INITIAL
WASH
Before taking my
gloves to the training or match pitch, I give them an initial wash. Why? Many
glove manufacturers ship their gloves with a detergent or other substance in
the foam to help prevent the foam from sticking together. If you've ever
wondered why your gloves felt slippery the first time they became damp or
sweaty out of the package...now you know.
BEFORE
TRAINING & MATCHES
Many foams used in
today's gloves work best when they have been dampened 30-60 minutes prior to
use. Check your glove manufacturer or retailer to determine if this applies to
you. Some foams have special additives that when activated with water, increase
the grippiness
of the gloves. The intent with most of these gloves is not to totally soak the
gloves, but rather, to dampen the foam. If you washed your gloves the night
before, they may still be damp enough the next day.
If you'll wet your
gloves from the inside instead of wetting the outside of the palms, they will
remain moist longer; thereby reducing the frequency of them drying-out during
use. Here's why...water tries to find air. When you wet the palm of your gloves
on the outside, the air draws it out. When you wet the palm from the inside,
the water is still drawn to the outside surface, but it takes longer. Thus,
your foam takes longer to become dry. Note...you don't want to soak your
gloves, but wet the inside enough so that when you make a fist a few times, the
outside of the palms feel moist...not soaked!
DURING
TRAINING & MATCHES
I see this FAR too
often...a goalkeeper in the goal feels his/her gloves aren't moist enough (or
he/she just does it out of nervous habit), and spits on the palms, then rubs
them together. Perhaps the same glove will wipe away sweat from his/her
face...Let's forget for a moment how disgusting that is, and let us focus on
the bigger reasons why this is a "no-no!"
Saliva in your mouth (and
now on your gloves) contains food, toothpaste, and biological enzymes that
break down food for digestion. Skipping the food...what do you think
toothpaste, mouthwash, and biological enzymes do to the foam of your gloves?
And what do you think they do to your complexion when wiped across your sweaty,
soiled face? The simple and safer solution is to carry a squirt bottle filled
with water into the goal with you. You should be hydrating throughout training
and matches, so this shouldn't be a new idea. But when your gloves feel less
grippy than you'd like because they've dried a bit...give them a squirt from
your bottle.
Another
"no-no" I see frequently is goalkeepers wiping their gloves on their
jersey or shorts. Think about this for just a second. Isn't it likely your
jersey and shorts are soiled if your gloves are soiled? In fact, isn't it
likely that your jersey and shorts are more soiled? Take a hand towel into the
goal with you...
The last thing I'll
mention in this section is the unnecessary abuse gloves take during training
sessions and matches. Many goalkeepers use the palms of their gloves while
landing from dives, and when getting back up off the ground. While it may not
be possible to avoid the landing part...getting up using your fists will help keep
your palms clean and prolong their life.
AFTER
TRAINING & MATCHES
I'm often asked two
questions about caring for gloves...HOW OFTEN should gloves be washed? &
HOW should gloves be washed? The first question is easier to answer...Wash your
gloves after EVERY training session and match! "Coach Bob, are you
kidding?" No, I'm not! Your gloves are always dirtier than you think!
Beside soil and grass from the pitch, your gloves have sweat in them that
encourages bacteria to grow...so does spit! That bacteria attacks your foam.
You gloves also likely have traces of fertilizer and other lawn products from
the pitch. These also attack your gloves' foam.
HOW? Hopefully, you
take a shower after every training session and match...don't you? I'm not sure
I want to know the answer to that...so, I'll assume you said "Yes!"
Take your gloves into the shower with you...no, I'm not kidding. You won't have
to worry about splattering dirty soap suds all over your kitchen sink counter,
and you'll find this makes it easier to get them clean quickly. If your gloves
show very little soil on them, you can simply rinse them from the inside out with warm (not
hot!) water. If they are fairly soiled (or you haven't done this next step in a
few uses) used a glove wash like those offered by Reusch and Rinat which are
designed specifically for washing gloves, or use Woolite or a bar of soap that
does not contain abrasives or moisturizers.
Begin by filling the
glove with warm (not hot!) water. Next, soak the gloves from the outside. Then,
lather the hand that the glove goes on with a small amount of detergent. Slip
the glove on and make a fist a few times. Next, gently rub a small amount of
detergent on the outside of the palm and backhand. Gently work the foam on the
palm to release small particles of dirt from the micropores. Now, remove your
soapy hand and begin rinsing the glove from the inside, gently wringing the
glove to squeeze out the soapy water without tearing the foam! It is important
to get ALL of the soap out of your gloves! You'll know you've accomplished this
when the water you see coming out of the glove is clear and has no bubbles.
This doesn't guarantee all of the soap is out, but its a start. Finally, hang
the gloves to air-dry...out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
If you follow these
guidelines, your match gloves might perform like match gloves for an entire
season, and then serve you well as training gloves for another season or
more...
Coach Bob Hummer is
the founder of Keeper Coach and the free nationwide Keeper Coach Network where
goalkeepers find goalkeeper coaches. Visit www.keepercoach.com and “Like” them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/goalkeepercoach
No comments:
Post a Comment