subject: Basketball Goals....keep Safety Measures In Mind [print this page] Basketball is one sport which is enjoyed by people of all ages. There are different types of basketball goals available in the market and each basketball goal has different features and has its own advantages and disadvantages. However players can hurt themselves while playing the game and at times these injuries can be serious too. Therefore, whether you want to purchase basketball goal for school, community or home, you have tokeep certain safety tips in mind.Here are some of the tips which ensure safety of the players.
Pole padding: If you are planning to purchase basketball goals with a pole, make sure to buy pole padding as well. Generally padding is 1 " thick and is wrapped around the pole toprotect the players from any injury. It is a simple foam padding with a vinyl cover which can fit onto poles up to 66" tall. Players often run into the pole while playing game and this can result in bumps, bruises and at times even broken bones. Using pole padding can greatly reduce the chances of injuries to a great extent. However before buying the pole padding, you must check your pole height in order to get the right fit.
Edge padding: For adjustable height basketball goals, it is essential to use backboard edge padding. Many times, adjustable height basketball goal is lowered to enable shorter players to play well. During that time, tall players can hurt themselves by hitting their head on the corner of the backboard as the corners of the acrylic backboards have metal frames which are very sharp. That is why it is important to cover the corners with edge padding. Howeveryou don't need edge padding for non-adjustable basketball goals which are set at the regulation height of ten feet .
Gusset pads: Gusset pads are another safety items which help prevent foot injuries. While playing the game or chasing a ball, players often bump into the base plates and pyramid shaped gusset pads help in protecting players from being scratched on any bolts.
Ball retention net: If you have purchased basketball goals for your kids, it would be advisable that you get the ball retention net also. The main advantage of using the ball retention net is that whenever a ball is thrown, it retract off the net. And the net prevents the ball from rolling down a steep driveway. This prevents kids from running into streets and avoid any accidents which can happen while chasing basketball. Moreover this also helps players to spend more time in playing the game rather than chasing and finding the ball. This ball retention net is attached to the back of the basketball system and stretches to the ground.
Anti-whip net: It is also important to take into consideration, the type of net you have on your basketball goal especially if teenagers are playing. While attempting slam dunks, teenage players can hurt their hands. An anti-whip net is made up of nylon which helps protect players' hands from getting injured especially when they go in for slam dunk.
Safety is of prime importance. And adding some of these equipments to your basketball goal would only help you play safely and to the fullest.
