Brat Jr
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« on: November 05, 2008, 10:36:38 PM » |
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Everything you always wanted to know about
SOCCER SHOES! Well almost! The Pulse! No. #63 COVER STORY
Generally there are three types of soccer shoes:
1. Indoor shoes
2. Outdoor shoes (Cleats)
3. Turf shoes
Every soccer shoe is built from three components (so is any shoe...I guess):
Upper - top part of the shoe
Midsole - inside part of the shoe
Outsole - bottom part of the shoe
Upper and midsole are the same for all types (pictures above). Of course there are many different styles, designs, materials and technologies used in different models by different manufacturers (leather, synthetic materials, special rubber, plastic etc.) but basically they all have one thing in common: to provide comfort, support and great feel for the ball.
The major, actually the only difference between these types of soccer shoes is their outsole (the bottom of the shoe). Every type is designed to perform under certain field conditions.
Indoor Soccer Shoes.... Picture #1
This type is designed for playing indoor soccer on indoor courts and fields (like gym or indoor soccer facilities). They are actually flat-surfaced, low-cut shoes with a slightly harder surface area than a traditional sneaker.
Some kids will likely wear their fave running shoes on the indoor fields. Saves a CP some $$
Turf Soccer Shoes.... Picture #2
These shoes contain various raised patterns on the bottom, for use on harder outdoor surfaces and on artificial turf.
Outdor Soccer Shoes.... Picture #3
Soccer cleats are intended for playing outdoors. One of the most important purposes of soccer cleats is to provide a player with enough amount of traction preventing him/her from slipping and giving him an opportunity to turn, stop and accelerate with ease.
In order to achieve it, soccer cleats outsole has several hard rubber, plastic or metal studs that sink into the surface providing a good grip. But the studs have to be long enough to offer good traction and short enough not to cause discomfort from applying too much pressure on the feet.
As we all know soccer fields surfaces might vary. From hard dirt ones through softer yellow-green grass here and there to those nice and soft with full natural turf pitches. We can't forget about the weather factor. The rain can change field conditions dramatically.
Therefore soccer cleats come with different stud types made accordingly for certain field conditions.
One way of grouping soccer cleats is by the type of studs they have:
Molded studs and Replaceable studs.
There are practically two different molded soccer cleats on the market.
The traditional-contains a sole that has round studs (usually between ten to fifteen).
The X-Grip (or Bladed shape) - slimmer than round studs, strategically placed in different angles to offer a player a better footing.
Soccer shoes with molded round studs(traditional) are more universal. What I mean is that, this type of soccer cleats are good for hard and firm surfaces as well as for soft grounds. However, they are not really reliable for extreme circumstances like: very hard and dry fields (turf shoes will be the ultimate choice here) or very soft and wet surface (screw-ins).
The X-Grip design is manufactured for specific field conditions. In this case, with different length and angles of studs, we have to choose between soccer cleats made specifically for either hard(HG), firm(FG) or soft(SG) ground. Your choice then should be based on the type of fields you play soccer on the most.
If you play on all kinds of surfaces, I would recommend-traditional round studs.
But if you really want to stick to new style, then buy X-Grip for firm pitch(FG).
Of course, the best scenario would be to have two pairs of soccer cleats for different field conditions. But who can afford it? Not to many of us.
Replaceable (screw-ins) cleats are very optional. Most young soccer players do not need them. With the poor quality of most youth fields, screw-ins just wouldn’t get enough use to warrant purchase.
Unless, you play a lot on great, soft fields and have extra cash (screw-ins can not be the only soccer cleats you have). Also some leagues do not allow this type of equipment.
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The other way of classifying cleats is by various field conditions they are proper for:
* Hard Ground (HG) - for playing on hard fields.
These cleats have short studs, usually evenly distributed through the entire outsole. Soccer cleats with circular, hard rubber studs are the most effective for hard surfaces. They provide you with enough amount of traction but at the same time, they don't apply too much pressure on your feet causing discomfort when your cleats are unable to dig into hard ground.
* Firm Ground (FG) - for playing on firm fields.
These are the most common types of soccer cleats (at least in the U.S.). Why? Because most of soccer fields youth soccer players play on are firm, which means they are not too hard but not too soft either. Since not everyone can afford to own couple or even few pairs, these soccer cleats became very universal.
* Soft Ground (SG) - for playing on soft fields.
Almost all soccer cleats for soft pitches have detachable studs or stud's tips. Like molded, these replaceable studs could be a circular or blade shape. They come in different lengths, so you can adjust your soccer shoes based on the condition of the field. Having said that, you can use the shortest possible studs for firm ground (but real firm or how I call it "not so soft ground").
As you can see choosing the type of soccer shoes that are the most suitable for you or your child is to determine what kind of surfaces you'll be playing. Of course there are more factors to consider when selecting soccer shoes, which I've included in Soccer Cleats page. It sure applies to Indoor and Turf shoes as well, since the soccer shoes are all constructed the same, except for their outsole.
SIZE
It is very important that the soccer cleats you buy must fit perfectly. This means as snug as possible, tight to the foot (sorry parents, you can’t have growing room in soccer cleats). Close-fitting shoes facilitate the best touch (the feel for the ball).
How to fit a pair of soccer shoes
Several things should be considered when purchasing a new pair of soccer shoes.
When trying on your new shoes, always wear the same socks and shin guards that you will be playing in.
Remember that sizing is always different from other shoes. You must try on each shoe to be sure it fits.
If you wear an ankle brace for injury prevention or protection, you must have it on when trying on the new shoes.
Take your shin guards with you to be sure they will fit with your new shoes.
Shop for shoes in the afternoon when your feet are naturally swollen from walking and standing all day. Have the size of both feet measured. It is best to stand when measuring your shoe size. You will need assistance to do this properly. Do not assume that your feet are the same exact size. If there is a size difference, choose the larger size.
Lace the shoes as tightly as you will when you are playing. Walk around the store in them for several minutes. You should be able to wiggle your toes freely while sitting or standing and you should not feel any inner seams, which could cause blisters. For children especially, make sure there is a one-finger distance between the toes and the end of the shoe
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEM
Soccer shoes will last for about one year, which can include a fall and spring season.
Remember that cleats are designed to be worn on soft surfaces.
Concrete is the biggest enemy to soccer cleats. The concrete acts like sandpaper. It slowly, but surely, wears away the surface and reduces the size of the cleat faster than the shoe is actually wearing out.
All soccer players should have a pair of tennis shoes or slides (shower shoes, "flip flops," etc) in their bag for walking across the parking lot or down the sidewalk.
Wear other shoes until you reach the grassy field, then change into the soccer cleats. Change out of your cleats when the game is over. The less time the soccer cleat is on concrete, the longer it will last.
Soccer shoes should be treated like regular shoes. A little care will extend the life of the shoe dramatically. Here are a few more tips to help you care for your soccer shoes:
Carry a whiskbroom or stiff brush to clean the outside of the shoe after playing.
Wash the outside of the shoe with warm, soapy water because chemicals used on the field can breakdown the shoe material.
When you take them off, stuff the shoes with crumpled newspaper to absorb moisture from the inside of the shoe and to maintain normal shoe size.
The price of the shoe will not make it last longer. The care you provide will. Here and Now http://washingtonpremiersoccer.com/forum/index.php?topic=10464.0...and never forget; if there is not enough blah blah blah on the games, you only have "you know who" to blame  TOURNAMENT TALK US Club Washington Cup http://www.starfiresports.com/uploads/USClubPrem2008.xls "Shout out to da newbies" We see a few brand new posters since the last Pulse Lets give out a Shout and as always, lets give a warm welcome to all new posters!
This week we would like to applaude and give Karma Kisses  to: MuddBall
Koko
Not Purple
Snicker
bootball Welcome aboard! Brat Jr's YouTube Videos!! WPFC vs Evergreen
WP Goal
Goalie save!
U12 WPFC vs Crossfire
U14 WPFC vs NWN
"...Out on the Pitch" U12 WPFC vs Crossfire    U13 WPFC vs GRFC and Evergreen     U14 WPFC Black vs NWN    **Please continue to send pix's to the Pulse newsroom! Anything soccer related is welcome!**  "Help! Is there a Doctor in the house?" What is the best way for a young female athlete to handle "that time of the month" DD has had to play light headed and with cramps and headaches numerous times. We have tryed to keep her hydraded and give her iron. She takes ibuprophin for the pain. Everything I find deals with regular girls and not athlete specific. Any other help would be great. This is best served with an article addressing menstruation in the athlete. Here goes>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
Menstruation: Cycling proficiency - do the various menstrual phases affect athletic performance?
The female body is a complicated system, with hormones playing an important role in its function. Within that system, the menstrual cycle represents a combination of interactive, and sometimes opposing, hormonal actions with the potential to impact upon the health of an exercising female. Therefore, any coach involved in training female athletes needs a clear understanding of the physiology of menstruation and its effects on performance.
Female athletes are often concerned about the number of days in their cycle and the volume of menstrual flow. In fact, the average cycle runs for the oft-quoted 28 days in less than 15% of cases, with normal regular menses encompassing anything from 21-35 days. The duration of menstruation has also been shown to vary widely, with normal flow lasting for an average of 3-7 days.
The cycle, which begins with menstruation, is regulated by a complex interaction of pituitary and ovarian hormones. In the ‘follicular phase’ (the days leading up to ovulation) oestrogen is the predominant hormone; following ovulation, during the ‘luteal phase’ of the cycle, progesterone exceeds oestrogen, preparing the uterus for pregnancy.
Researchers have shown that physiological changes occur in both the follicular and luteal phases and that both oestrogen and progesterone can be altered by intense exercise. Therefore, the influence of menstrual phase is important to our understanding of performance and training.
Although no significant changes to endurance performance have been reported in connection with the various phases of the menstrual cycle, a slight decrease in aerobic capacity has been noted during the luteal phase. This phase is characterised by an increased ovarian response, leading to a net fluid retention, with consequent changes in electrolytes and minor increases in haemoglobin concentration, for reasons explained below(1).
This same research also failed to identify any significant differences in VO2max, heart rate, cardiac output and stroke volume between menstrual phases, suggesting that the cardiovascular response to exercise is unaffected by the menstrual cycle.
One difference the researchers did discover was that blood lactate was lower in the luteal phase following intense exercise, although this has been disputed by subsequent research(2). It has been suggested that any observed decrease in lactate production during the luteal phase happens as a result of an altered oestrogen: progesterone balance.
Ventilatory response to exercise has been shown to increase during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which is associated with a reduced oxygen supply to working muscles(3). The body compensates for this deficiency by boosting the concentration of oxygen-carrying haemoglobin in the blood, and no differences have been reported in either oxygen uptake or time to fatigue between the follicular and luteal phases.
Research into the effects of the menstrual cycle on anaerobic exercise performance is limited and inconclusive. Decreased cycle (Wingate anaerobic power test) and 50m swim test performances have been reported during menstruation, while an increase in high intensity/low duration work has been noted during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle(4). More recently, investigators demonstrated no significant difference in maximal cycling or leg power during any of the menstrual phases(5), although it has been suggested that premenstrual and menstrual syndrome symptoms, such as joint, muscle and back pain, may have a negative effect on anaerobic performance, possibly by influencing the stretch shortening cycle of the tendons and ligaments.
Common menstrual disorders
Menstrual disorders are very common among athletic women, with amenorrhea (cessation of periods) occurring in up to 40% of some athletic groups by comparison with 2-5% of women of reproductive age in the general population(6). Amenorrheic athletes show no monthly follicular and luteal phase variations, resulting in ovarian suppression.
Bone density generally relates closely to menstrual regularity and the total number of menstrual cycles. Reduced bone density from long-term amenorrhea often occurs at multiple sites, including bone areas subjected to increased force and impact loading during exercise. Persistent amenorrhea that begins at an early age blunts the benefits of exercise on bone mass and is also linked with increased risk of musculoskeletal injury, particularly repeated stress fractures during exercise.
Disturbances in menstrual function can be seen in the form of primary amenorrhea (absence of menstruation by age 18), secondary amenorrhea (absence of menses for three or more months in a woman who was formerly menstruating) or oligomenorrhea (a menstrual cycle lasting more than 36 days).
A high incidence of secondary amenorrhea has been reported for athletes in sports associated with heavy training levels, while girls who begin athletic training before puberty often experience delayed onset of menstruation (menarche).
The menarche can also be delayed on account of inadequate caloric intake which, in many cases, is related to issues of weight control and aesthetic appearance. Attempts to control weight are associated with disordered eating which, in turn, can lead to reproductive dysfunction. It has been suggested that a minimum percentage of body fat is required for the onset of menstruation and the maintenance of a regular cycle, based on the hypothesis that an energy reserve is essential to sustaining a pregnancy.
Even in regularly menstruating competitive athletes, lower-than-expected progesterone levels during the luteal phase have been observed. Over time this can lead to impaired fertility and/or an increased susceptibility to osteoporosis.
A proactive approach
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has taken a proactive approach to menstrual dysfunction in athletes, recommending intervention within three months of the onset of amenorrhea. Their guidelines recommend a nonpharmacological behavioural approach, together with diet and training interventions, as follows:
Reduce training level by 10 to 20% ;
Gradually increase total energy intake;
Increase body weight by 2-3%;
Maintain daily calcium intake at 1,500mg.
Skin blood flow and the sweating response during rest and activity are also influenced by the menstrual cycle. Scientists have found that a significantly higher core temperature is required to initiate sweating during the luteal phase(7). Although this change in thermoregulatory sensitivity does not affect the ability to exercise, it is worth taking account of menstrual cycle phase when evaluating thermoregulatory dynamics during exercise and thermal stress.
In summary, then, the majority of published studies agree that neither menstrual phase (follicular v luteal) nor menstrual status (menstruating v non-menstruating) significantly alters or limits exercise performance.
However, the combination of intensive exercise (particularly during the pre-pubertal years) and under-nutrition can have an adverse impact on reproductive function and sexual maturation, leading to either primary or secondary amenorrhea.
If an athlete does become amenorrheic, medical treatment should be considered in order to maintain long-term health and reduce the risk of fractures.
Andy Harrison
References
J Appl Physiol 1981; 51 (6): 1493-1499
J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1995; 35 (4): 257-262
Med Sci Sports Exerc 1990; 22 (5): 575-580
Can J Appl Sports Sci 1978; 3 (4): 194
Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32 (2): 486-492
Br J Sports Med 2003; 37: 490-494
Physiologist 1985; 28: 368
So, that was a fun read. The bottom line is that it is better to deal with the effects of menstruation and participation than the lack of menstruation!!!
Do whatever is needed to feel better, but there are really NO parameters for success that is available in a cookbook form!
*Send all medical questions for "the doctor" to the Pulse email address*WPS FAMILY CIRCLE FOUNDATION!!!  Continued good thoughts and prayers to Frenchie. And keep sockems in your thoughts too as she nears her due date! "COACHS CORNER!" Coach is on an extended leave of absence. The Coaches Corner will return at a later time"VIEW FROM BEHIND THE WHISTLE" "Questions for the Ref" Sorry no question for the Ref this time, but I would like to THANK ALL OF YOU that take the time to be out on the pitch for us and our DK's. While we may not like all the calls or lack of calls, we appreciate the fact that you are there for our kids!
Without you, there wouldn't be any games out there to play and watch.THANK YOU REFEREE CREWS! OTHER NEWS AND GOSSIP AND TIDBITS: Don't miss the US Club Soccer Summit Meeting on Nov. 8 to discuss the formation of statewide US Club Soccer-sanctioned leagues - beginning in the fall of 2009.
The US Club Soccer Summit Meeting will take place on Sat, Nov. 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila.
The goal of the meeting will be two-fold: we will be outlining our vision for independent, statewide US Club Soccer-sanctioned soccer leagues while showing everyone how we can get there. Also, we will be introducing Benjamin Ziemer, President and Founder of the NorCal Premier Leagues in northern California, who will be our featured speaker.
Ziemer, a well-known soccer coach in California, will tell the story of NorCal and how he grew his US Club Soccer-sanctioned leagues from six teams to becoming arguably the most influential soccer force in northern California.
The story of NorCal is compelling and offers a clear path for how Washington teams and clubs can form independent statewide soccer leagues. Equally compelling is Ziemer. He is an enthusiastic and passionate believer in creating leagues that are open and accessible, in reducing the administrative red tape and in truly focusing on developing young soccer players.
Also in attendance will be Gabe Rood, US Club Soccer's Western Region Representative. Gabe has a wealth of experience in all aspects of youth soccer, including administration and league formation across the western United States. Further, his efforts were instrumental in bringing Washington Cup - US Club Soccer's state championship event - to Starfire Sports in Tukwila for its inaugural tournament in 2008.
We hope to see you all there.
For more information, please contact:
Gabe Rood; Western Regional Manager, US Club Soccer: (707) 571-1425 or grood@usclubsoccer.org
Teddy Mitalis; Starfire Sports: (206) 267-6422 or teddy@starfiresports.com
Stanley Holmes; President, Puget Sound Premier League: (206) 200-2245 or president@pugetsoundpremierleague.com "WPS Paparazzi"and other pictures U13 WPFC Black Keeper, Jordan U14 NWN Keeper, Ivy U13 WPFC White keeper, Kendall Glad to see you moving around without crutches the other night! My favorite subject Is this CP hoping for a Victory?  Mighty Mouse got a call ( from ? ? ? ) and was hot footing it across the fieldImage removed .... no permission to use it yet "RUMOR MILL" The "Seattle United Project"
A new Club will be formed to run all select and premier soccer in SYSAThere will be NO realignment of teams in the PDL until NEXT season!  ECFC is no more? The reason Dragon has been gone....  he wanted to take this picture! "Dear Canuk" Be careful Wolfy"SIDELINE SNIPPETS" Regarding duffer:Oh he's a clever little clown and he knows exactly what's going on. Asked to go to Crossfire to take on the vacancy from the possible departing of Neil Megson this CP had this to say: I would get eaten up in that club, as I am a guy who believes in building a team vs. recruiting everybody and kicking others to the curb. "Dragon Coachs Interviews!" Dragon still looking for more interviews (always), send in your information or suggestions to the Pulse! :mrgreen: If you are a coach, DOC, trainer, or have anything to do with soccer, contact the editor for your chance to do an interview and once again the end of another great effort by all on the Pulse staff! Thank you for all your help in getting the Pulse out! If you would like to donate to WPS click below to go to the front page and click on the Donate button:
http://washingtonpremiersoccer.com/
Thats it for this weeks Issue of the Pulse, hope you enjoy it...and as always never forget to... Play with Heart & Fire, Heart & Fire Always! |
