A few months ago, I made a post saying that I thought EZ Ups were a waste of time and money. Many of you thought I was an idiot for saying this.
My rationale was that in a 70 minute game, most kids are spending about 50 minutes on the field, so sitting in the shade for 20 (non-consecutive) minutes wouldn't help much.
I'm here to say "Yes, I was/am an idiot." I came across this study of how sun can impact performance.
This article is from a popular triathlon website:
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Solar_Radiation_on_Performance_5870.html
It discusses how hot sun/hot skin can be linked to a drop in performance. Probably not a big surprise- If you are hot, you won't be as fast. But it also discusses the use of certain apparel items to keep your skin cool.
A lot of games are played on a fake turf surface which tends to reflect the sun and make the surface area much hotter than a grass surface.
My kids wear a "typical" Adidas uniform. Home is navy blue. Away is white. It's a heavy-ish material but it's definitely better than cotton.
Would soccer players be better served by using materials and items that a triathlete would wear?
Arm coolers. Cooler socks. Tighter materials designed to reflect the sun better. Under garments. Maybe even cleats that are designed to be cooler.
I've done quite a few triathlons (from sprint to ironman distance). Expensive clothing with hi tech materials and arm coolers were always something I used.
My rationale was that in a 70 minute game, most kids are spending about 50 minutes on the field, so sitting in the shade for 20 (non-consecutive) minutes wouldn't help much.
I'm here to say "Yes, I was/am an idiot." I came across this study of how sun can impact performance.
This article is from a popular triathlon website:
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/Solar_Radiation_on_Performance_5870.html
It discusses how hot sun/hot skin can be linked to a drop in performance. Probably not a big surprise- If you are hot, you won't be as fast. But it also discusses the use of certain apparel items to keep your skin cool.
A lot of games are played on a fake turf surface which tends to reflect the sun and make the surface area much hotter than a grass surface.
My kids wear a "typical" Adidas uniform. Home is navy blue. Away is white. It's a heavy-ish material but it's definitely better than cotton.
Would soccer players be better served by using materials and items that a triathlete would wear?
Arm coolers. Cooler socks. Tighter materials designed to reflect the sun better. Under garments. Maybe even cleats that are designed to be cooler.
I've done quite a few triathlons (from sprint to ironman distance). Expensive clothing with hi tech materials and arm coolers were always something I used.