In high school football, every game counts. You only have seven to ten games in the regular season. Can you stand to have your starting quarterback out sick for even one game? When a key player misses even one practice, it can derail the whole team’s training routine and you risk going into that Friday night’s game unprepared. With so many players spending so much time in the close quarters of the sidelines, the huddle, or the locker room, sickness can spread pretty quickly. Of course, you can’t stop your players from ever getting sick. Schools are notorious environments for spreading germs, and let’s face it; teenagers don’t always maintain the most sanitary habits. Still, if it fits into your team sports spending budget, you can give your team an extra edge by purchasing training gear and uniforms made out of antimicrobial fabrics.
What can apparel made from antimicrobial fabric do for your team?
Antimicrobial team sports apparel has had a treatment applied to or woven into the fabric that destroys the bacteria and fungi that cause odor and infectious disease. How exactly it does this is a bit technical, but suffice it to say, it has its benefits. For the team sports program, keeping germs away from your players is just one of them. Antimicrobial team sports apparel also:
- Reduces odor. That smell coming from your football team’s locker room is due, in large part, to the bacteria that thrive in moist conditions, like sweaty team apparel. A better smelling locker room and weight room improves the morale of your players, which leads to more productive practices and more focused games.
- Kills fungal infections. Fungus lurks in sweaty team sports apparel along with odor-causing bacteria, the fungus that causes infections like athlete’s foot and jock itch. These conditions won’t take your players off the field, but they will distract them from performing their best. Antimicrobial fabrics are one tool you can use to combat them.
- Keeps your team apparel fresh between washes. Have you ever put an unwashed uniform shirt on the next day after a grueling practice? It’s not a pleasant experience. School sports teams sink a lot of money into laundering. Using antimicrobial fabrics extends the wearable time of your team sports apparel between washes, therefore extending your budget for laundry. This allows you to spend the money you would have spent on washing uniforms on something more directly related to helping you win games.
Other choices for team sports apparel
Antimicrobial fabric is just one of the many options for team apparel. As you make your purchases, you’re probably also thinking about technical fabrics for managing moisture and heat, waterproof fabrics, and durability issues. Our new guide for coaches and athletic directors covers all these topics. Download “The Team Buyer’s Guide to Choosing Uniforms, Apparel, and Gear for Performance and Durability” by clicking on the image below.
