Hey mamas, my 4th grader is going to be playing flag football with our local rec. center league for the first time. They'll be playing on natural turf. Given how wet springtime is in Colorado, conditions could be fairly slippery etc. My son already has soccer cleats - do you think I need to buy him football cleats? The only real difference I've heard is that football cleats are more supportive especially around the ankle. Football cleats are around $40 so not really cheap overall.
Thanks everyone! I'm gonna go ahead and burn the $40-50 and buy some football cleats. I figured there was a difference, just had no idea. Hopefully they will fit little bro or I can consign. Dad on Purpose . . . thanks for input. You're right, guys do notice.
You can wear soccer cleats for football, just not the other way around. Don't buy a new pair of shoes if his soccer ones fit because he WON'T be able to wear the new ones for soccer season.
If he was playing intense, tackle football, I'd say get him the more supportive shoe, but it's flag football in a rec league. Really. It's fine.
T.
I haven't seen any male answers here yet...and I see the kid-growing-feet thing has been pointed out.
My 1/2 cents worth - soccer cleats for flag football will be ok. Unless the other boys are wearing football cleats.
The cleats and support are part of the discussion of course - but don't underestimate the effect on your son if he's the only one wearing soccer cleats.
I grew up as that kid, and was constantly embarrassed that my soccer cleats were my football cleats, my baseball cleats, my softball cleats, my tennis cleats (just seeing if you're reading).
Used football cleats would be great, as nobody would ever know. But everyone will know he's wearing soccer cleats and not football.
I unknowingly bought football cleats for soccer. The coach said to exchange them.
Since you already have them, I'd just ask the coach if they're acceptable.
The only difference between soccer cleats and football cleats is the tip of the shoe.
In football cleats there is a front single cleat that is at the tip of the toe end of the shoe. Soccer cleats do not have this cleat. If they use the same shoes they have to use a dremel to cut that cleat off.
We accidentally got football cleats for our girl and the soccer coach noticed right away. He had a dremel in his tuck and it only took a few minutes for it to cut them both off.
This is a football cleat shoe. Notice the front center cleat. Plus look how much heavier of a shoe that it is. Sometimes football cleats even have a much higher and reinforced ankle area.
http://www.endless.com/dp/B004AE3T7S/191-###-###-####-###...#
This is the bottom of a soccer cleat. The center front is free of any type cleat. It is a lighter weight shoe too.
http://compare.ebay.com/like/190600683455?var=lv&ltyp...
You can also check out consignment sales or Play it Again Sports - with as quickly as kids' feet grow, you may be able to find a gently used pair there for less. We went to the Nike outlet and then my older son passed his down to his younger brother!
Only because it is flag football you may be okay. You probably should ask the coach just to be safe. Pretty sure an emergency room copay is higher than 50 dollars, ya know?
I would think no. I say that only because my son's football cleats are like hightops almost....so they protect their ankles from the slides and crazy running they do.
We had soccer cleats from my daughter that fit my son his first season of flag football, but we got him new ones anyways, because I didn't want to take the chance.
$40 is cheaper than what we normally get the cleats for...and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than a visit to the doctor's for an injury :).
No, look at the way they are made. One has round cleats and the other has metal that bite into the ground for traction.
I tried to do this same thing once and found out when I put them side by side and then understood the difference.
Sports equipment is expensive but it is part of the game(s). And then they grow out of them.
Welcome to youth time sports.
The other S.
in response to suzanne w metal cleats are not allowed in the rec league (at least not in castle rock im assuming parker is the same) i used my sons baseball cleats for football but he is only in the 1st grade and it didnt make an impact. My checkbook just cannot afford to buy baseball cleats and football cleats since they only last a year anyway with how fast their feet grow. you could always just show up to practice see what else is going on with everyone elses feet and decide what to do then.
I don't think they should be used for regular football, they don't have the front toe stabilizer and the football cleats will prevent rolled/sprained ankles. However, for flag football the coach might be fine with it.
I am totally trying to live in the mindset of 'Waste Not, Want Not' these days and not spend any $ if I don't *absolutely* have to... so if I already had the soccer cleats I would be asking the Coach if they were OK before buying new ones!
