The last line of
defense is the soccer goalkeeper, and in this respect he or she may be the
most important player on the field! Even though the soccer goalie can play
anywhere in the field, their main function is to guard their own goal. The goal
keeper usually has a couple of items that other players on the team will not,
namely a goalie jersey and goalie gloves.
Soccer Goalie Jersey
Goalkeeping
requires special skills in that the goal keeper is the only player on the field
that can handle the ball within his own penalty area. As such a distinction is
generally made between the goalkeeper and the rest of his team players in that
the goal keeper wears a different type of jersey.
Goalie jerseys
are bright and bold in color. For maximum comfort, micro-fiber polyester
material is best – it makes the jersey “breathable” and reduces excess
moisture. Black jerseys are not a good idea, especially in hot weather, and in
some leagues, there may be a color-clash with the referee uniform.
When selecting a
goalie jersey it is important to have extra and proper padding, especially in
the elbow and front areas. This is because the goal keeper may have dive or
stop a shot head-on to make that great save!
Goalkeeper Gloves
Another very
important goal keeper item is the gloves. It is important for the soccer
goalies to wear gloves in order to protect their palms and fingers, and to get a
better grip on the ball especially in wet conditions.
The palm of the
glove requires most protection and is most used in handling the soccer ball –
smooth latex material provides the best grip for this purpose. Although
textured latex may be more durable, their grip may not be as good as smooth
latex gloves. In general, the better the material, i.e. smoother, the better
the soccer gloves will feel and perform.
An important
consideration when selecting soccer gloves is the type of closure on the
gloves. Goalie gloves usually come with Velcro or bandage type closures; try
them on and see which one feels better for you.
Goalie gloves
only come in whole sizes and funnily enough correspond to your shoe size. If
in doubt about the size, always buy larger size.
Since gloves wear
out quickly, goal keepers may want to keep two or three pairs of gloves; one set
for practice sessions and another pair for the big games.
Several online stores offer a quality selection
of goalie jerseys and gloves as well as other
soccer gear.
As always search for items on sale, specials, and discounted and/or discontinued
items for the best deals.
