An overview of essential gears you need to play American Football Equipment
American Football Equipment is a signature game of North America but is equally loved in Europe. This game requires excellent physical strength, stamina, and courage. In this game, two teams, each of 11 players, run to take a football to the opposite end of the football ground.
There is an excellent danger of damage in American Football Equipment; when a player runs with Football, other teams’ players try to snatch this ball, and players can get head breaks.
Therefore, there is an excellent need for protective equipment. Players wear multiple layers of protective equipment covering head to toe. Some of the gadgets are necessary for playing Football, while others are accessories.
These are broader categories of football equipment:
- Necessary equipment.
- Auxiliary equipment.
Let’s see the functions of these gadgets one by one.
Following is the detail of the necessary equipment:
Football:
The very first thing required for playing Football is the ball itself. The ball used for American Football Equipment is not round like a ball of Football; it is elliptical like an egg, usually brown with white laces on it. Watching high school games may get you thrilled about the sport, but nothing matches the intensity of a professional NFL game, so don’t forget to grab your Super Bowl 2024 tickets.
Helmet:
One of the most critical protective equipment of Football is the helmet. Helmet designed for American Football is hard covering soft inside to minimize the effect of hits. Also, it covers the ears and face; it includes a hard facemask and a nosepiece. So, the helmet is a complete protective mechanism. It is a must equipment for playing any level of American Football Equipment.
The helmet also has a helmet pump used to inflate the soft padding inside the helmet; it is a manual machine.
Sometimes, radios are also integrated into the helmet that helps in the communication of the players. It is a very recent feature of modern helmets. Radios are only used during international matches if allowed.
Football Gloves:
Gloves are mandatory to wear; they provide warmth to the hands during the cold season and protection when a player falls on the ground. But the primary purpose of gloves is to provide a solid grip to the player to hold, catch and throw the ball quickly.
Pads:
There are different protective pads like shoulder, ribs, groin, arm, knee, and thigh pads. These pads are hard outside, and soft cushioning inside protects from the damage collisions during the game. Shoulder pads make a player look broader; rib pads preserve the whole of the thorax region, knee and thigh pads are similarly crucial.
Shirts:
Shirts are worn on the shoulder and rib protectors and need to be loose enough.
Tight Trousers:
Players wear trousers over the knee and thigh protectors. These apparels are of solid material to prevent them from tearing off when falling on the ground. Belts hold the pants in place; they are much like usually used belts.
Mouth Guards:
Mouthguards are rigid plastic-made frames; from the inside, they are made of soft rubber material. They protect teeth, jaws, and tongues. Remember, this is a must equipment for
Football.
Nose guards:
The nose guard is specifically used in the football game, a hard material protecting the nose. It is mainly installed in the football helmet.
Shoes:
Soccer Footwear Shoes very explicitly designed for American Football Equipment, known as Cleats. The sole is rubber made with spikes to provide traction to the ground. Also, it increases the durability of shoes. They must be comfortable to wear and of appropriate size.
Along with shoes comes a cleat cleaner to remove the dirt from the shoes and keep them clean.
The detail of accessory equipment for Football is as follows:
Arm sleeves:
Some players wear an additional layer of arm sleeves that provides safety and also looks graceful.
Chin Straps:
Even though chin straps are accessory gadgets but provide a great deal of protection, they prevent the dislocation of temporomandibular joints during an accident by keeping the mouth closed.
Cones:
Cones are simple plastic gadgets in conical shape used for training purposes. Players of other games like American Football Equipment, hockey also use these cones during their training. Players train themselves to increase their agility, speed, and dodging tactics.
Drinks:
Energy drinks are also essential for a player to keep himself hydrated during a match. Along with water, these bottles provide crucial minerals like the most famous Red Bull.
Football Bags:
Bags used for American Football Equipment are also known as Duffle Bags due to their shape. These bags help players keep the materials organized as there is a separate pocket allocated for each piece of equipment. You can easily carry all of the equipment with you without any trouble. It might not seem important to beginners, but it makes things easy for you.
Eye Black:
While watching an outdoor game like cricket or rugby, a black strip presents a player’s eyes might get your attention. This black strip is not fashionable but protects the player from the glare of the direct intense sunlight. It helps the player see the ball coming from the sky quickly.
Flags:
Red or Yellow flags are used in the American Football Equipment game to distinguish one team’s players from the others. They are usually attached to the belt of the athletes.
Hand Warmers:
Hand Warmer is specially used in the colder regions; it helps players keep their hands hot so that they can catch and throw the ball quickly. These warmers are placed close to the boundary lines.
Kicker Balls:
Kicker or K balls are different from regular footballs, being hard enough to be kicked accurately to where the kicker wants.
Hip Pads:
Besides other pads like shoulder and rib pads, hip pads are also used to protect the hip bones from being damaged.
Skull Caps:
Some players also use caps under the helmets. These caps prevent sweat from hairs reaching the face and itching in the eyes.
Tees and Holders:
One player holds the ball in the hand while the other player hits the ball. But nowadays, tees keep the ball on the ground; then the kicker kicks the ball in the air. It is a plastic made structure with spikes to place it on the floor.
