Nike Mercurial Victory II FG Jr - Long name for a simple boot. Not saying simple is a bad thing. I like the clean look of these shoes. The upper is a synthetic that has a good feel to it. The lacing is in the middle and there are no special areas on the shoe for gripping the ball.
She has been wearing these shoes for a couple months now, both on indoor turf and outdoor grass (mostly hard ground). The stud pattern seems to be doing well as I have yet to see my daughter slip or slide outside in games. She hasn't yet played on very wet ground, so I cannot attest to how well they do in those conditions.
Conclusion: So far so good. Is certainly a good boot for the price and my daughter has not had any complaints of fit or comfort.
(No affiliation with link) - http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=mercurial+victory&Ne=284&N=287&Product_Id=1369300
June 14, 2011
Gear for Dad - Cleats
My foot runs wide, so I've had difficulties finding a pair of shoes that done feel like some medieval torture device after 10 minutes on the field. After trying a number of different shoes on from Adidas, Nike and Under Armor, I finally took a chance and ordered a pair of Kelme Master Serena molded cleats.
The shoes definitely run wide, or at least the pair I ordered did. They fit perfectly right from the start, easily the most comfortable shoes I've worn. The length was a touch long, telling me I'll probably try 1/2 size down the next time I order.
After wearing the cleats for 3 months, the shoes have stretched (natural leather upper) and are now too loose. My foot is sliding around inside the front of the boot, which is causing irritation to the outside of the big toe. The tongue also doesn't like to stay velcro'd to the laces. At this point, I'm not sure why lace covers are being included on shoes. I certainly won't order any cleats that offer them.
Conclusion: Great value for a well made boot. They seem to run slightly large and wide, so try them on beforehand if at all possible. I will be sticking with this brand for my next purchase.
(No affiliation with link) - http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=kelme+cleats&N=0&Product_Id=252013
The shoes definitely run wide, or at least the pair I ordered did. They fit perfectly right from the start, easily the most comfortable shoes I've worn. The length was a touch long, telling me I'll probably try 1/2 size down the next time I order.
After wearing the cleats for 3 months, the shoes have stretched (natural leather upper) and are now too loose. My foot is sliding around inside the front of the boot, which is causing irritation to the outside of the big toe. The tongue also doesn't like to stay velcro'd to the laces. At this point, I'm not sure why lace covers are being included on shoes. I certainly won't order any cleats that offer them.
Conclusion: Great value for a well made boot. They seem to run slightly large and wide, so try them on beforehand if at all possible. I will be sticking with this brand for my next purchase.
(No affiliation with link) - http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=kelme+cleats&N=0&Product_Id=252013
Gear - Youth Street Shoes
My daughter has used a few different shoes/cleats so far in the last year, both due to growth as well as wear.
Adidas Sambas - The fit was great in the length and width and ran true to size (didn't have to get her a pair a size larger or smaller). The profile is great for playing soccer - low and tight to the foot. They certainly didn't stand up to daily wear, though. Within a month or two, the toe of the shoes had already worn through the front layer of leather and was down to what appeared to be a plastic protective layer.
Conclusion - Great shoe if it's saved for soccer play, especially indoor surfaces. Daily use in playground and around neighborhood caused them to wear far too quickly for the price.
(No affiliation with link) - http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=adidas+samba&Ne=284&N=287&Product_Id=474363
Nike Gato - These are the shoes my daughter is currently wearing. The fit was great in length and width and ran true to size. The profile is just a bit taller than the Samba, but still low enough for easy ball handling. No special features such as traction pads and the surface is a synthetic with plenty of stitching. The soles are designed for indoor surfaces and I'm certainly seeing how the shoes are not designed for daily wear as there is some degradation on the rubber on the toe of the shoe.
Conclusion - Great shoe if it's saved for soccer play, especially indoor surfaces. Daily use is showing signs of wear, though I like that the price point is a bit lower than competitive brands.
(No affiliation with link) - http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=nike+gato&Ne=284&N=287&Product_Id=1359517
Adidas Sambas - The fit was great in the length and width and ran true to size (didn't have to get her a pair a size larger or smaller). The profile is great for playing soccer - low and tight to the foot. They certainly didn't stand up to daily wear, though. Within a month or two, the toe of the shoes had already worn through the front layer of leather and was down to what appeared to be a plastic protective layer.
Conclusion - Great shoe if it's saved for soccer play, especially indoor surfaces. Daily use in playground and around neighborhood caused them to wear far too quickly for the price.
(No affiliation with link) - http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=adidas+samba&Ne=284&N=287&Product_Id=474363
Nike Gato - These are the shoes my daughter is currently wearing. The fit was great in length and width and ran true to size. The profile is just a bit taller than the Samba, but still low enough for easy ball handling. No special features such as traction pads and the surface is a synthetic with plenty of stitching. The soles are designed for indoor surfaces and I'm certainly seeing how the shoes are not designed for daily wear as there is some degradation on the rubber on the toe of the shoe.
Conclusion - Great shoe if it's saved for soccer play, especially indoor surfaces. Daily use is showing signs of wear, though I like that the price point is a bit lower than competitive brands.
(No affiliation with link) - http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=nike+gato&Ne=284&N=287&Product_Id=1359517
Gear - Youth Shin Guards
Shin Guards - We've settled on a pair of Nike T90 Forza shin guards at this point. She started with a pair of Adidas Predator Club shin guards that also fit well and held up nicely. Due to her association with the local Nike soccer club, we'll be sticking with Nike gear in the future as well (also by choice. No complaints with any Nike gear we've been using).
The Forza (in Red) are so far holding up very well. My only complaint is how firmly stitched in the tags are. I've torn thread removing them (as leaving them in causes them to get sweaty, then bunch up, which caused irritation. Even with the torn threads they're holding up well (I think general lack of movement helps there).
For the price, they're what you'll expect. Solid construction and so far are wearing very well. She plays or practices at least 3 days a week with them and after 3 months they still look new.
(No affiliation with this link/seller) - http://www.gearbuyer.com/products/nike_t90_forza_shinguard.html
The Forza (in Red) are so far holding up very well. My only complaint is how firmly stitched in the tags are. I've torn thread removing them (as leaving them in causes them to get sweaty, then bunch up, which caused irritation. Even with the torn threads they're holding up well (I think general lack of movement helps there).
For the price, they're what you'll expect. Solid construction and so far are wearing very well. She plays or practices at least 3 days a week with them and after 3 months they still look new.
(No affiliation with this link/seller) - http://www.gearbuyer.com/products/nike_t90_forza_shinguard.html
June 13, 2011
A little more history
My daughter started soccer with a non-competitive league in '10 through the local Boys & Girls club. She wound up with a great coach that knew how to keep the kids engaged and never stayed on a skill long enough for the kids to get bored with it. She learned a lot that summer and had a great time playing.
She played every position, struggling with fitness at first, but getting better and better as the season wore on. She gravitated toward striker (loved scoring those goals) and goalie, surprisingly enough.
It was at this point I started doing some research online for activities I could do with my daughter to help her out while "just having fun". Much of what I found was geared toward teams, even if small groups of kids. On top of this, much of what I found was mostly drills, which I found my daughter would do, but tired of quickly.
This research also led me to a set of instructional videos by a coach going by the name "Coach V" called "SoccerU". Those disks were a great start to my being able to help my daughter develop her game, and developed my own in the process.
She played every position, struggling with fitness at first, but getting better and better as the season wore on. She gravitated toward striker (loved scoring those goals) and goalie, surprisingly enough.
It was at this point I started doing some research online for activities I could do with my daughter to help her out while "just having fun". Much of what I found was geared toward teams, even if small groups of kids. On top of this, much of what I found was mostly drills, which I found my daughter would do, but tired of quickly.
This research also led me to a set of instructional videos by a coach going by the name "Coach V" called "SoccerU". Those disks were a great start to my being able to help my daughter develop her game, and developed my own in the process.
June 10, 2011
Welcome
My daughter decided to play recreational soccer last summer at the age of 7.
This was my first real introduction to the game as I grew up in a small town that didn't have any soccer teams or clubs. It wasn't difficult to understand I had a very small amount of knowledge of the game so I immediately set out to start learning what I could.
My first issue was trying to figure out what I didn't know. Rules, positions, technique...the more I looked into the game, the more I realized how little I knew, and how far I had to go. So I set out to learn everything I could. I read the sites, watched the youtube videos and eventually ordered some soccer education DVDs and started watching soccer on TV.
I now love the game. I love how much effort goes into making it look so effortless. I love watching a patient team slowly set up a play, then execute well. I love seeing that mistakes aren't a total loss. And I love the competitive side to it.
My goal with this blog is to document my thought processes, my questions, my ideas, to give me a chance to connect with others in a similar situation (and different situations) and to connect with others that share this love of the game. Of course, it will also be about my daughter's progress in soccer.
This was my first real introduction to the game as I grew up in a small town that didn't have any soccer teams or clubs. It wasn't difficult to understand I had a very small amount of knowledge of the game so I immediately set out to start learning what I could.
My first issue was trying to figure out what I didn't know. Rules, positions, technique...the more I looked into the game, the more I realized how little I knew, and how far I had to go. So I set out to learn everything I could. I read the sites, watched the youtube videos and eventually ordered some soccer education DVDs and started watching soccer on TV.
I now love the game. I love how much effort goes into making it look so effortless. I love watching a patient team slowly set up a play, then execute well. I love seeing that mistakes aren't a total loss. And I love the competitive side to it.
My goal with this blog is to document my thought processes, my questions, my ideas, to give me a chance to connect with others in a similar situation (and different situations) and to connect with others that share this love of the game. Of course, it will also be about my daughter's progress in soccer.
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