Three Basic Equipment For A Football Player

Football, as they say, is a ballet of controlled mayhem and unleashed power. It features muscle bound, young men literally throwing themselves head first onto another man whose main purpose is to stop the player with the ball from advancing up the field of play. In order to preserve the precious bodies of these athletes and to prevent any career ending or much worse, life ending injury, there are basic equipment needed for the player to protect themselves from the rigors of the game. Listed below are the three basic pieces of equipment for use by a football player.

1) the helmet

The helmet is a piece of hard plastic fitted over the head of the player. Often times there is a metal face mask to protect the face without impeding vision or flexibility. Inside the helmet is a protective layer of foam with a head harness for the whole helmet. Securing the whole package is a chin strap that is tightly fastened on the player's jaw area. On the outside of the helmet, the team colors are displayed proudly to indicate the team the player is from.

2) the shoulder pads

The shoulder pads are foam padded plastic harnesses placed on specific areas on a player's body. The specific areas are the clavicle or shoulder bone area of the player, the pectoral area or front chest muscle area and the back chest muscle area. These areas are the most banged up areas in each play, owing to the fact that football is a game of strength using the body to pound the opponent. These shoulder pads, to a certain extent, cushion the impact of the repeated contact with opponents at full stride and power. These are fastened securely by a harness which go under the pads and are belted directly onto the trunk of the football player's body. These shoulder pads make the players seem so much bigger than they already are from a spectator's point of view.

3) the shoes or cleats

The shoes (or more popularly known as cleats), are athletic shoes with specially designed spikes for added traction and stability while on the field. The spikes located under the length of the sole are six large ones if the playing field is natural grass or if it is turf, then the spikes are smaller ones. These shoes provide the necessary foothold to block an opponent or to gallop downfield to catch the ball. Usually, the shoes are cut high above the ankle to provide added stability against the shearing forces the ankles endure during the course of a game.

These pieces of equipment are but some of the major safety materials that football player puts on for each game. The helmet protects the head and neck area. The shoulder pads protect the trunk of the body, most especially the long bones of the shoulders and the torso. The shoes give traction and stability for the ankles as the player runs, blocks and tackles during the game.