Sports equipment, sporting equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear used to compete in a sport and varies depending on the sport. The equipment ranges from balls, nets, and protective gear like helmets. Sporting equipment can be used as protective gear or a tool used to help the athletes play the sport. Over time, sporting equipment has evolved because sports have started to require more protective gear to prevent injuries. Sporting equipment may be found in any department store or specific sporting equipment shops.

History and development of sports

Historically many sports players have developed their own sporting equipment over time. For instance, the use of a football dates back to ancient China, between 225 BC and 220 AD. As football remains the most popular sport in the 21st century, the material of the ball has completely changed over the centuries; from being made out of animal skin, to being lined with multiple layers of polyester or cotton. As the sporting equipment industry improves, so does the athletes performance. This is due to the fact that the equipment is more efficient, lighter and stronger it forming a bio-mechanical system, interacting with the athlete. Since the massive adoption of wearable, new sport equipment tend to be electronics and connected to deliver data performances. Standards and monitoring processes apply in certain industries aimed at elimination of child labour in the manufacture of sports goods, for example the

Atlanta Agreement The Atlanta Agreement is an agreement which was formed between the International Labour Organization, the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry and UNICEF on February 14, 1997. It was announced at the Sports Super Show in Atlanta, United States ...

of 1997 in relation to child labour in the football-making industry in Pakistan.

Game equipment

Balls

The ball is often what a sport requires and revolves around. A sports ball is typically round, but can also be in the shape such as association football,

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wit ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...

and

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

, or the ball is named after the sport. Other cases are the

Gaelic ball A football or Gaelic ball () is the spherical leather football used in the sports of Gaelic football and ladies' Gaelic football and international rules football. The pattern of panels consists of six groups perpendicular to each other, each gro ...

. In other cases, the name of the sport is indicated, just as the cricket ball, golf ball, lacrosse ball or tennis ball.

Flying discs

Flying discs are used for various games such as

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * ICD Freestyle, a paintball marker * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott La ...

, disc golf and ultimate.

Goal posts

In many games, goal posts are at each end of the playing field, there are two vertical posts (or uprights) supporting a horizontal crossbar. In some games, such as football, hockey or

water polo Water polo is a competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with t ...

, the object is to pass the ball or puck between the posts below the crossbar, while in others, such as those based on rugby, the ball must pass over the crossbar instead.

Nets

Nets are used for tennis, volleyball, football, basketball, hockey and badminton. A different type of net is used for various forms of fishing.

Racquets

Racquets are used for racquet sports such as tennis, squash and badminton, and are used to hit a ball between opposing players or teams.

Rods and tackle

Fishing rods and fishing tackle are primarily used for fishing and sport fishing.

Sticks, bats and clubs

Sticks are used for sports such as hockey and lacrosse. Bats are used for sports such as baseball,

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...

and rounders (UK). Clubs are used mainly for golf ( Golf club)

Wickets and bases

Wickets, creases and balls are used in

, and bases are used in baseball.

Player equipment

Footwear

Footwear for sports includes: * Boards for surfing, skateboarding, wakeboarding and snowboarding * Cricket spikes * Road cycling shoes * Flat pedal shoes and clipless shoes for mountain biking * Football boots * Golf shoes * Prosthetics like the

Cheetah Flex-Foot The Flex-Foot Cheetah is a prosthetic human foot replacement developed by biomedical engineer Van Phillips, who had lost a leg below the knee at age 21; the deficiencies of existing prostheses led him to invent this new prosthesis. The Flex-Foot ...

running blade * Skates for sports like roller skating, roller blading and ice skating * Skis for

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ...

and water skiing *

Running shoes Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used f ...

* Track spikes * Walking shoes

Protective equipment

Protective equipment is often worn for sports including motor sport and contact sports, such as

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two o ...

and

or sports where there is a danger of injury through collision of players or other objects. Protective equipment includes: * Bicycle helmet * Football helmet * Elbow pads * Jock strap * Mouthguards * Shin pads * Shoulder pads * Ski suits * Sports gloves

Training equipment

Examples for training equipment include swiss balls, resistance bands, balance discs, weights, chin-up bars, equipment for the gym. Also protective equipment such as weight lifting belts and bench shirts for weight training and

powerlifting Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves the athlete attempting a maximal weight single-lift eff ...

Special sports equipment

Special sports equipment, is the equipment usually worn by the athletes according to their needs or desires. *Special equipment in sports branches: **Cycling: *** Cycling jersey: a sleeved jersey covering the upper torso. *** Bib shorts: the shorts worn by cyclists which come with

pads Pads (also called leg guards) are a type of protective equipment used in a number of sports and serve to protect the legs from the impact of a hard ball, puck, or other object of play travelling at high speed which could otherwise cause injuries t ...

for added comfort. *** Socks: typically mid length socks. *** Cycling shoes: specialised shoes with stiff soles for more efficient energy transfer and cleats cliping into clipless pedals. **Football: *** Football leggings: Football leggings, mostly used in winter. It is used to prevent the body from getting cold and injury due to the cold weather after warm-up training in winter. ***Football captain's tape: Football captain's tape, is a compulsory (need) piece of equipment. Football captains are chosen by the coach, the accessory provided must be worn by the captain. ***Football shinguard: Football shinguard, is a special piece of equipment, that football players wear according to their specific wishes. ***Football bracelet: Football bracelet, is a special need equipment and players write the name of a family member or loved one according to their wishes. *** Football footband: Football footband, is worn by footballers in the ankle area between the crampons and the toe and is need or for pleasure. *** Football visor: Football visor, is a piece of plastic attached to the facemask of the football helmet. It helps prevent damage to the eyes and face. **Volleyball: *** Volleyball wristband: Volleyball wristband, is mostly used by volleyball players. Volleyball players use it for better grip of their hands. *** Volleyball knee pads: Volleyball knee pads, is the equipment used by volleyball players to protect their knees, when they jump high, jump sideways and fall to the ground. *** Volleyball leg pads: Volleyball leg pads, allows volleyball players to play safely. ** Basketball: ***

Basketball sleeve A basketball sleeve, like the wristband, is an accessory that some basketball players wear. Made out of nylon and spandex, it extends from the biceps to the wrist. It is sometimes called a shooter sleeve or an arm sleeve. Origins Allen Iverso ...

: Basketball sleeve, is a piece of equipment that basketball players wear according to their wishes and tastes and is not mandatory. *** Basketball armband: Basketball armband, is a piece of equipment that basketball players use according to their tastes or needs. *** Basketball headband: Basketball headband, is a piece of equipment that basketball players wear according to their wishes and tastes and is not mandatory. *** Basketball handband: Basketball handband, is like a need for basketball players to protect their hands and grip the ball more comfortably, but it is not mandatory. *** Basketball bracelet: Basketball bracelet, is a piece of equipment, that is generally used only as an accessory by basketball players. ** Tennis: *** Tennis armband: It is a non-mandatory accessory worn by tennis players. *** Tennis hair band: Tennis headband, is an accessory especially used by athletes according to their own color and taste. *** Tennis hat: The tennis hat is often used by tennis athletes. Used as an accessory.

Vehicles

Vehicles (sometimes specialized) are used as equipment for some sports, including motor sport, cycling,

aeronautics Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of air flight–capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. The British Royal Aeronautical Society identif ...

, sailing and hot air ballooning. Small vehicles with flatbeds are often used to carry injured athletes off the field, most commonly in

Various sports

* :Sports equipment (various sports) * Association football clothing and equipment * Baseball clothing and equipment * Climbing equipment * Cricket clothing and equipment * Cycling kit * Golf equipment * Gridiron football equipment * Ice hockey equipment * Rugby shirt * Snowboarding equipment * Triathlon equipment