No stud at toe of shoe, legal soccer shoe.  Normal gap at toe. Soccer cleats  These shoes may not be baseball type shoes, where there is a stud at the toe.  There must be an open gap at the toe of the shoe. Make it simple and just ask to look at soccer shoes.  In case the sales clerk does not understand the difference, always check to insure that there is no stud at the toe of the shoe.  There must be a gap there.  This is to insure that a player doing a high kick does not have a stud there, which could cause great damage to a player, especially if there are metal studs there.  A player can play in tennis shoes, but they will have no traction, which is not a good thing, especially when the ground is wet.  Soccer shoes are not required, but are highly recommended.  Shoes come in a variety of price ranges and styles. You should consider the needs of your child's' feet, and their age, when purchasing the shoes.  Children grow quickly and the shoes for young children are typically only useful for that season.

 

 

Soccer Shinguards:  Types of Shinguards; How to size a shinguard You get the protection that you pay for here.  You can go cheap, buying all fabric guards, or pay more money for the 'hard' shin guards.  The hard guards provide better protection, but are the most expensive.  A proper fitting shinguard should cover from below the knee to the ankle.  The player must have shin guards, for all practices and games.  This is a CYSA requirement, and is for the safety of the player.  Ensure that you replace the shin guards, as the player grows.  Some parents let their players wear the shin guards for too many seasons, figuring as long as they can strap them on, all is good.  Well, the leg grows in length, and the shin guard remains fixed in length.  The end result is a shin guard that does not totally protect the leg.  Safety first! One other very important item here.  Referees inspect player 'equipment' (i.e.,shoes/shin guards) prior to the start of each game.  If the referee determines that the shin guards are not sufficient to protect a players legs (i.e., they are too short and should have been thrown away years ago), they would be within their rights to not let the player play.  This is totally within the referee's discretion.  A coach, or a league official could not over-rule this, as the authority is given to the referee by FIFA rules.  It would not matter if they had played in these shin guards, the previous game, or the entire season.  You would have just gotten a referee that did a thorough, proper inspection, all within the rules.  You had been lucky previously, and they had been over-looked.

                                                               

Shin guard with no ankle protection                      Shin guard with ankle protection

Hard shinguard with ankle protection (soft).

  Padded shinguard, minimal protection against strikes to the leg.  This is typically the cheapest priced shinguard.

Materials

	Shinguards are made to either deflect or absorb the impact of a kick
	At the same time they should be comfortable and not interfere with your game
	Shinguards are made from a variety of materials: Fiberglass, foam rubber, polyurethane, plastic, and EVA foam. Fiberglass is lightweight and stiff and offers excellent protection Foam rubber is light and moldable but offers less protection Polyurethane is slightly heavier and less moldable but offers extreme protection Plastic is generally a less-expensive shinguard EVA foam or lycra backing is commonly found on the backside of all guards for  comfort

Player/Position

	Young soccer players should choose a fiberglass shinguard which offers superior protection and  is lighter weight than other materials
	Defensemen should choose a heavier, more protective shinguard
	Midfielders need a combination of protection and lighter weight
	Forwards need a lighter weight shinguard and should also look for one with superior ankle protection
	Some shinguards can be molded and custom designed to fit your leg

Components

	Ankle protectors Many shinguards include padded ankle protectors which attach to the bottom of the guard These protect the ankles and Achilles tendon against direct kicks, but are soft and flexible  enough to not interfere with movement Ankle protectors are strongly recommended for players ages 12 and under
	Closures Most shinguards come with hook-and-loop, Velcro-type straps that wrap around the back of the leg for adjustable closure Others have no closures and are designed to simply be worn inside the sock

Determining the Right Size Shinguard

	It is important that your shinguards fit you properly, ensuring sufficient protection and comfort
	Shinguards should cover most of the area from your ankle to your knee Measure your shin from just below where the knee bends to about 1 inch above your shoe top This is the proper length of your shinguard
	Some manufacturers label their shinguard sizes according to age Senior (or large) shinguards are generally designed for players taller than 5'4" Junior (or medium) guards are designed for players shorter than 5'4"

 

Soccer shoes

 

Soccer shoes, also called boots, cleats or studs, generally come in two styles: molded and detachable — although specialized indoor and turf shoes are available. You also might consider shoes with a foldover tongue. This tongue has extra material to keep your shoelaces covered. This means the knot won't interfere with your kicking, however, the extra material adds some weight. 

Molded vs. Detachable

Molded cleats have nonremovable studs made from rubber or hard plastic that help form the outsole of the shoe. For kids and beginners, molded cleats are best because they perform well on grass playing fields and are easy to maintain.

 

 

 

Detachable cleats have studs that are designed to screw in and be easily replaced, allowing players to switch studs for optimal results on different playing surfaces. Detachable cleats are better left to more experienced, serious players.

 

 

Indoor

These shoes are designed for use on smooth, artificial turf, wood or carpeted surfaces and feature a flat outsole and rubber bottom for better traction.

 

 

Turf

These shoes are ideal for harder surfaces, such as hard grass fields, ricky areas or artificial surfaces. In these cases, standard soccer cleats won't provide enough traction.

 

 

Cleat Patterns

You'll find that, in general, molded cleats have four studs on the heel and eight in the forefoot. This makes them excellent for natural surfaces that are dry but not rocky. Detachable cleats have two studs on the heel and four on the forefoot. This makes them better for soggy, muddy ground and wet fields. The reduced number of studs means that mud has a harder time caking between them.

Today's cleats have a variety of stud patterns to provide more comfort, better traction and smoother kicking action. Different vendors also provide a variety of stud styles other than the traditional conical ones, such as blade-shaped or triangular. These are designed to slice the ground more easily during play.

Sport-Specific Cleats

Make certain that the cleats you buy are specifically made for soccer. Other types of cleats, such as football cleats, may have studs that are illegal in a soccer game.

Materials

Soccer shoes are made from different types of leather, from full-grain calfskin (the strongest and most durable) to kangaroo (more supple and flexible). These leather mold well to the feet and stretch to provide flexibility. Shoes are also available in polyurethane, vinyl and many types of synthetics. Synthetics are best for beginners and kids because they are typically less expensive than leather, but also are less durable and less breathable. Some shoes also have mesh in their upper for breathability.

Soccer : Cleat Sizing

When you go to try on soccer shoes, wear soccer socks.  These are typically thick socks, which will help determine how the foot fits the shoe.  You could be mislead on a shoe fitting, if you wear thin socks to try on soccer shoes.  Also be aware that the 'fit' of a shoe, in the same size, may differ between soccer shoe manufacturers.  Some shoes are the exact size, some may run smaller.  Do not go by size, go by fit on the foot.  Soccer cleats are sized like regular shoes but will feel narrow and small because they're designed to be snug for better ball control. There should be no more than a thumb's width of space between the toes and the front of the shoes. Young children should have looser-fitting shoes, so that the cleats don't affect how the feet grow. However, it's important that they're not too big, so don't buy them with next season in mind. Roomy cleats can cause blisters and injuries as players trip, twist ankles or catch themselves in the grass. In general, cleats for kids are unisex, made for both boys and girls. There also are no specific versions of cleats for older boys and girls.

Soccer Cleat Care

After playing always clean a soccer shoe. Use an old towel or an old sock with hot water and clean the shoe. Never wash it in a washing machine or dry it in a dryer. Let it dry at air temperature. Do not expose shoes to the sun to dry. Once dry apply leather food or conditioner.  Check the following video:  here  (note:  this runs Adobe
Flash.  You browser may block the video starting up and you may have to give
it permission to run).

Referees

This is an area that requires attention, by all parents.  The vast majority of referees are
youth referees.  These youth have attended a training course, and passed an extensive
test to receive their referee badges.  They have put a good degree of effort into this.
When they begin doing their games, they are trainees, learning the system, and
especially learning to work with players and crowds.  For a young child, this is an
enormous task, and they are to be commended for willing to do so.  Most of the
referees are also players in the league in which they referee.  They play the game
and they know the laws of the game.  Their knowledge of the game is way above
that of the average spectator/parent.

Too many people do not give credit to the youth referee for who they have become.
They are a licensed referee, under FIFA guidelines.  They have the same authority
as an adult referee, and deserve the same respect.  The normal spectator could not
officiate a game, but they claim (in their mind) that they know all of the rules.  The
youth referee is at times belittled for being too young, too small, too indecisive,
and incapable of making a proper call.  This is characterized by shouting at the
young referees, by coaches and parents.  This has no place in the game, as it
is intimidating to the referees, and does not give respect to their status as a licensed
referee.  Some parents/coaches that shout demeaning commentary to the youth
referees have players of their own that are refereeing.  If they were to see people
reacting to their child, as they and other act toward referees, it is doubtful that they
would appreciate it.

Help the youth referees to become better by encouraging them, not degrading them,
they have a hard job, with little to no appreciation.  Soccer leagues lose a lot of
youth referees simply because they cannot take the harassment directed toward
them.  For some, they stop playing soccer altogether.  This impacts not only the
available referees for assignment, but also impacts the number of players to form
teams.  It is ironic to hear coaches/parents harassing referees, but at the same
time will be quick to state 'you would not catch me out refereeing'. 

It is sometimes good to look at things from the other side of the glass.  The
following film will help you to understand possibly yourself, others, and get a
glimpse as to how your child feels about behavior at games, from sideline
personnel.  Take a minute to view it, thing about it, and hopefully hope to make
game day more enjoyable for everyone.  One note, you will need Quicktime
on your machine to view the movie.  Click here to get Quicktime, if you do not
have it.  Click here to see the movie

One note, if you are at a game, and your game is short on referees, it is because
there are not enough youth to go around.  Many will say why are there not more
adult referees available for their games.  It is simple, the adult referees are in
a small percentage in most leagues, with the over-whelming referee core being
youth referees.  When the youth core shrinks, games are not covered.  Most
people do not like their games not being covered by a full three person crew,
but they do not stop and consider as to why there are not enough referees to
go around.  The person yelling at a youth referee, standing right next to them
maybe one of the reasons why there are not enough youth referees.  The
adult referees are typically spread thin, with one adult assigned to work with
two youth, when available.  Otherwise, the youth crew have to go out and
fend for themselves.

Problem With a Coach / reporting a coach

If you have issues with your coach, give them the courtesy of speaking to them first.  If you have spoken with them, and nothing was resolved, or if you feel that you cannot speak with your coach, speak to your league immediately.  This is to insure that a minor issue does not turn into a major issue.  If it is one affecting your player, either physically, or psychologically, it needs to be handled ASAP.  Too often parents will wait until the end of the season and then say 'it has been happening all season', in regards to an issue.  It is then too late to work the issue at that stage.  Typically a league will investigate an issue, speaking with parties, sometimes with other teams.  If the season is done, or the item is 'old', no one will remember anything about it.  Complaints need to be filed when the 'issue/incident' is fresh in the mind of everyone.  Some parents will say that they don't want to make things rough for their player, thinking that if they complain, the coach might retaliate against the player.  Are there coaches that may do this, maybe, but if so, the league needs to know about them.  It needs to be considered if whatever 'problem' exists, is it directly affecting the players ability to play the game AND have fun doing so.  If the player shows signs of not wanting to attend practices, or games because of the 'issue', it needs to be talked about immediately with league officials.  If you do not know who to speak with, call the league phone number and speak with someone, or leave a message asking to be called back.  Some leagues have what are called 'Age Group Coordinators' who work directly with the league age groups.  If you know that your league has these, find out who yours is and speak with them. 

There have been 'issues' that have arisen that have nothing to do with the player playing the game.  It has been adult issues revolving around personalities, or what some term as the 'coaching style' of a coach.  Each coach is different, similar to a referee, and each will do things differently than others.  Likewise, and again the same as referees, the experience level of each coach will be different and the ability to train will be different.  It is often stated that a parent wants their player on a 'winning' team.  While each team strives to achieve this, not every team is a winning team.  The strength of a team is determined by many factors, and the coach is not necessarily in control of all the factors.  For instance, some like have a '50% play rule'.  This means that all players must play a minimum of 50% of the game.  This means that a coach cannot keep their best players on the field, to win a game.  All players must play at least 50%, and some of those players may be 'weaker' than other players, simply due to length of time playing soccer, or training.

There is always the presence of adult 'personalities'.  There are times when a coach and a parent may not get along, because of non-soccer related issues.  If this occurs, the adults have to put this aside at the fields and allow the children to play and have fun.  Adult personality clashes have no place on the fields, in front of the players or other parents.

You should be aware that a coach has the same right to speak to the league about problems they are having with parents.  All spectators at the games come under the jurisdiction of the league, and they are accountable for their actions just like the coaches.  Accordingly, action can be taken against any spectator that may cause disruption at any team function.  A complaint from a coach would be investigated in the same manner as a complaint from a parent, with subsequent action/non-action based on evidence found.  In the vast majority of cases, the results of such investigations/actions are not made public.  This is typically handled as a confidential matter, as most personnel issues are handled in business firms.  Such items are also typically not discussed in OPEN board meetings, but are generally handled in CLOSED board meetings, where the proceedings are not available to the public.