Soccer Cleats A No-Slip Solution - Soccer Shoes and Soccer Cleats

Your Child Should Have Soccer Cleats

A bold statement. Let me qualify that assertion.

First of all, as I stated on the Equipment for Soccer Page, soccer shoes or cleats are not a requirement of FIFA. I recommend them because I have seen some bad spills on wet grass and muddy fields.

Tennis shoes simply don’t get the job done when your child is playing in less than perfect conditions.

Trust me. Your child will play on some very wet and muddy fields. Well, unless you are playing indoor soccer.

Of course you should refer to the local soccer league rules. They may require cleats.

Second, my approach to this is as a frugal parent. I know you can't believe it but it's true.

You can’t play soccer in baseball cleats but you can play baseball in soccer cleats.

This is what I have done in the past with my son & what I recommend for U8 or younger players.

(Actually if you don’t mind cutting on a shoe you can make a baseball cleat acceptable by cutting off the toe cleat.)

A good pair of cleats IS important, but not critical. After all, soccer is about using your foot, right? You should purchase a good, solid pair of shoes. Soccer shoes are also designed to give a person better feel and control of the ball whereas tennis shoes frequently have bulky laces and tongues.

As equipment for soccer goes, cleats can be relatively expensive. Check your local discount stores first. There is no need to buy the best soccer shoes until your child can wear them for more than one year OR unless they will be getting serious use out of them on a travel team.