Fall Sports: Preparing Your Children

Students who join a sports team in school should make sure that the right apparel, gear and accessories are available for practice and games. Temperatures during the fall season may be significantly cooler compared to the summer, but humidity still plays a factor on the type of clothing that should be worn for physical activity. For example, indoor gyms and arenas tend to be very humid, thereby making players sweat excessively. Whether playing indoors or outdoors, young athletes should ideally wear apparel that is made from synthetic materials designed to absorb or wick moisture. Polyester is much more effective at removing sweat from the body compared to cotton. In fact, cotton shirts actually become very heavy when they absorb a lot of sweat from the body and moisture from the surrounding air. Therefore, such clothing actually interferes with the movement and overall performance of athletes.

Another reason to wear moisture-wicking clothing is to minimize acne outbreaks. Teenagers are already prone to acne on the face and other body parts especially the back and shoulders. Sweaty skin tends to rub against clothing and lead to irritation and outbreaks. Therefore, it is important to keep the body dry as much as possible with sports-specific clothing. The feet also tend to sweat excessively during intense physical activities, so multi-layer socks should be worn. It is a good idea to apply some powder directly onto the feet to absorb any moisture that can lead to blisters and cause unpleasant odors. Kids with sweat hands are encouraged to use some sort of powder to get a better grip on equipment during practice sessions or games.

Besides wearing the right type of clothes for sports, student athletes have to wear protective gear as deemed necessary. For example, kids with prescription eyeglasses should wear safety goggles when playing contact sports.

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