Mid-cuts are the most common cleats, and are especially popular with “skill positions,” like quarterbacks and running backs. It is the right choice for a youth player looking for a good all-around shoe.
- Low-cuts – lightweight cleats that sacrifice support for a lighter feel. They are favored by wide receivers and defensive backs, positions that benefit from being able to run fast without the feet being weighted down.
Once you know the position you’ll be playing, you have a basis for the style of cleat you’re going to be looking for.
- Realize how cleats differ – Cleats made for different sports emphasize support in different areas based on the playing style of the sport. “Football cleats give you more support in the midsole than soccer or baseball cleats,” says Joseph Skiba, equipment manager for the New York Giants. “This helps with lateral movement and with things like taking hits or making tackles.” With a sturdier feel than a soccer cleat, football cleats keep your feet and ankles from turning. This allows for quick movements and helps keep your feet under you when tackling, blocking or taking hits.
- What kind of studs / spikes should you get? There are two main types of studs or spikes that can go on the sole of your cleat. Most are designed for a specific purpose, like playing on grass or turf, or a combination of both. The type of field you will usually be playing on may influence what type of cleat you choose.
Molded cleats are permanently attached to the shoe’s bottom. They are usually made of rubber and are generally less expensive than detachable (removable) cleats. Many youth football leagues require players to wear molded cleats, an all-around cleat suitable for most grass fields.
Detachable cleats use studs that can be removed and replaced, allowing you to change the studs based on the field conditions. Detachable cleats often require a wrench for removing and adding the studs, which can be made out of rubber, hard plastic or metal. On a hard, dry field you might add shorter cleats. On a wet field, you might add longer cleats. Detachable cleats require more maintenance, and it takes experience to know which type of studs you should wear on different playing surfaces. For that reason, they are usually recommended for older, more experienced players. - The level of care and maintenance – Cleats, like other shoes, need to be broken in. “Cleats feel better the more they are worn,” says Joseph Skiba, the New York Giants’ equipment manager. “We get a lot of [pro players] complaining about their shoes, and often the problem is that they just keep on wearing new pairs. The more you break it in, the better it will feel.”
It is also recommended you keep an eye on the condition of your spikes. “With both molded and detachable cleats, make sure to check them frequently to see how much they are wearing down and if they are wearing in an even way. If any spike is wobbly, or very worn down, you need a replacement.” Do not practice or play on wobbly or worn-down spikes.
With proper care, your cleats can last a long time. Avoid walking on concrete or asphalt to keep your cleats from grinding down or eating away at the plastic coating on some screw-in cleats. Remember to buy an extra set of laces when you buy your cleats and have them with you at games and practices. If your cleats are made of leather, use mink oil or another waterproofing product to help protect the cleats from rain and snow. Use a specialized cleat cleaner or a brush to remove mud and dirt from your cleats.
I hope this gives you a good idea of how and where to start when purchasing football cleats.
Check back later for my personal recommendations and don’t forget to subscribe to my feed!
These pieces of padding offer the ultimate in burner and stinger protection.
They have the esteemed bragging rights of being developed by Division I-A football equipment managers.
As usual, these attach securely and comfortably to the shoulder pads.
You can use butterfly restrictors as stand alone pieces of equipment or use them with a paid of side rolls for an ultimate level of stability.
Safetys and running backs can wear these and rest assured that there neck will be a heck of a lot less likely to snap backwards, resulting in a serious neck injury.
These pieces come in pairs.
They go over the shoulder pad neck roll on each side to offer additional neck protection by keeping the head and neck stable from the left and right sides.
As all other restrictor pieces meant to prevent burners, these attach securely to the shoulder pad neck roll which attaches to the shoulder pad.
Used in conjunction with neck rolls and neck roll restrictors, you will have optimum stability while still allowing free movement.
The key here is to keep the head from bouncing or snapping suddenly in any single direction while still allowing the player the freedom to move their head as they need.
Lateral restrictors, when used properly, do just that.
Back to “How to Prevent Burners in Football“
Yea, your shoulder pads suck if they don’t follow some simple rules.
When speaking about football equipment, one of the first things that come to mind, second only to football helmets, are the shoulder pads. Unless you think you’re funny or you’re just some pervert, in which case you would blurt out jockstraps.
Either way, when thinking about the shoulder pads, one would only consider it’s function of protecting the shoulders from all of those cracks and crashes on the field.
As outlined in some other posts of mine, the shoulder pad also can function as a stabilizer for the helmet when used in conjunction with various restrictors.
The shoulder pads, when closely looked at, carries many different intricate details in it’s make-up. For starters, the shoulder pad has a hard plastic shell with foam padding underneath. The pads fit over the shoulders and the chest and rib area, and are secured with various snaps, buckles, straps and ties.
Take a look:
Pictured above is the Schutt Y Flex Youth All-Purpose Football Shoulder Pad. A great purchase for your youngster, especially if he doesn’t want shoulder pads that suck.
What to look for when purchasing shoulder pads:
1) Shoulder pads that allow free movement- The last thing you need or your child needs is to be cramped up on the field. People will be coming at you from all angles and you need to be able to move. Do not overlook this. Just because your pads are stiff does not mean you’ll be safer.
2) Comfortable- If I’m going to be out there for a couple hours, my heaviest piece of padding had better be comfortable. I’m sure some of you might disagree as some of you might want be reminiscent of the early days of football. For you, I urge you, until you strap on your moleskin helmet ala Admiral Reeves and hit the field, shut your mouths, you posers.
3) Excellent protection- DUH. This is the main qualifier in this list. You can throw all of the other points in this list in sacrifice for this one. Don’t waste your time searching for a comfortable set of shoulder pads only to find out they’re comfortable because they offer crap protection. Unless of course various trips to the ER for head, neck, shoulder, and chest injuries are your thing.
4) High quality- Yes, the old saying is true. You get what you pay for and I can guarantee that a good trusted brand of shoulder pads are going to be of better quality than the no-name set of shoulder pads you found at Wal-Mart.
5) Lightweight- The shoulder pads are already the heaviest piece of equipment in your locker, try not to make this any worse than it needs to be.
6) Price- If you can find a set of shoulder pads for roughly $100 that match all of the above criteria, you found a good investment.
To wrap this all up, shoulder pads need to essentially do 2 things:
1) Absorb shock on impact.
2) Distribute the shock across the larger area of the shoulder pads so the impact isn’t exclusive to one spot.
Find a pair of shoulder pads that meet up to the criteria I outlined above and you will have a good set of shoulder pads that do the above two necessary jobs.
The neck roll restrictor or “neck roll” is an added layer of protection which attaches to the shoulder pad neck roll as well as the shoulder pads.
Optimal stability is found with this extra piece added onto the neck roll.
It is highly recommended these two pieces are used together at all times during any type of play (practice and regular games).
The neck roll restrictor comes in handy especially during side collisions on the field.
This piece of football equipment will help to keep the neck and head stabilized during sudden impacts.
Neck injuries on the football field are common place and the most serious of which can injure the spine.
Prevention of such crippling injuries can be found with neck roll restrictors when used properly and fastened securely.
Just as the shoulder pad neck roll attaches, the neck roll restrictor attaches much the same way.
Typical set-ups include strings to tie onto the shoulder pad neck roll and shoulder pads, but newer models come with snap fasteners.
These pieces of equipment can range in price from $25 at some places to $150 for more advanced padding’s which help restrict lateral movement.
Defensive ends are known to where these, including Baltimore Ravens defensive end; Terrell Suggs.
Back to “How to Prevent Burners in Football“