Summer Sports Equipment for Kids
Essential Gear for Soccer & Baseball
Do you remember the first time you played catch with your dad? Or the day you scored your first soccer goal?
Team sports are a big part of a child's social and physical development, and slipping into that team jersey and gearing up for an afternoon of Baseball or soccer is a summer pleasure that your kids will remember for a lifetime.
Finding the right equipment can have a big impact on the pleasure our kids get from the sport so keep reading for a ton of useful tips on gearing your kids up for the summer sporting season. After all, good equipment will go a long way to helping improve performance, and enhancing the safety of your little ones all summer long!
Safety First!
Kitting your kids out in the appropriate gear will help ensure their safety. Read on for equipment checklists and safety advice:
Soccer
Season
- Spring: May/June
- Summer: July/August/September
Equipment Checklist
- Goalie: goalie gloves, goalie pants/shorts, soccer shorts, goalie jersey, cleats, shin guards, soccer socks
- Regular Players: cleats, shin guards, soccer socks, jersey, soccer shorts
- Equipment: practice goal, field cones
Safety
Shin pads are the only specific requirement, but it's recommended that goalies wear padded pants to protect the hip, thigh, and knee when diving for the ball.
Cleats, Shin Pads, & Gloves
- How to buy soccer cleats:
- Consider the playing surface: there are different shoes/cleats for indoor and outdoor purposes
- Cleats should fit snugly
- Don't try to accommodate growth spurts as shoes that are big will cause blisters
- Be sure to measure the true fit by trying cleats with shin pads and socks
- Remember that leather stretches and moulds to the foot
- Rubber studs are regulation for most youth leagues
- How to buy shin pads for soccer:
- With or without ankle sleeves?
- Ankle sleeves provide additional protection for the ankle and are generally more effective at holding the pad in place. They are considered the best bet for young players because they provide best protection for their skill level.
- Guards without ankle sleeves are lighter, less restrictive and on the whole, more comfortable. They are also usually less expensive and rely on socks to hold them in place, which means they are less protective than guards with ankle sleeves.
- Shin guards should never cover more than ¾ of the shin
- How to buy goalie gloves for soccer:
- Grip: smooth foam generally grips better than dimpled foam
- Cushioning: thicker glove material and gripping foam absorbs the sting of a hard kicked ball a little better than thinner materials
- Wrist support: wide wrist straps provide support and can prevent injury
- Fit: is a personal preference from goalie to goalie but the gloves should at least be snug enough that the hands don't move around in them
Balls & Nets
- How to select a soccer ball:
- Outer cover – PVC or Polyurethane?
- PVC covered balls are cheap and perfectly adequate for younger players. These balls are light and more durable than polyurethane balls.
- Polyurethane replaced leather outer covers. It provides a softer touch and is less water absorbent than leather was
