The crack of the bat is a bromidic way to describe the atmosphere of a baseball game. Ask anyone about a basketball game, and they’ll mention the squeaking of the shoes. These pieces of sports equipment play an integral role in both the sport itself and the zeitgeist surrounding it. Yet, boiled down, these are just pieces of plastic, carbon fiber if you can afford it. How much could different equipment really have on the outcome of a ballgame?
Turns out, a lot.
The obvious importance of equipment is on the performance side. For some sports, equipment can help bring out the best in an athlete; for instance, basketball shoes.
“I look for really good traction while also being lightweight on my feet to help me move more athletically,” said Jude Vetter, a senior on the basketball team. There are so many shoes on the market that hoopers can peruse to find a pair that brings out the best in them. Vetter’s shoes of choice are the G.T. Cut 3 and the Book 1s.
Another sport where shoes play a big role is in tennis, where the lateral movement required forces players to look for their perfect fit.
“You need to find the right model for your foot. I sometimes have foot problems with some different tennis shoes, so it’s crucial for me to use the right model for my foot,” said freshman Christian Sedwick, the number one singles player at FC.
The racquet also plays a big role in the sport, as it can be customized to the athlete’s liking, from the spin they want to the amount of power.
“When I’m looking for a racquet, I’m looking for the launch angle of the ball, spin generation, sweet spot, forgiveness… I typically break strings once every two days, so I restring frequently. New strings always feel better because the new slip surface of them promotes better feel and snapback. When you hit the ball, the strings grip the ball and slide and snapback into place, which creates spin,” said Sedwick.
For Sedwick, it’s all about feel and control.
“It is crucial to have confidence in your equipment. Your tennis racquet should feel like an extension of your arm when hitting the ball. Your shoes, apparel, racquet, strings, and grip all affect your confidence on the tennis court. At a high level, it can make the difference in the win and a loss in a tight match.” That is another role equipment plays in sports — the mental side. According to the Shenakht Journal of Psychology and Psychiatry, equipment can affect even professional athletes’ mental state, so it should be no surprise that it trickles down to the high school level.
“There definitely is a mental side to it. If you feel good and look good, you feel more confident on the court with a good support system,” said Vetter.
Hall of Fame football player Deion Sanders summed it up in one quote: “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good. If they pay good, you live good.”
However, it’s not all about looking good. Sometimes, athletes need a mental boost, a way to remind them to push to the limit. The practice of writing messages on equipment goes way back, and is still alive and well today.
“I have the phrase ‘kill’ written on my hat to be able to see it and get myself locked in and into the right headspace before I play,” said sophomore Macon Simpson, an outfielder and pitcher for the FC baseball team. Sometimes it’s more than just reminding you to lock in, though. Sometimes, the message is one that an athlete has been reminding themselves of all their life.
Senior Easton Hogan was born with cerebral palsy, something he has had to deal with as long as he can remember. Despite that, he is a pitcher for the FC baseball team and is committed to Anderson University to pitch next year. He trots out to the mound with a black glove that sports a green ribbon — the color for cerebral palsy awareness — and a message of hope.
“I have always wanted a custom glove, especially with our colors being something that doesn’t come in a lot of stock gloves to buy. I wanted to be able to put a couple messages on there that are really important to me as well. I was also allowed to put a green ribbon on it for Cerebral Palsy and then the word “Hope,” which is super important to me because me and my brother both have the same message on our gloves,” said Hogan. Hogan also made sure the glove fit all of his practical needs.
“The process was pretty simple. After picking the size and model, I just had to decide between the different pitching style webs, and then I decided to go in and add a finger cover to avoid tipping my pitches when I have my finger out of the glove.”
Donning a message Hogan believes in, the glove also fits the Deion Sanders rule – Hogan feels good wearing it.
“I love using it in-game. It gives me a lot of confidence, and it’s been really cool to wear something that I created.”