As entertaining as the world of sports can be, the uniforms can be equally as entertaining. Uniforms typically differentiate the team players and can add a bit of pizzazz. It becomes a part of the brand so that if you see the right colors, you already know which team it is without seeing a mascot. Some uniforms also include elements designed to protect the player from getting hurt.
Baseball Is Fairly Easy
When it comes to baseball, it’s often considered the sport to play and experience with the least risk of major injuries. That doesn’t mean you can’t get hurt. Catch a fastball with your face and it’s going to do some damage. But it just doesn’t happen that often when you compare it to other sports. The uniforms are designed to be less bulky to accommodate for all that running. Cleats are a top priority. If you have never run bases in sneakers, you don’t know what “struggling” is! Cleats keep you moving in the dirt and can improve your running speed. Some are designed like high-tops to protect the ankles. The jersey and pants are designed to wick sweat from the body and protect you from sharp corners on the base (it happens!) or coming in contact with another players cleats. You won’t see anyone playing in shorts because sliding could be painful on bare skin. Most sports require socks but in baseball, socks for boys and girls usually feature a stirrup. It keeps everything in place while matching the color scheme. Jockstraps for the boys, hats, and ankle shields for batting round out the needs for a great game. Aside from talent.
Competitive Swimming Is Barely There
Swimming and diving often get overlooked as a sport until the Olympics rolls around every four years. Competing in this arena is truly a sport and swimmers and divers even have their own uniforms, albeit quite a bit less than other sports. Firstly, they wear swim caps and it’s pretty necessary even though many attribute it to a sanitary issue. Let’s first acknowledge that competitive swimmers wear two caps, not just one. This is designed to keep their goggles in place. Although many casual swimmers can open their eyes in chlorinated water, it does dry out our eyes after a while and they turn red. These swimmers spend hours every day in a pool and can’t afford to dry out their eyes all the time, so they use goggles. So, two caps keep them in place and yet there is still another reason. Imagine for a moment watching someone with waist long hair swimming. They aren’t going to swim that fast because of all the hair slowing them down. Swim caps create a rounded head for the sake of reducing drag. The bathing suit is the only other requirement and is designed to move with the body without hindering it, is chlorine resistant, and long-lasting. So you aren’t buying a new competition suit each year unless you are a growing teenager.
Golfing It Up
Golf may not appear to have a uniform but it does. In this case, most of the uniform relies on functionality rather than protecting anyone from a rogue golf ball. The polo shirt is the most traditional shirt to be worn because it allows the arms the freedom to move. Many polos are now made with moisture wicking material for those warm summer links. A sweater vest can be added for when the weather grows chilly and you need to keep those arms free but the body warm. Slacks or long shorts are the obvious choice to cover the lower half. Many women opt for a skort, which is a skirt and shorts combo, when visiting a club in a warm climate. Then you have the golf shoes. They are specially designed to grab the turf, support your weight, and help your rotation. Golf in old sneakers and you might wrench your back!
There are tons of sports out there, many have similar requirements. Moisture-wicking materials is often the common denominator. What uniform can you think of that is the same or different?
