Each sport has its own unique but very critical pieces of equipment that allow athletes to be able to play safely and have less of a risk of becoming injured. Many athletes take precautions in practice and games to protect themselves.
“Good quality shoes are so important because as you’re putting in so many miles, your feet need something comfortable to wear,” junior Juliana Gonzalez said. “Bad shoes can also lead to injuries in your feet and legs.”
Most athletes follow a common running rule that is replacing their shoes every 300-500 miles because their feet are hitting the ground repeatedly, creating shoes that are worn out, leading to injuries. For wrestling, a contact sport, it is key to protect your head from injuries like concussions.
“Good quality gear can be the difference between staying safe and getting hurt,” senior Lucas Bentley said. “In wrestling, if you don’t have good headgear, you could end up getting cauliflower ear, which is irreversible and permanent.”
Cauliflower ear is one of the many possibilities resulting from wrestling and other sports similar to it, like boxing. For athletes, knowing they have new equipment that is good quality helps them play to the best of their ability. One of the most common injuries in high school sports is concussions. After getting one concussion, it makes the athlete more susceptible to concussions in the future.
“You shouldn’t think it’s a waste of money to spend more on higher-quality, otherwise the doctor’s bill will extremely outweigh the equipment bill,” junior Andy Bowles said. “On top of that, if I know I have a great set of pads and a good helmet, there will really be no regrets on going in for a big hit and not easing up a little.”
Mentally, good equipment can help an athlete with confidence in doing the more difficult parts of their sport. For most athletes, knowing they have the gear they can rely on helps them focus that much more on the game.
