When it comes to fashion and sports, almost everyone has heard the phrase; “If you look good, you play good.”
Nowadays, this is taken to the fullest length.
In football, there is plenty of extra equipment that can help with your performance on the field. There are arm sleeves that save you from turf burns, helmets that can help prevent head injuries, and mouthguards that protect your teeth.
What do all of these things have in common other than to keep the player safe? They are extremely customizable.
The bright colors, the intimidating look, all factors that make players feel good when they play on the field. Throughout the last couple of years, there have been more and more ways to express yourself with your equipment.
This is no exception to high school football. Players around the team wear whatever they need to feel ready for game day.
One of the more popular equipment pieces among players are arm sleeves. They help to make sure that the player is safe from turf burns, caused when limbs create too much friction with the playing surface. These are used for multiple purposes, other than preventing turf burns. Inside linebacker Jack Ryan wears them on both of his arms, for looks, and for safety purposes.
“I wear them for looks and so I don’t get any turf burns,” Ryan said.
Another popular choice for equipment is tape. This includes wrist tape, ankle tape, and turf tape.
Wrist tape and turf tape are used to prevent the previously mentioned turf burn. The ankle tape (also known as “spats”) helps with keeping ankles straight.
Running back Jaylen Mack uses all three of these to his advantage.
“I wear turf tape and wrist tape for a mix of protection on my arms and legs from turf burn. I wear ankle spats because I have ankle stability problems,” Mack said.
Health wise, the most important part of the football uniform is the helmet. It is necessary for players to wear them because of the head trauma that could be caused by playing football.
Helmets significantly reduce the stress the head goes through when playing. Even these helmets are customizable. Players throughout the eagles’ team wear different helmet models to fit their heads. Some of the most popular helmet models among players include the Riddell SpeedFlex, Riddell Axiom, and the Schutt F7. Players can also wear visors to add an extra layer of protection for their eyes.
