
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 14, 1991                   TAG: 9103150668
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-13   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Genny Elias
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PRICE TAG DEPENDS ON GEAR SELECTION

With the increasing popularity of soccer comes the age-old question of any sport: How much is it going to cost me?

The good news is that there is relatively little gear involved, as opposed to, say, football. The bad news is that with the increasing popularity of the sport comes a wider variety of choices and options, some of which carry a higher price tag as well.

Danny Beamer, owner of Soccer Stop and executive director of the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club, said those just starting soccer can spend as little as $40. That price includes a T-shirt, shorts, socks, shin guards, and cleats.

Players at a higher level, however, may opt for more expensive equipment, he said.

To begin with, soccer balls in this country have been upgraded, Beamer said. While the molded soccer ball is still available for about $15, the stitched ball - which gives a truer flight and is considered the better ball - can run as high as $100.

Beamer said that for any soccer player, it is important to keep a ball around for working on foot control. Many Americans are used to playing sports with their hands, and thus have developed hand-eye coordination. Soccer demands time to work on foot-eye coordination.

Soccer cleats have been improved as well. A standard pair of cleats will run around $19.99. However, when a player starts adding extras, such as stitched instead of glued soles or a padded instep to take pressure off the foot during play, then the price can rise to as much as $150, Beamer said.

Jerseys, while not required by all teams, range from $6 to $30 per shirt.

And finally, shin guards carry a price tag of $5 for the cheapest model to $50 for the deluxe brand. The difference is the amount of protection. The $5 model slips into your socks to simply protect the shins; the upper-range models are a shin guard and sock in one unit and pad the ankles and shins completely to protect from wild kicks. Some upscale shin guards also boast air-pocket designs, Beamer said.

Beamer stressed that players' skill and age should be taken into consideration when deciding what equipment to purchase. - GENNY ELIAS

by CNB