How to Best Dress for Youth Soccer in Foul Weather

Children have less body fat and less skin than adults do. That means less insulating fat to protect against cold and less skin surface to carry away excess heat. That's why it's important that they dress properly for weather extremes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soccer Apparel
• Soccer Cleats
• Soccer Shin Guards
• Soccer Uniforms
• soccer balls

1. Make sure clothing complies with league or team rules, such as color coordination.

2. Dress goalkeepers in extra layers, because they generate less warmth than field players.

3. Wear turtlenecks under jerseys.

4. Purchase clothing that can be layered, as opposed to one bulky item.

5. Wear less expensive clothing layered over high-technology sports fabrics if cost is an issue.

6. Choose breathable, loose clothing in hot weather, preferably made from high-technology synthetic fabrics.

7. Choose light-colored clothing, including soccer socks, in hot weather.

8. Avoid cotton, which absorbs moisture, making it heavy and uncomfortable.

9. Get a baseball cap for goalkeepers to shade their eyes from the sun.

10. Choose a lightweight T-shirt over a sleeveless top to protect the shoulders from sun.

11. Lather on extra sunscreen if you do choose to wear sleeveless shirts.

Tips & Warnings

• Shop about two months before the start of the season, when stores are well-stocked with the best merchandise.
• Go to a soccer specialty or sporting goods store, or order from a soccer catalog.
• Consult with a knowledgeable salesperson who knows soccer.
• Buy less expensive gear for younger children. You need not go overboard in the beginning.
• Invest in state-of-the-art fabrics for optimal efficiency and comfort.
• Check out winter gloves for field players, which have special grips for throw-ins.
• Wear a fabric that wicks away moisture from the skin if you perspire.
• Consider hats and headbands if the team and league allow them.
• Cover the extremities if possible. The majority of the body's heat loss is through the head, and to a lesser extent, through the other extremities.
• Buy sports bras. They are made of performance fabrics, which wick away moisture from the skin.
• Sprinkle powder in socks and on shin guards to help absorb perspiration.
• Wash shin guards often, especially in hot weather, to keep them from developing odors.

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on 11/22/2005 Wear Boxers, or loose fitting sports shorts, on hot days. They relieve a lot of excess body heat in that region, and they allow a bit of a breeze.