The game of football is filled with full speed collisions, gang tackles and hard hitting. Football equipment is designed to protect players by absorbing the force of the hits. Players wear special helmets on their heads, a variety of padding from the knees to the shoulders and special shoes all designed to protect them and improve their performance on the gridiron.
Pads
Football players of all levels wear a lot of padding, especially on the upper body. The largest pads are shoulder pads that fit over the head and latch to protect the shoulders, chest and upper back. According to Dick's Sporting Goods, shoulder pads are designed by position and different positions have different pad sizes, styles and thickness.In addition, padding is available for the hips, tailbone, thighs and knees. All of those pads are required for players of high school age and below but many at the college and professional level do not wear leg pads. Leg pads are designed to fit into football pants to make them easier to keep in place.
Helmet
The football helmet is the most well known and probably most important piece of football equipment. Helmets are designed to protect the head and face during play. According to Dick's Sporting Goods, helmets are made of a polycarbonate shell and come with plenty of padding to protect you inside that shell. Helmets have face masks attached to them to protect your face and face mask styles vary, usually depending on personal preference and the position you play. Many players attach a mouthpiece to their helmet to wear during play to protect the teeth. Some players also wear visors on their helmets that are designed to protect the eyes and help a player see during various weather conditions.
Cleats
Football players wear specially designed shoes with spikes known as football cleats. According to Dick's Sporting Goods, football cleats come in high, mid and low tops and cleats can be made of molded plastic or metal. Cleats vary in length based on the field of play, with longer cleats used for long grass and shorter or no cleats used for artificial turf surfaces. High top shoes provide more support, while low-tops are lighter weight and easier to maneuver.
Footballs And Uniforms
The footballs used in the sport are made of leather and most are a standard size except for smaller balls designed for youth play. Various brands and options are available, and balls below the professional level come with two-half white stripes at each end. Players catch these balls wearing uniforms that are made of a mixture of synthetic materials. Uniforms and pants are designed to fit tight, but materials are made so that players still have a good range of motion inside them. Many newer uniforms are now designed to work away moisture, and stay dry and light throughout the course of the game.
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