Fall football must haves

Whether you are a college football player, just play for fun, or enjoy watching the big game with your buddies there is something here for you.

Protective gear

Let’s face it, you are going to need a lot of protection, which means a lot of gear. The basics will include a helmet, shoulder padding, leg padding, and of course you can’t forgot about a jockstrap. Helmets and shoulder padding are required to play in any organized teams. Some teams or organizations will lend you a set, such as a school team. However,  it would be beneficial to invest in your own helmet and padding. It is important to find the right fit for you which would be more comfortable than say a set lent to you by an organization. Having your own equipment that is fitted for you and you feel comfortable wearing could make a difference in a game. A company that really stands out for protective football gear is Riddell. You will be able to find what you need at any level of budget: all you have to do is take some time to look.

Some Riddell Gear

You will may also want to consider gear like football gloves for extra protection and grip on the ball (make sure they are designed for football, some brands to look for would be Nike, Adidas, Reebok). You may even consider knee and ankle support such as an ACE bandage for extra protection against strains but these are not a necessity.

Clothing

One thing you are going to want to have is a couple pairs of will be football jersey. Not only can you support your favorite team and player, but you can also have a piece of clothing that will fit over your padding. Make sure that you know what size of jersey you will need because it will have to fit over your padding.

Some Football Jerseys

You will need to have pants that are designed for football players. These pants are designed to allow for padding. You should be able to find these types of pants where ever you find your jersey and other equipment. There are other things to consider besides getting tackled. Depending on where you live you might need something besides your jersey to keep you warm. Try investing in some polyester under garments. You can find this type of clothing from your favorite sporting clothing company, such as Nike, Adidas, or Under Armour. The polyester will allow your skin to breath better and wont dampen your clothing due to perspiration. If you live in a region that is mostly sunny, you should buy a visor for your helmet. Having a visor on a sunny day could make or break a game. Some brands that really stand out for quality visors are Oakley, Halo, and Under Armour.

Cleats

Another thing that you will really need is a pair of football cleats. These types of shoes are essential for a serious player. Cleats have “spikes” on the sole of the shoe that give the player extra traction while running on the field and prevents against slippage that could result in an something like an incomplete pass or a serious sports injury. This specialized shoe is made especially for football players not only does it give the player better traction They are also required to be worn when playing on a team, so keep that in mind.

Some Football Cleats

Running shoes would also be a good investment for training when you are off of the field because you are not going to want to run around a track wearing cleats. Cleats are meant for running in the grass. For a quality shoes shop for brands like Nike, Reebok, and Adidas. These companies have athletic shoes for any price range.

Other Equipment

For starters you will need an actual football. Footballs will be easy to find since they are sold at any store with a sporting goods section. You can choose from either leather (a real “pig skin”) or a rubber one. It all really depends on your preference and budget. The leather footballs are usually more expensive but they are still affordable. It all really depends on you. If you want to practice your field goal kicking then you may want to look for a stand (almost like a tee) for the football to rest on so you can kick it. If you are very serious about getting better at your passing and kicking you can use a catching net. Some of them are just open nets and others are more elaborate and have a target to aim at.

Some Football Nets

When training for football it is important to build your strength and endurance. You may want to buy weightlifting equipment or a gym membership. Another item you may want to consider buying would be a jump rope for cardiovascular exercise. A runners parachute would be recommended for serious players. These usually range in price from $50-$100. But there are an excellent way to build up strength and endurance while running. If you feel like splurging and gaining more agility you should buy an agility ladder. This piece of equipment is like a ladder and lays horizontal on the ground and is meant to be run through. Also highly recommended is a sports duffel bag for carrying all of your gear. Good luck!