The choice in football footwear is cleats. Cleats are sports shoes with studs or spikes on the bottom of the shoe. Cleats provide better traction on the football field. Football cleats are specifically designed for the game. Football cleats provide more midsole support than baseball or soccer cleats. Cleats have been around since the early 1800s and have evolved along with the sport.
History
Football gained popularity as a sport in the 1800s England. It was a sport played by teams from local factories and villages. It was an unstructured game and most players' wore hard leather work boots as football shoes. To increase stability on the fields, tacks or metal studs were hammered into the soles of the shoes. Increasing popularity in the game started a shift in football boots. The first cleats were rounded studs hammered into the bottom of the boot. Between 1900 and 1940, the football shoe became lighter and more efficient. Football cleats continued to evolve with the addition of six or seven replaceable studs, which could be changed with varying weather conditions. Football cleats continued to change with the technology creating soles that are more flexible and replacing the traditional cleat with a bladed design covering the sole providing a more stable base.
Types
Position players in football typically favor a particular type of cleat that provides the best performance for their type of play. Three basic types of cleats are available, low-cut models, hi-cut models and mid-cut models. High-tops provide extra ankle support and protect linemen's ankles in lateral movements. Mid-cuts allow for more mobility, but with support around the ankle. Mid-cuts are popular among skill players such as quarterbacks and running backs, according to an article published in the June 16, 2005 issue of "USA Football." Low-cuts are popular with wide receivers and defensive backs because they are lighter, allowing for more speed on the field.
Materials
Cleats are made of various materials such as metal, rubber plastic. Two main designs, studs or spikes, are used depending on whether the game is played on grass or turf. The particular material and design of a cleat has a big impact on a player's performance. Detachable cleats with studs are more versatile and can be changed according to the type of weather. Wet fields use a longer stud, while dry or hard fields use shorter studs. Detachable cleats require more experience to use and more maintenance. Molded rubber cleats are attached to the bottom of the shoe. These are less expensive, more durable and suited for most grass fields.
Regulations
Youth football leagues regulate what types of cleats can be used. Pop Warner football requires molded rubber or detachable rubber cleats only, metal cleats are not allowed. They also regulate the length of ½ inch or less. The NCAA regulations on shoe cleats, Rule 9-2-2-d, bans cleats more than ½ inch in length. One exception to the rule is if the cleat is attached to a 5/32 inch or less raised platform wider than the cleat base and extended across the width within ¼ inch or less to the edge of the sole.
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