Five Items The Make Up A Football Player's Uniform

You must have noticed how football players look really big with their uniform on. Well that is due to the protective gears that they have to wear to protect themselves during the game. Here are some protective gears that a football player must wear.

1. Helmet. Each football player is required to wear a helmet. No player is allowed to go in the field without a helmet.

The main function of the helmet is to protect the head. We all know that all the tackling and tumbling can have some serious effects on the brain like a concussion. A football player that suffers a concussion can become unconscious and if it is very severe, then he might end up in the ICU.

To be able to protect a player's head, the helmet has to fit perfectly. An ill-fitting helmet is more of a liability and provides less protection.

For a helmet to function adequately, it must possess the following parts: the shell which should be made from a very durable material that is capable of buffering impacts; jaw pads which is the part that protects the jaws during tackles; face mask which prevents direct contact with the face; and chin strap and mouth guard which protects the mouth and keeps the helmet in place.

2. Body Pads. The body pads are composed of the shoulder pads, hip pads, thigh pads and knee pads. These pads are used to protect the body from all the impact it will endure during the game because whether we like it or not a football player has to deal with tackles, pile-ups, throw downs, pushings and even sacks.

Shoulder pads are made from a hard plastic shell with thick foam underneath. It covers the shoulders as well as chest and rib areas. The shoulder pads are kept in place through a series of buckles and straps. It is used to protect the upper body especially the ribs from fracture during the game. In order to provide adequate protection, like the helmet, the shoulder pads have to fit the player's body perfectly.

The hip pads are used to protect the player's hips and pelvis from being shattered during a hard fall while the thigh pads and knee pads function more or less in the same way as with the shoulder pads and hip pads by protecting the hips and knees. The pads reduce the impact the player has to sustain during the game.

3. Jersey and Pants. These are otherwise known as uniforms. This is what the fans usually see. The main purpose of these is not protection but identification. The jersey bears the player's family name, number, name of the team and of course the logo of a particular football league. The color of the jersey and pants will depend on the team's color. Each team has different colors which help identify and set them apart from each other.

4. Gloves. Not all football players wear gloves but gloves are essential football gear. Gloves allow the receiver to catch the ball. Without the gloves, the ball will simply slide from the receiver's hands making it harder for them to grip it. Most receivers wear gloves with a rubber palm that is sticky or one that has rosin, a sticky substance.

The linemen on the other hand, also wear gloves but this time it doesn't contain any substances. Instead, it has thick padding that protects the lineman's hand because during the game their hands can get stepped onto or tangled. The gloves will serve as protection for their fingers and hands. No other markings should be found on a player's gloves.

5. Shoes. Without shoes, the player can end up with serious injuries. In addition, shoes are part of the uniform. Football shoes have a number of variants. Each variant is manufactured to cater to each football player's needs. Remember that the surface and condition of the football field is not constant so a player must wear a pair that is made specifically for that particular surface and condition in order to prevent injuries.