This is another one of those articles where we are going to be exploring goalkeeper equipment. As I’ve talked about with gloves and other types of equipment it’s really important to find what fits you. A lot of times this is going to take a bit of a trial and error process. With any luck, this will be something that you move through quickly so that you’ll be able to be as comfortable in goal as can be. It’s important to point out here right off the bat that shin guards could be a requirement for players in different leagues. A lot of youth leagues back in my day were very strict about forcing players to wear them. Some pro leagues over the years have relaxed the idea. Do goalkeepers have to wear shin guards? Well, yes and no.
As I just mentioned many leagues are going to force all players to be wearing the right equipment when the game starts. So in these cases, if you’re playing in one of these leagues that is very strict about equipment shin guards are going to be a requirement. Let’s put it this way, goalkeepers most likely have to wear shin guards, but some refs really don’t put the time into checking whether or not you’re actually doing so. You can find lenient refs in the pros, the youth ranks, and Sunday leagues. Just as you can find strict refs in all of these categories as well. The best idea is to carry around a pair of shin guards just in case. This brings me to my next point though.
Should Goalkeepers Be Looking To Wear Shin Guards?
Should shin guards be something that you want to wear whether it’s required or not? This is a better debate in many respects because I know that there is a mixture of opinions. Personally, I was never big on wearing shinguards, particularly large ones. The issue for me was that wearing large shin guards meant carrying extra weight on your legs. Due to the fact that I’m not the tallest keeper out there, I always felt that I needed to be a lot more nibble on my feet. Having something that could wear me down was not a good idea. Obviously forgoing that extra protection meant putting yourself more at risk.
We are going to get into the risks of not wearing shin guards here shortly, but really I would say wearing shinguards is only necessary when you know that there is going to be contact in the training session. So for most training days, shin guards are not going to be mandatory in most goalkeeper training academies. I have to go back to what I said about refs and apply it to coaches. Some coaches are strict about equipment others aren’t. Also, some keepers want to train with shin guards because they want to get used to the extra weight on their legs that they’ll have in games. Should goalkeepers be looking to wear shin guards in practice and games? If you’re a big believer in the “you play like you practice” phrase then yeah you probably want to wear them at all times.
How Large Should Goalkeeper Shin Guards Be?
In other parts of the site I’ve talked about how expecting kids to grow into equipment is a bad idea. I actually stand by this idea when it comes to shinguards. Again, if you buy something that is way too heavy for your 6-year-old it can make the whole playing experience uncomfortable. Try and find shin guards that cover exactly the shin area, below the knee, and above the ankle. If you buy something that’s too big twisted ankles can become a side effect that you probably don’t want to deal with. Also, make sure that you can handle the weight. A lot of times parents will want to get the hardest shin guards that they can so that their kids won’t get hurt. Again, that can end up being counterproductive. Get them something that they can maneuver with.
As you get older and you develop your playing style you’ll be able to have much more of an input on the type of equipment that you like to wear or not. As I mentioned, I will forgo shin guards whenever possible because of the weight disadvantage. If you feel that you are always in constant contact with attackers and you want that extra protection don’t hesitate to go with the hard large shin guard option. At the end of the day, you have to play with the type of equipment that allows you to feel safe while ideally not being something that mitigates your movements or lowers your level of play.
Is Not Wearing Shin Guards Too Much Of A Risk?
Anyone who has been around the game for long could say that they’ve seen shins break with small shinguards, large shin guards, and sometimes not type of equipment at all. I would say that for a shin to suffer serious damage there has to be a major impact. Luckily, that’s something that is most of the time not all that common. It can be worth exploring the risks of not wearing shin guards. At the end of the day, there is no question that you’re going to be safer wearing shinguards than you’re going to be without them. If you’re like me and you don’t like your equipment to feel too bulky you could take the risk.
I would say you do have to make sure you understand where you’re taking these risks. If you’re just doing goalkeeper training without any type of real contact with attackers just a goalkeeper coach taking shots you should be as safe as you’re going to get. That being said, just because you think that your Sunday league squad is made up of a bunch of softies doesn’t mean that the other team will have the same type of attitude. The best way to go about it is to keep a pair of shinguards in your bag just in case. You never know when you’ll encounter that picky ref or that rough opponent.
Do Goalkeepers Have To Wear Shin Guards When Wearing Pants, or Leggings?
When you’re going into an actual game wearing pants or leggings there is no question that it’ll be easier to be able to hide the fact that you aren’t wearing shinguards. If that’s something that you want to do you can wear long pants and high socks. If you do that most refs won’t really care whether you’re wearing shinguards or not. The same thing can be done with leggings. Just pull your socks up on top of the leggings again, pretty much no one is going to notice that you’re not wearing shinguards. In theory though if the ref wants to check for shin guards you can still be asked to put some on even if you’re wearing pants or leggings.
Key Factors of Shin Guards For Goalkeepers
Up to this point, we’ve pretty much covered everything on this topic. Technically yes, goalkeepers do have to wear shin guards as does every other player on the field. As with many of the rules in soccer/football, the way that the rule is policed is going to vary depending on the refs. As you go along in your playing career you’re going to be able to see which type of gear or outfit serves you best. It is important as with any type of gear that you ultimately wear that you wear something that fits you accordingly. As I mentioned in the beginning many parents want their kids to grow into gear or want to buy them as much protection as they can. I understand the sentiment, but they’re going to be playing football not jousting.
It’s really important with any type of gear that you want to wear whether it be headgear, elbow pads, or anything else that whatever you ultimately wear is able to limit your movements as little as possible. Shin Guard technology has come a long way through the years. Even some of the lighter versions that are out there today are able to do the job just fine. Since they are designed with special equipment that is able to mitigate the impact without needing to use some type of heavy component to do so. That’s why we are seeing shin guards get smaller and smaller for all players, not just goalkeepers.
Ultimately Wearing Shin Guards As A Goalkeeper Is A Good Habit To Have
As a closing topic, this could sound overly hypocritical given how I just spent other entire paragraphs describing how you can fool the ref into thinking that you have shin guards on when you really don’t. When it’s all set and done though, it is a good idea to get into the habit of wearing shinguards. They are meant to protect you after all. Be sure though that you’re wearing shinguards that are the right size for you and that ultimately do not limit your movements or put too much weight on your overall outfit.
At some point or another in your career, you are bound to reach a level or a competition in which wearing shinguards is going to be mandatory for you as a goalkeeper. If and when that happens it’s always going to be better to be prepared. As you go through your career don’t be afraid to explore different equipment setups. Technology is always evolving so there’s a good chance that shin guards as I mentioned before will get smaller, lighter, and more comfortable. In the end, the goal is probably to find something that you feel protects you well enough. While still allowing you to move around like you like to move around.
