Getting Ready for Soccer

by Phil Stott

With the fall soccer season starting any day now (if it hasn't already), I thought I'd take the opportunity to offer a few words of wisdom on outfitting your child. Hopefully they're not too late and, even if they are for this year, there's always next season!

One of the benefits of soccer-and it's something that's struck me more than once in the 20+ years I've been playing the game-is that you don't need much in the way of equipment. Once you've got a ball, some cleats, and a pair of shin guards, you've got pretty much everything the pros have. Having said that, it's still possible to spend way more than you need when outfitting a child for the coming season. Part of the aim of this guide is to make sure you don't do that.

The ball

Those of us who have been playing the game for a while know the difference between a 32-panel stitched leather ball and the top-flight, seamless synthetic numbers the pros use (with this being the current holder of the "daddy-of-them-all" title). A 5-year old learning the game will not. A 12 year old who's been playing the game for a few years might know the theory, but it won't matter; the top-of-the-line technologies only benefit the best players in the world. How much truer do you want a shot that only travels 30 feet to fly?

Aside from the cost, the major thing you want to keep in mind when selecting a soccer ball for a child is size. Adult-sized balls (no giggling at the back!) are marked with a 5, with size 4's being appropriate for those between 8 and 12. Under 8's, meanwhile, will probably fare best with a size 3.

The cleats

It's difficult to know what to recommend with cleats, because once you achieve basic functionality, the rest is about personal style. The kids' models I've seen range as high as $80, but there are perfectly serviceable models out there for as little as $15. Just make sure they fit-a cleat that's too big will only impair your child's ability to control the ball (because they won't be able to feel it). Also, be sure to find out where they'll be playing the majority of their soccer-turf fields require a very different cleat than a soft grass field. But don't be pressured into buying a whole new pair of cleats for a single game on a different surface-turf shoes will work just fine on grass provided it isn't too slippy, while running shoes also work in a fix for turf.

Shin guards

The cheapest thing you'll have to buy, but essential for keeping your child's legs safe from all those other flailing limbs out there. There's really only one choice to make when picking a shin guard: ankle guards or no? As someone with a history of ankle problems, I like the extra feeling of security I get from the models that have an ankle guard attached to the shin portion. It also stops the shin guard from moving as much when you run. Best bet: get your kid to try a couple of pairs on and see what they like-some will be put off by the additional bulk around their ankle, or the strap on their foot.

Extras

Times have certainly changed from when I was learning to play the game. Back in the day, you took your cleats to games in a grocery bag inside your school backpack, and hoped you remembered your shin guards into the bargain. These days, there are specially-designed backpacks that even have carrying pouches for the ball-perhaps the only "must-have" additional item I've come across, if only to ease organizational headaches for parents. That's not to say, however, that there aren't other things that would be a good idea. A cheap ball-pump is a must, as are the thickest-soled socks you can find-in soccer cleats you need all the cushioning you can get. All the costly practice aids out there, however-the balls on strings, the boards to bounce a ball off, the goal for the back yard-can be replaced by one simple thing: the side of a house and a touch of imagination.